Utah Reefs Homepage
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Catching Crabs
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Catching Crabs

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
jwoo View Drop Down
Presidency
Presidency
Avatar

Joined: April 29 2009
Location: Alpine
Status: Offline
Points: 3603
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jwoo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Catching Crabs
    Posted: June 02 2009 at 10:32am
I've got some hairy looking crab guy chomping on my Xenia - I've seen him once or twice and know roughly where he lives. Every morning I look at the tank and more of my Xenia is gone. I'm down to only about 10% it's size. I think he has now starting chomping on my Christmas Tree rock as well. I'm starting to get odd dead spots on it.  Needless to say I need to catch this guy ASAP!

So any advice? Use the glass and shrimp trick? Use a trap? Does anyone have a trap to borrow?
Back to Top
GentlemanBean View Drop Down
Guest
Guest
Avatar

Joined: April 19 2008
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 592
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GentlemanBean Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 02 2009 at 11:51am
Originally posted by jwoo jwoo wrote:

I've got some hairy looking crab guy chomping on my Xenia - I've seen him once or twice and know roughly where he lives. Every morning I look at the tank and more of my Xenia is gone. I'm down to only about 10% it's size. I think he has now starting chomping on my Christmas Tree rock as well. I'm starting to get odd dead spots on it.  Needless to say I need to catch this guy ASAP!

So any advice? Use the glass and shrimp trick? Use a trap? Does anyone have a trap to borrow?

The only sure fire way I know of to catch crabs involves a trip to Vegas and a couple of fifths of jack. LOL

Seriously though. If the crab is a coral muncher, you may have a hard time baiting the trap. If you know what rock he is in, you are probably better off just removing the rock.
Back to Top
jwoo View Drop Down
Presidency
Presidency
Avatar

Joined: April 29 2009
Location: Alpine
Status: Offline
Points: 3603
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jwoo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 02 2009 at 12:04pm
This is a picture of the guy from another site:




Back to Top
CrimsRayne View Drop Down
Guest
Guest
Avatar

Joined: July 19 2007
Location: In the Tanks
Status: Offline
Points: 1815
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CrimsRayne Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 02 2009 at 12:06pm
I agree that if you know what rock the bugger is in, just take out that rock...
You could put that rock in a bucket or small tank and then try to catch him (if you like the rock and/or it has corals on it), but odds are that it will take time and patience...
You could try the bottle/shrimp method.  With such a small critter I'd probably use a 20oz. or 32oz bottle rather than a 2 litter though.  I find that most crabs go after krill so that is probably a good place to start.
"What we know from this hobby is too hard to share with the people who just want to look and not get wet." -Rioreefer

"The Puffer Girl"

Zoo freak :)

West Jordan
Back to Top
jwoo View Drop Down
Presidency
Presidency
Avatar

Joined: April 29 2009
Location: Alpine
Status: Offline
Points: 3603
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jwoo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 02 2009 at 12:39pm
I'm going to pull the rock and try to get him into the sump when I get home. I think I may have two though (or I just looked at the tank so long looking for him I started seeing double) - so I might try the bottle trick as well.
Back to Top
jwoo View Drop Down
Presidency
Presidency
Avatar

Joined: April 29 2009
Location: Alpine
Status: Offline
Points: 3603
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jwoo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 03 2009 at 11:13am
Well the glass trick didn't work. It probably would have if my Da** cleaner shrimp would have left the bait alone. He kept pulling it out over and over again. I was hesitant to pull the rock out since it is rather large and holding up one of my arches but it looks like I've got no choice. 
Back to Top
MrNewbie View Drop Down
Guest
Guest
Avatar

Joined: October 07 2006
Location: Sandy, Utah
Status: Offline
Points: 648
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MrNewbie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 05 2009 at 1:59pm
looks like you learned catching crabs is alot easier than getting rid of them Wink
Just a couple of glass boxes full of slimey things
Back to Top
jwoo View Drop Down
Presidency
Presidency
Avatar

