Help with crab identification

[ReefWeeds]

Found a little translucent/tan crab (about the size of a dime or smaller) in the crevice of a rock. He seems to move about in the rock holes and doesn't come out much. Any ideas what kind of crab this is and how the heck I get him out? He's in the base of my rock structure so removing the rock would mean removing ALL my rock which would be massively disruptive. He's kinda cute but I don't want to keep a crab in there that may make lunch out of other critters such as fish and cleaner shrimp.

[Fluffeh]

I actually just succeeded in removing a similar looking crab from my tank last night. I'm not sure what kind of crab it is, but I found it eating away at my plate coral a few days ago. It took my 3-4 days, but I finally caught him using the Xterminator ( http://www.amazon.com/Ultralife-ProduCounts-AULXTERM-X-Terminator-Mantis/dp/B0002DKB7M) ... i also tried the bottle trap and the glass container trap but no luck with those this time around.

 

 

EDIT: actually now that I look at your pictures closer, mine was not really translucent as yours appears to be.

[ReefWeeds]

Thank you for the tip about the trap!!

[Maniu]

Caught all my pest, hitchhiker crabs with vodka shot glass.

Instructions:

Disinfection - pour 50 milligrams of vodka into shot glass

Drink it.

Rinse it.

Place tinny chunk of table shrimp inside shot glass (you can use super glue to hold it in place)

Place trap in your tank. As close as possible to your grabs hideout. Place it on its side with opening facing side of your tank. Leave about 1/4" space between shot glass opening and aquarium wall.

Dim/turn off lights and wait.

After crab enters the shot glass. Press trap against the wall and remove your pest.

Drink another shot of vodka for job well done.

[ReefWeeds]

Caught all my pest, hitchhiker crabs with vodka shot glass.

Instructions:

Disinfection - pour 50 milligrams of vodka into shot glass

Drink it.

Rinse it.

Place tinny chunk of table shrimp inside shot glass (you can use super glue to hold it in place)

Place trap in your tank. As close as possible to your grabs hideout. Place it on its side with opening facing side of your tank. Leave about 1/4" space between shot glass opening and aquarium wall.

Dim/turn off lights and wait.

After crab enters the shot glass. Press trap against the wall and remove your pest.

Drink another shot of vodka for job well done.

Love this.

[da1001]

Vodka always seems to be the starting point of all my problems rather than the solution.

[Dan R]

Caught all my pest, hitchhiker crabs with vodka shot glass.

Instructions:

Disinfection - pour 50 milligrams of vodka into shot glass

Drink it.

Rinse it.

Place tinny chunk of table shrimp inside shot glass (you can use super glue to hold it in place)

Place trap in your tank. As close as possible to your grabs hideout. Place it on its side with opening facing side of your tank. Leave about 1/4" space between shot glass opening and aquarium wall.

Dim/turn off lights and wait.

After crab enters the shot glass. Press trap against the wall and remove your pest.

Drink another shot of vodka for job well done.

Two shots of vodka that is it. That job sounds like a good excuse for at least 3 or 4.

[da1001]

Is a few chugs from the bottle ok too?

[ReefWeeds]

Well, I found another crab. This guy looks frightening even though he's only the size of a pencil eraser. It's the red eyes and hairy legs. Now I just need lots of vodka to catch him. Oh I mean shot glasses. Lots of shot glasses.

[Dan R]

 

Well, I found another crab. This guy looks frightening even though he's only the size of a pencil eraser. It's the red eyes and hairy legs. Now I just need lots of vodka to catch him. Oh I mean shot glasses. Lots of shot glasses.

 

You were right the first time. Lots of vodka you only need one shot glass.

[Maniu]

Well, I found another crab. This guy looks frightening even though he's only the size of a pencil eraser. It's the red eyes and hairy legs. Now I just need lots of vodka to catch him. Oh I mean shot glasses. Lots of shot glasses.

You might need intervention after hunting season ends.

[Benny314]

If you don't have the time (or you've passed out from the amount of vodka you have drunk) to watch the glass to trap the bugger against the tank, use a bigger glass (maybe only half fill it with vodka lol), bait it and rest it in an upright position against your rock work near where the crab(s) hang out and leave it over night.

Any thing that drops in after the bait won't be able to climb back out.

You may find you trap all your hermit crabs first, but eventually the crabs your after will drop in there and it's job done with out having to watch the tank with a red flash light all night.

The bottle trap works too, cut the top of a drinks bottle and turn it back in on it's self so once something has gone in there, it can't find the hole to get back out.

