WaterDog February 6, 2010 Share February 6, 2010 So on top of the snow, I found this little guy creeping around in the rocks Says here it's a red eyed reef crab: http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/cru...iidae/ferox.htm Says here they're not reef safe and that I should remove him: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/swcrabidfaqs.htm So, how is one to go around catching a crab who's smaller than a neon goby? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davelin315 February 7, 2010 Share February 7, 2010 Depending on what fish you have, you can put a tumbler in the bottom of the tank with some bait in it and see if it falls in. Or, if my octopus survives, you can borrow it for hunting that little guy down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overklok February 7, 2010 Share February 7, 2010 Get a dowel rod and spear it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman February 7, 2010 Share February 7, 2010 Suck him up with a turkey baster bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan S February 7, 2010 Share February 7, 2010 his red eyes make him look really evil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John February 7, 2010 Share February 7, 2010 If possible, move rock with crab to sump, eventually he'll come out because its dark...then just put your rock back in your display...worked for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterDog February 7, 2010 Author Share February 7, 2010 Thanks for the ideas guys, I haven't seen him today but I saw his molt. I'm not so sure which rock he's in at this point so I think I'll hold off on changing my aquascaping. I saw a lot of white spore-like looking things on the underside of the same type of rock. I'll try to get a good picture. Please don't tell me those are crabs eggs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Lazar February 7, 2010 Share February 7, 2010 I'm no crab expert, but I do know that mithrax crabs do not lay eggs on LR. The bottom half of their shell is hinged in back and opens in front. They store the eggs in there. Even if they are eggs, it's very unlikely that they would grow to adults because the larvae won't have enough of the right food. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind February 7, 2010 Share February 7, 2010 If you can take the rock out you can pour club soda in the hole or place the rock in a club soda bath for a few minutes. The crab will climb out because of the pH shift and the lack of O2 because of the excess CO2. I have used the dowel rod method that was mentioned about a dozen times. Happy hunting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterDog February 7, 2010 Author Share February 7, 2010 If you can take the rock out you can pour club soda in the hole or place the rock in a club soda bath for a few minutes. The crab will climb out because of the pH shift and the lack of O2 because of the excess CO2. I have used the dowel rod method that was mentioned about a dozen times. Happy hunting! I'm not really sure which rock he's in because his molt was near a completely different rock. I may just have to try going hunting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterDog February 8, 2010 Author Share February 8, 2010 (edited) Well, it took 30 minutes and 2 gallons of RO water, but we finally got him out of the rock. He's definitely rattled, but hes alive and walking around. I'm not sure if he'll make it through the night, he's in a 2 gallon bucket right now, might put him in the quarantine tank. Edited February 8, 2010 by WaterDog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman February 8, 2010 Share February 8, 2010 He's too small to do TOO much damage. I had a similar (but fuzzy) crab - he just did some damage to one coral over time, and I had to remove him. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterDog February 8, 2010 Author Share February 8, 2010 He's too small to do TOO much damage. I had a similar (but fuzzy) crab - he just did some damage to one coral over time, and I had to remove him. bob He's fuzzy, guess it didn't really come out in the picture. I don't want to kill him but I'm iffy on keeping something that will eventually eat coral and possibly fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sen5241b February 8, 2010 Share February 8, 2010 Crabs are reef safe by virtue of their small size. DO NOT GIVE HERMITS BIGGER SHELLS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davelin315 February 8, 2010 Share February 8, 2010 Crabs are reef safe by virtue of their small size. DO NOT GIVE HERMITS BIGGER SHELLS. Huh? Not sure I understand this. Even small crabs are not reef safe as they are omnivores and will eat things. Some small crabs are also very predatory and will take down much larger prey, or at least attempt to. As far as the hermit crabs, I don't think that they will actually have their growth stunted by not providing shells, they'll simply outgrow their shell and stick out or kill a snail to get a bigger shell if there aren't enough available, unless I'm mistaken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterDog February 8, 2010 Author Share February 8, 2010 they'll simply outgrow their shell and stick out or kill a snail to get a bigger shell if there aren't enough available, unless I'm mistaken. Yeah, I tried stunting their growth, one just killed a margarita snail and took its shell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmubeach February 8, 2010 Share February 8, 2010 Who has the mantis shrimp. I'm sure he'd love this guy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterDog February 8, 2010 Author Share February 8, 2010 Who has the mantis shrimp. I'm sure he'd love this guy! +1 Whoever has the mantis shrimp, or anything else that would enjoy this little guy, can have him for free. No one in my tank would eat him and I'd like to be rid of him without explicitly killing him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilary February 9, 2010 Share February 9, 2010 There is always your sump! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterDog February 9, 2010 Author Share February 9, 2010 There is always your sump! I'm nervous about him crawling out. How do you think the refugium would work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmubeach February 9, 2010 Share February 9, 2010 Would it eat the macro is the question? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterDog February 11, 2010 Author Share February 11, 2010 Ok, so he's in the quarantine tank and he's about an inch in length. It's not really a problem with him in there now, but would he be a danger to any fish that go in there? Would it eat the macro is the question? I don't think so...more likely to eat the copepods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chrisssteeven February 12, 2010 Share February 12, 2010 sorry if i am interrupting you but i also want to say something as i am new to these site and to the world of aquariums so i don't have have so much knowledge by which i can give some tips or advices about how to keep these beautiful aquatic creators but i must say after joining your site and reading you comments i had learn a lot and thats all because of you guys Thanks,thanks a lot for sharing.Well WaterDog you crab's photo are really very nice i like them very much please share more if you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilary February 12, 2010 Share February 12, 2010 My thought was if you put him in your refugium he won't have access to your fish, which I imagine is probably your greatest worry, but will still have a place to do his little crab thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterDog February 12, 2010 Author Share February 12, 2010 sorry if i am interrupting you but i also want to say something as i am new to these site and to the world of aquariums so i don't have have so much knowledge by which i can give some tips or advices about how to keep these beautiful aquatic creators but i must say after joining your site and reading you comments i had learn a lot and thats all because of you guys Thanks,thanks a lot for sharing.Well WaterDog you crab's photo are really very nice i like them very much please share more if you can. I would, but the little buggers hiding under a piece of PVC pipe... My thought was if you put him in your refugium he won't have access to your fish, which I imagine is probably your greatest worry, but will still have a place to do his little crab thing. Hm, into the refugium he goes then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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