Large Ugly Crab

[alton]

History: Tank was set up in 99, 200 gal. Oceanic reef ready, 200 lbs of live rock and coral. Habitants consist of Chevron Tang, Blue Face Angel, Copper Band, Flame Angel, Mandarin, Blue Spot Jaw fish, Ocellaris, and several hermits. Yesterday I looked into my tank and to my surprise I see a 2” crab, not a hermit but an actual crab. I moved a few rocks to try to catch him but once again he was gone. A couple of years ago I saw him (around an inch in size) but in seconds he was gone not to be seen again until yesterday. My choices are to leave him which I don’t want to, or remove all the rock until I find him. This makes for a long Saturday. I have no proof that he has ever killed anything in my tank, I can tell you that just recently I lost a Purple Tang that was in this tank for more than 5 years and I blamed it on the Sohal so I sold him. But I never found the Purple Tang. My question is there a way to trap this guy saving me the trouble of tearing my tank apart?

[d3rryc]

I lost three fish and a fire shrimp to a similar beasty before finding him in a rock that I could remove from the tank. Others have had success baiting the bottom of a mason jar or tall glass leaned against the rockwork near the crab's last known location. The idea is that he'll go into the jar/glass to eat the bait, but the glass is too slick for him to be able to climb back out.

[coraline79]

Get a water bottle(or gatorade bottle-bigger opening), cut the top "cone" shape off. Fill it with tank water, and insert the cone reversed in the bottle, put a pinch of food in it right before the lights go out. Come back in 1 hour and that crab will be there try to get in. I have had a fuzzy red crab forever, and he hasn't hurt anything, but when I was try to catch one of my fish with this method, he was there everyday for 3 days. Put it way out in the open so he can't get back in the rocks quickly.

[CoryDude]

I've lost a clam to a live rock crab, and countless snails. Never any fish, though.

If the trap don't work, try looking for him at night. Then you can get an idea which rock he's hiding in. Then you can pull the rock and get him that way.

[alton]

Well I came home from last night looked into my aquarium and where my blue spot jaw fish used to call home was the crab. Grabbed a net and started pulling rocks out until I found the one he was in. He is my office in a bucket at 2014 west avenue this morning if anyone wants him. He is more like three inches.

[Kristy]

Glad you were able to catch the little *******. Amazing that he has been in there this whole time... what a story. Sorry you lost the blue spot jawfish though. Crabcakes for dinner tonight?

[ACE]

A blender comes to mind...payback!

[Dee]

I'm guessing this method would also work to catch a purple lobster?

[don-n-sa]

I wish I still had my mantis shrimp...that would of been quite a show.:bigsmile:

[Joshua]

Keep that sucker alive for someone who's got a Trigger or Mantis to play with. It's actually kind of cute... but yeah sharp claws are usually a nono on crabs in a reef tank.

[alton]

One of the guys who works at Texas Tropical is going to put him with another one that he has at his home.

[d3rryc]

It's a bummer these guys are so dangerous to the rest of our tank inhabitants. Alton's is the coolest-looking crab I've seen in a while.

[alton]

I found the leg on Tuesday. Do I have another one or is this a molt from December? And yes I am missing a Small clown Fish.

[vman181]

Alton, could you put a penny or something next to that thing. It looks huge from here. How big is it?

[alton]

It is an 1 1/2", I could only find a nickel

[DSAfanatic]

A blender comes to mind...payback!


:rofl:

[Noober]

the pincher looks similar to rock crabs off the texas coast... only with different colors. anyone got an Id on it?

[vman181]

WOW!!! Thats bigger than I thought it was. Thanks for the new picture.

[Firstman]

I have a red crab in my sump I dont know what kind he is but when I bought him they told me he was a porcelin crab but last month I caught him eatting my Mckoskers wrasse alive between my rock. beforehand I was missing a cleaner wrasse, clown fish, and my sailfin had his ends cliped. I thoght he would be hard to catch him but I pulled out the rock he was on. that is a good thing he is out of their now alton who knows what else ends up missing.

[NeptunesGhost]

The guys at Darby's Tropicals have a huge mantis that is probably hungry most of the time!

[msmith619]

Looks like a rock crab claw...Mmm, Mmmm delicious. I have kept rock crabs in my tanks before until they get big enough to re-decorate. I have never had one catch any fish, I think they primarily eats bristle worms and the like. They are little bull-dozers and will totally re-arrange the rock work.
Mike

[alton]

Okay I agree it is a Rock Crab Claw, but could it be left over from the first one I took out in December or is it from a new one?

[vman181]

I guess it depends. Did the one you took out in december have two claws or one? :-)

[alton]

He had both

[danny]

crab cakes

[vman181]

He had both

Then I am of no help. One way to find out I guess is put it back in the tank and wait to see if it "melts" away in five months. If it does than I'd say it was a new one. If not then it could be from the old one. 50/50 chance...........