lanman February 20, 2008 February 20, 2008 Okay - so he's HUGE - and I never saw him before, or just thought he was one of the mithrax crabs. And yes - he has probably been in that 58-gallon tank for most of a year. He is a stocky fellow with black tips on his pointy claws. There's not much in that tank that I'm worried about - but what kind of damage can a gorilla crab do? I read somewhere that they might eat sponges and anemones. HAH! Not my annoyance sponges or aiptasia, that's for sure! Will they hurt coral? I haven't seen any sign of it so far. I did lose a couple of peppermint shrimp within 24 hours after I introduced them. bob
smarsh97 February 21, 2008 February 21, 2008 they will catch and eat fish, I had a big one eat a pretty good healthy serpent star the other day. They will basically eat anything they can get their hands on. I say catch it and get it out. I am on a mission. I have got a ton of them in my 180. I am catching about 1 per night with a pair of hemostats and letting hem fight it out in the sump until I can get them to Tim for his mantis. They are very strong, and they are smart, watch out. Traps haven't worked so far. I am about to take my rock out and squirt something in their holes to make them come out. Sandy
steveoutlaw February 21, 2008 February 21, 2008 Give it to Tooth Decay.......he's got a mantis that would love to go a couple of rounds with it!!
jamesbuf February 21, 2008 February 21, 2008 Give it to Tooth Decay.......he's got a mantis that would love to go a couple of rounds with it!! Can't wait to see videos of that!!!
HowardofNOVA February 21, 2008 February 21, 2008 What do they actually look like? I have a couple of BLACK Mitrax, that's them???
JMsAquarium February 21, 2008 February 21, 2008 Can't wait to see videos of that!!! Here's a better idea, get them, we all go to Tim's place. I'll bring the beer. We watch the show 'live". Mantis are a cool critter in a dedicated display.
extreme_tooth_decay February 21, 2008 February 21, 2008 Here's a better idea, get them, we all go to Tim's place. I'll bring the beer. We watch the show 'live". Mantis are a cool critter in a dedicated display. Oh, there will be blood.... I'm up for anything like...right now the smasher is in my fuge, but in 1-2 weeks I'm hoping to have my dedicated display set up and more than 1 mantis...and a holding area for food they can't eat because they're full. I've been feeding the smasher a little chunk of shrimp or silverside, and he sure comes and gets it...but he doesn't smash it...I guess because it's already dead. I sure am looking forward to seeing him smash something! And not me. tim
JMsAquarium February 21, 2008 February 21, 2008 (edited) Well, whenever you are up and ready, name your brew And you too Bob Edited February 21, 2008 by JMsAquarium
lanman February 21, 2008 Author February 21, 2008 MY gorilla crab looks like he could go a round with Muhammad Ali. I saw him again this evening. I'll get a decent picture eventually. So far nothing but bad ones. bob
JMsAquarium February 21, 2008 February 21, 2008 MY gorilla crab looks like he could go a round with Muhammad Ali. I saw him again this evening. I'll get a decent picture eventually. So far nothing but bad ones. bob So we are going to have Gorilla Ali VS Da Smasher. For some reason, my money is on Da Smasher
extreme_tooth_decay February 21, 2008 February 21, 2008 MY gorilla crab looks like he could go a round with Muhammad Ali. I saw him again this evening. I'll get a decent picture eventually. So far nothing but bad ones. bob Heh, you all are making me think I should have gotten the big mantis! I didn't realize folks would be lining up with food and beer. This thing's gonna pay for itself in no time. tim
JMsAquarium February 21, 2008 February 21, 2008 Heh, you all are making me think I should have gotten the big mantis! I didn't realize folks would be lining up with food and beer. This thing's gonna pay for itself in no time. tim Tim, by the time it gets big, well in Asia it's a delicacy
extreme_tooth_decay February 21, 2008 February 21, 2008 Tim, by the time it gets big, well in Asia it's a delicacy Yeah, like everything else. The word "delicacy" has some seriously negative connotations in my mind! HERE'S a pic of one you don't want to meet in a dark alley...and the page is talking about they are delicacies to boot. tim
JMsAquarium February 21, 2008 February 21, 2008 Yeah, like everything else. The word "delicacy" has some seriously negative connotations in my mind! HERE'S a pic of one you don't want to meet in a dark alley...and the page is talking about they are delicacies to boot. tim Yup, read something similar to the one on your link. They are commonly found in fish markets in Honk Kong and SE Asia. I wouldn't go fish them myself though.