[Maniu]

If you don't have the time (or you've passed out from the amount of vodka you have drunk) to watch the glass to trap the bugger against the tank, use a bigger glass (maybe only half fill it with vodka lol), bait it and rest it in an upright position against your rock work near where the crab(s) hang out and leave it over night.

Any thing that drops in after the bait won't be able to climb back out.

You may find you trap all your hermit crabs first, but eventually the crabs your after will drop in there and it's job done with out having to watch the tank with a red flash light all night.

The bottle trap works too, cut the top of a drinks bottle and turn it back in on it's self so once something has gone in there, it can't find the hole to get back out.

That works, however. Personally, I don't like the idea of leaving bait (table shrimp chunk in my case) over night. Wouldn't want unnecessary pollutants to screw my water parameters.

Not sure of effect small chunk of shrimp might have on nitrate and phosphates..... But I rather play safe.

[Benny314]

How big is your tank?
It takes a couple of days for a bit of shrimp to start to kick off a cycle in a new tank. Over night really isn't going to cause a problem as long as you have a good amount of LR or alternaitve to house the bacteria that will break down ammonia etc which if your tank is up and running should be the case anyway.

But each to their own, I personally like sleep/can not be sure of my co-ordiation after alot of vodka lol.

[Maniu]

How big is your tank?

It takes a couple of days for a bit of shrimp to start to kick off a cycle in a new tank. Over night really isn't going to cause a problem as long as you have a good amount of LR or alternaitve to house the bacteria that will break down ammonia etc which if your tank is up and running should be the case anyway.

But each to their own, I personally like sleep/can not be sure of my co-ordiation after alot of vodka lol.

It is 16 gal,

(With some LR, minimal SB, various softies, LPS, SPS, more then adequate filtration IMO, not overstocked, Springeri Damsel, pair of Eviota gobies, cleaner shrimp, Fighting Conch and various snails/hermits.)

 

Both methods work. No question about it.

I have tried yours and it didn't work (maybe bc I wasn't patient enough)

Shot glass against the wall with shrimp chunk glued to the bottom worked a lot quicker both times.

It is just my personal experience. So take it with a grain of salt.

[Dan R]

It is about the vodka the crab is just something to do for entertainment.

[Maniu]

It is about the vodka the crab is just something to do for entertainment.

Basically lol

[ndrobey]

After catching the crab, fill shot glass with vodka, place in microwave for 3 minutes. Now you've got vodka steamed crab for dinner.

[Juuls]

 

Well, I found another crab. This guy looks frightening even though he's only the size of a pencil eraser. It's the red eyes and hairy legs. Now I just need lots of vodka to catch him. Oh I mean shot glasses. Lots of shot glasses.

 

Did you catch this one?

If so what was it, because legs like that disappeared into a hole in my rock when i turned the lights on this morning. it is only small.

[thecoralbeauty]

That is a shamefaced crab and it loves to munch on hard corals- particularly the beautiful and expensive sps you might have. kill it with fire.

[ReefWeeds]

Did you catch this one?

If so what was it, because legs like that disappeared into a hole in my rock when i turned the lights on this morning. it is only small.

I did finally catch it! With a shot glass. I tried everything and it took me a few weeks. He had molted 3x and gotten quite large (went from pencil eraser size to quarter size). He also decimated my snail population over the span of about a month. From what I can tell, he was of xanthid variety - black tips on claws, fuzzy legs, red eyes. My husband has a "monster tank" and he went in there - where he has continued to grow. He's starting to become more of a pinkish color rather than white now that he's growing. If you can, I'd say get the one out of your tank. the one in mine also bored larger holes in my live rock.

[ReefWeeds]

Oops! Wrong crab! This one in this thread wasn't as bad as the xanthid I found. Still unsure what this one is. Don't think he's a shame-faced crab as now that I've got him, he doesn't quite have that shape.

[thecoralbeauty]

hm interesting. so many small, evil things hitchhiking all over the place. keep us posted if you're able to find out more!

[Mr. Microscope]

I would say the first one almost looks like a sally lightfoot. I'd still try to capture it and confirm before letting it loose in your tank. The second one is probably a problem. Again, try to capture and ID first. If they're both pests, try to find someone with a pest tank to give them to.

[amphipod]

I did finally catch it! With a shot glass. I tried everything and it took me a few weeks. He had molted 3x and gotten quite large (went from pencil eraser size to quarter size). He also decimated my snail population over the span of about a month. From what I can tell, he was of xanthid variety - black tips on claws, fuzzy legs, red eyes. My husband has a "monster tank" and he went in there - where he has continued to grow. He's starting to become more of a pinkish color rather than white now that he's growing. If you can, I'd say get the one out of your tank. the one in mine also bored larger holes in my live rock.

lol that is one strong crab digging through rock.