decoratoe Crab? Good V.s Bad? HELP!

jonandkellie · 10/02/2008, 10:36 PM

Hello my name is Jon and i am an retired Combat Navy Corpsman (medical). Live in Corpus Christi. Had a question. I have a Decorator Crab that likes to sneak my frag corals and methodically position him on his "velcro" body. This poses a problem i assume due to me wanting to watch my tank grow instead of buying large organisms. This crab comes out at night only and sometimes i will trick him, turning the light on and watching the corals on his back come alive. They are not getting enough life! Tell me what you know or any suggestions including the possibility of taking him back to the store. Thank you and please feel free to ask or share with me. - Jonathan Holland

SALT WATER CRAZ · 10/02/2008, 10:50 PM

Supper Glue Gel the frags down to a rock so it will be harder for the crab to steal them I would quess.

And

To Reef Central

jonandkellie · 10/02/2008, 11:40 PM

thank you that is what i have done. he pinched them off! I quarantined him and removed all his "decoration". It is only a matter of time before he finds all the 15 corals i jacked from him. He is big ( the size of a bar of soap). Take care.

crvz · 10/03/2008, 08:50 AM

Wow, that's a large crab! Any chance you could get a picture of it?

skippy2 · 10/03/2008, 11:49 AM

Not the OP's pic but mine. I took my dec. crab out and gave him away. He was pretty scary looking except for all the bling he was wearing.

HappySkittles · 10/03/2008, 12:11 PM

when he sheds you can get your coral back....but he will just go around and re-decorate himself D:

if you can catch him, you should probably take him back. that pic makes him look so pretty XD well at least in my mind i can picture the zoas being open

WaterKeeper · 10/03/2008, 12:20 PM

When it comes to interior design the Decorators will find almost anything to camouflage their outline. Be prepared to have a constant battle in their quest for the latest reef fashions.

jonandkellie · 10/05/2008, 11:05 PM

That picture looks exactly like my crab! He is fun to watch at night however at a cost of many innocent coral. Thanks ya'll i have a better outlook now on this matter.

smalls383 · 10/05/2008, 11:20 PM

Wow I have never seen a crab like that.....great pic

liz3 · 10/05/2008, 11:44 PM

I have only seen small decorators...that actually is pretty cool if you have a lot of frags to spare to him.

That size though...I might be inclinded to take him back. Good luck.

liz3 · 10/05/2008, 11:45 PM

one would think though that he would pick only one or two color schemes though..lol

10/02/2008, 10:36 PM	#1
jonandkellie Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Corpus Christi Posts: 7	decoratoe Crab? Good V.s Bad? HELP! Hello my name is Jon and i am an retired Combat Navy Corpsman (medical). Live in Corpus Christi. Had a question. I have a Decorator Crab that likes to sneak my frag corals and methodically position him on his "velcro" body. This poses a problem i assume due to me wanting to watch my tank grow instead of buying large organisms. This crab comes out at night only and sometimes i will trick him, turning the light on and watching the corals on his back come alive. They are not getting enough life! Tell me what you know or any suggestions including the possibility of taking him back to the store. Thank you and please feel free to ask or share with me. - Jonathan Holland __________________ Jonathan Holland Qualitycraft Builders Current Tank Info: 75 reef

10/02/2008, 11:40 PM	#3
jonandkellie Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Corpus Christi Posts: 7	thank you that is what i have done. he pinched them off! I quarantined him and removed all his "decoration". It is only a matter of time before he finds all the 15 corals i jacked from him. He is big ( the size of a bar of soap). Take care. __________________ Jonathan Holland Qualitycraft Builders Current Tank Info: 75 reef

10/03/2008, 08:50 AM	#4
crvz Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: houstonia Posts: 7,989	Wow, that's a large crab! Any chance you could get a picture of it? __________________ -Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet?

10/03/2008, 11:49 AM	#5
skippy2 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: S.W. Michigan Posts: 3,205	Not the OP's pic but mine. I took my dec. crab out and gave him away. He was pretty scary looking except for all the bling he was wearing. __________________ Peggy Current Tank Info: no tank

10/03/2008, 12:11 PM	#6
HappySkittles Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 401	when he sheds you can get your coral back....but he will just go around and re-decorate himself D: if you can catch him, you should probably take him back. that pic makes him look so pretty XD well at least in my mind i can picture the zoas being open __________________ RESEARCH! <º)))>< Very important Sexy Blog? Click the red house! Current Tank Info: 3 gallon pico-zoas, gorgonian, mushrooms, nass snails and sexy shrimp

10/02/2008, 10:50 PM	#2
SALT WATER CRAZ Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: michigan Posts: 872	Supper Glue Gel the frags down to a rock so it will be harder for the crab to steal them I would quess. And *To Reef Central*

10/03/2008, 12:20 PM	#7
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	When it comes to interior design the Decorators will find almost anything to camouflage their outline. Be prepared to have a constant battle in their quest for the latest reef fashions. __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29

10/05/2008, 11:05 PM	#8
jonandkellie Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Corpus Christi Posts: 7	That picture looks exactly like my crab! He is fun to watch at night however at a cost of many innocent coral. Thanks ya'll i have a better outlook now on this matter. __________________ Jonathan Holland Qualitycraft Builders Current Tank Info: 75 reef

10/05/2008, 11:20 PM	#9
smalls383 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Saratoga, CA Posts: 483	Wow I have never seen a crab like that.....great pic

10/05/2008, 11:44 PM	#10
liz3 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Glendale Heights Posts: 1,289	I have only seen small decorators...that actually is pretty cool if you have a lot of frags to spare to him. That size though...I might be inclinded to take him back. Good luck.

10/05/2008, 11:45 PM	#11
liz3 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Glendale Heights Posts: 1,289	one would think though that he would pick only one or two color schemes though..lol