case of the crabs

[Guest samson]

I saw for the first time last night a crab that hitchhiked in on some rock. he is about the diameter of a nickel, black and white striped legs, and 2 huge (1/8" thick) black claws (huge compared to my blue legged hermits). This thing is super fast, no shell like a hermit. I watched it pull in a small snail into it's cave, and kill it. I am a bit worried about this guy and in my search over the net was unable to find any pics or descriptions of it. Anyone have anything similar? or any pics i can compare with. I dont' have an image of it, as when it does see me, it bolts.

 

the other night was the first time i saw it. the claw came up out of the rock and broker a piece of somethign off the ropck and kicked up some dust. My blue damsel will swim by it's cave and push dust at him wiht his fin. Problem is I can't easily reach the cave to capture him.

 

any suggestions?

 

thanks

 

Sam.

[Korbin]

put some food on a pair of tweezers or pliers, lure him out, and then nab him.

 

I dont know.

 

Oh, make a little net, put a piece of food on it and tie it to the net, and when he gets on it lift the net out with the crab in it.

[Crakeur]

sounds nasty. try using the bottom half of a soda bottle with a little food in it. the crab might crawl in and get stuck. another method is to use food on a string, lure the crab out and then lure him to a strategically place jet. as soon as the crab is close enough, flip on the jet and instant fish food for the tank.

whatever you do, Do Not handle this thing without protection. if you saw it knock a piece of rock off with it's claws, think of what it would do if you tried to pick it up.

[Guest samson]

good ideas, yeah I dont' know what it is, but the claws are pretty strong for a little guy. the things is pretty cool looking, zebra striped, but i don't want any trouble. I like my livestock as it is....this isn't a free buffet.

 

would a worm trap work?

[leaky]

Yeah, I had the exact same problem. I waited till one day i seen him out and about, which was late at night, then I scooped him up with a fish net. I then kept him at the top of the tank still in the net with a cd plastic cover over the net, so the net was dangling in the tank and held up at the corners of the tank. I tried to id this thing as soon as possible, and tried to give him away(its tough to do when you tell people it is not safe with other crabs and snails and etc...) so finally I just flushed him... I felt extremely bad about it but it was just terrorizing everything.... my roomate was affraid to go to the washroom, said he didn't want a crab crawling up his butt.... haha I don't blame him... anyways he's gone.

[NaNO ReeFiN]

You flushed the little guy...? I would've taken him back to the LFS or something... dropped him in the live rock tank...

[Sahin]

I found a hairy crab which was identified to be a baddie. I caught him and took him to the LFS.

 

If you saw this one killing and eating a snail, I am pretty sure it will go through all the small snails and when they run out possibly eat corals or attack hermits.

 

I'd take the beast out.

[Guest samson]

I am going to try everyone's suggestions. When i said he was fast.....I wasn't kidding and he is smart. he watches me and i watch him. I think i will keep the feller in his own home when i get him. I kid of have a respect for him now. But i want him out!

[leaky]

I had to flush him, I had no other choice.... I tried three LFS's and they said no... He actually escaped one night from my net and there it was ... another dead blue leg... thats when I made the final choice to do that... what else could I have done... I know its wrong but it was like trying to keep a small population of mosquitos in a room with a dragonfly..... ugh