Joined: April 29 2009
Location: Alpine
Status: Offline
Points: 3603
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jwoo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 05 2009 at 3:31pm
Originally posted by MrNewbie MrNewbie wrote:

looks like you learned catching crabs is alot easier than getting rid of them Wink


Well I got the rock out of there but can't get him out of the rock! It's in my sump right now and the bastard won't come out for nothing. Traps don't work - nothing works! So I fear that he will meet his demise. Originally I was going to save him and put him in my fuge but alas I fear that his time has come.

With that said - should I just leave the rock out of water for a few hours? Will that eventually kill him? How long can crabs live out of the water?
Back to Top
Nick801 View Drop Down
Guest
Guest
Avatar

Joined: July 03 2008
Location: Sandy
Status: Offline
Points: 4155
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nick801 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 05 2009 at 4:11pm
My bet is that he might come out of the rock if its out of the water for a bit
Back to Top
sanddune600 View Drop Down
Guest
Guest
Avatar

Joined: February 20 2008
Location: Logan
Status: Offline
Points: 1825
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sanddune600 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 06 2009 at 11:23pm
or spray him with some cold or hot water he wont like it and should try and leave 
Andy Jorgensen
My number is four three 5 7 six four 8 0 three four
Back to Top
jwoo View Drop Down
Presidency
Presidency
Avatar

Joined: April 29 2009
Location: Alpine
Status: Offline
Points: 3603
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jwoo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 07 2009 at 8:42pm
Originally posted by sanddune600 sanddune600 wrote:

or spray him with some cold or hot water he wont like it and should try and leave 


This worked. I had the rock out most of yesterday but didn't get the chance to try this till this morning. The moment the hot water hit the rock he was out of it. Thanks!


Back to Top
sanddune600 View Drop Down
Guest
Guest
Avatar

Joined: February 20 2008
Location: Logan
Status: Offline
Points: 1825
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sanddune600 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 07 2009 at 9:14pm
Tongueglad to hear you got him out
Andy Jorgensen
My number is four three 5 7 six four 8 0 three four
Back to Top
jwoo View Drop Down
Presidency
Presidency
Avatar

Joined: April 29 2009
Location: Alpine
Status: Offline
Points: 3603
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jwoo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 24 2009 at 7:35pm
After much mourning and weeping after the crab in this post had finished off my Xenia I had written it off.

BUT

Sat. morning I woke up and looked into my tank - and lo' I did spy some tiny stalks where the crab had feasted. As of today they are now a quarter inch high! SO TAKE THAT CRAB I WIN!

Probably not exciting to anyone else  - but this was an epic two week battle with heavy casualties and my men have risen from the grave!  Zombie Xenia!
Back to Top
GentlemanBean View Drop Down
Guest
Guest
Avatar

Joined: April 19 2008
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 592
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GentlemanBean Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 24 2009 at 8:01pm
what did you end up doing with the crab?
Back to Top
jwoo View Drop Down
Presidency
Presidency
Avatar

Joined: April 29 2009
Location: Alpine
Status: Offline
Points: 3603
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jwoo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 24 2009 at 8:37pm
Originally posted by GentlemanBean GentlemanBean wrote:

what did you end up doing with the crab?


Causality of war.

When I stuck the rock in the tub to run water over it I was holding it above the drain. He jumped off the rock and well went down the drain. Which is too bad because I was going to stick the little bugger in my refuge.
Back to Top
pgravis View Drop Down
Guest
Guest
Avatar

Joined: August 13 2008
Location: Ogden
Status: Offline
Points: 763
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pgravis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 24 2009 at 8:57pm
if you ever make it north to ogden i could help replenish your supply of xenia with a couple of stocks.   Seems like a long drive for xenia though!
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.03
Copyright ©2001-2018 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.125 seconds.