Origami February 21, 2008 February 21, 2008 Bob, I've taken several of them out over the last few months. Hitchikers. The largest had a carapace probably about an inch across. Of course, it looked like an absolute monster through the display glass! Only in one case was I able to trap one (a slightly smaller one) by using a small water bottle with the top cut off and placed (inverted) back into the remaining base. The reason is, they are very cautious and stay close to a hole they can retreat into, and are beaten to the bait by a train of hungry hermits. And then, the only reason I was able to trap one using this trap was because I'd tied a string to the lip of the trap so that when one did wander into the trap (while I was watching, of course), a quick pull on the string would right the otherwise horizontal trap to bring my hairy crab friend home. I've had far more luck using the chop-stick method. This method requires skill, patience, and, at the right moment, speed. You basically keep a chop stick handy and when you spy one of the little buggers, you make a quick move and finish it off. Not elegant but, as I said, more effective than my trap. Good luck with yours.
SkiCurtis February 21, 2008 February 21, 2008 i just saw fight club the other night. what a weird movie, I'm up for the show.
HowardofNOVA February 21, 2008 February 21, 2008 Great link on good and bad stuff for the tank at Tampa Bay Saltwater: The Florida Live Rock Farmers: http://www.tbsaltwater.com/thepackage/watchout.html
Brian February 21, 2008 February 21, 2008 I ahve always heard that you want to keep them in an acrylic tank. That is you keep them in an AGA that they could possibly break the tank. Is that true or only when they get huge? Very cool looking but not sure if I'm willing to risk a flooded basement.
extreme_tooth_decay February 21, 2008 February 21, 2008 (edited) I ahve always heard that you want to keep them in an acrylic tank. That is you keep them in an AGA that they could possibly break the tank. Is that true or only when they get huge? Very cool looking but not sure if I'm willing to risk a flooded basement. Big smashers can break glass. It's unlikely, and they have to be greatly agitated, etc, etc, but they can do it. They are actually said to be able to break double layered safety glass, which is crazy. I hate worrying, so I'm having NAGA build me an acrylic tank for my multi-mantis display-to-be. Especially after I saw the damage a medium sized mantis put on Roozen's specimen container in a few weeks. I'm assuming the tank is gonna get scratched real good, but we'll see. If you got a spearer, you wouldn't have to worry. And, some of the really cool ones are spearers. tim Edited February 21, 2008 by extreme_tooth_decay
lanman February 21, 2008 Author February 21, 2008 Bob, I've taken several of them out over the last few months. Hitchikers. The largest had a carapace probably about an inch across. Of course, it looked like an absolute monster through the display glass! Only in one case was I able to trap one (a slightly smaller one) by using a small water bottle with the top cut off and placed (inverted) back into the remaining base. The reason is, they are very cautious and stay close to a hole they can retreat into, and are beaten to the bait by a train of hungry hermits. And then, the only reason I was able to trap one using this trap was because I'd tied a string to the lip of the trap so that when one did wander into the trap (while I was watching, of course), a quick pull on the string would right the otherwise horizontal trap to bring my hairy crab friend home. I've had far more luck using the chop-stick method. This method requires skill, patience, and, at the right moment, speed. You basically keep a chop stick handy and when you spy one of the little buggers, you make a quick move and finish it off. Not elegant but, as I said, more effective than my trap. Good luck with yours. Mine has a carapace a good 2" across. Built like a tank. I'll check all the pictures I've taken and see if any of them are any good. He blends in very well with the sand and rock. bob
JMsAquarium March 19, 2008 March 19, 2008 Heh, you all are making me think I should have gotten the big mantis! I didn't realize folks would be lining up with food and beer. This thing's gonna pay for itself in no time. tim Tim, How's the upcoming Ultimate Fight Championship coming along?
extreme_tooth_decay March 19, 2008 March 19, 2008 Tim, How's the upcoming Ultimate Fight Championship coming along? Unfortunately I'm still waiting for NAGA to finish my mantis tank :(
JMsAquarium March 19, 2008 March 19, 2008 Unfortunately I'm still waiting for NAGA to finish my mantis tank :( No problem, just checking Hehe, getting thirsty, you know.
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