Help catching a stone crab

Ptyochromis · 04/03/2013, 11:05 AM

So I have seen a rather large (1") stone crab in my tank on several occasions. Once I even saw him with a stomatella. I have been unable to catch him; he is fast and I have a lot of rock.

He has eaten nearly all of my stomatella, porcelain crabs, some of my Synalpheus (small non social pistols), and even fights with my CBS.

I have tried using s shotglass with bait in the bottom but the bait is always gone by morning.

How can I trap/remove this crab without adding a predatory fish?

thegrun · 04/03/2013, 11:32 AM

Try placing a small tumbler glass or Tupperware container in the tank at night with a piece of meat in it to act as bait (you may need to weigh it down by rubber banding the meat to a rock). Burry the tumbler in sand or build a ramp so the crab can crawl up to the rim of the glass. The crab will drop down into the glass to get the bait but hopefully will not be able to crawl out.

lilalove · 04/03/2013, 12:34 PM

Lean the jar with food up against the rocks where you have seen the crab most often, so that the jar is at an angle. The idea is it will crawl in for the food but be unable to get back out. Good luck. I've had these before and they are a PITA. They ate almost all my zoas and a couple of clams before I finally saw them and removed them.

jBugg · 04/03/2013, 12:48 PM

^

I did the same thing to catch a quick crab before it could do any damage.

Sugar Magnolia · 04/03/2013, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilalove

Lean the jar with food up against the rocks where you have seen the crab most often, so that the jar is at an angle. The idea is it will crawl in for the food but be unable to get back out. Good luck. I've had these before and they are a PITA. They ate almost all my zoas and a couple of clams before I finally saw them and removed them.

I caught a xanthid on my first try doing it this way. Just make sure the glass you use is tall and smooth sided.

Ptyochromis · 04/04/2013, 11:16 PM

I used a very tall jar last night, woke up to find the bait missing and no crab >.<"

It was taller than an arm of my CBS and had an opening too small for it to fit in. Think my nass could have got it? I would think I would have seen it in the jar, he sucks at climbing.

Sugar Magnolia · 04/05/2013, 06:27 AM

Just keep trying. The coral banded may steal the bait though.

ACBlinky · 04/05/2013, 07:02 AM

What about a bristleworm trap? I have one, can't remember the name off hand (it's lost in the fish cupboard somewhere and I'm at work, or I'd go check) and it's square, about 4-5" long, with a spring-loaded door that closes when the beastie goes in for the bait.

username in use · 04/05/2013, 07:20 AM

Plastic soda bottle.

cut the top off and invert it back into the bottle and staple it on then cover with some duct tape. Weight it down with some rocks and put a piece of shrimp in it.

The crab can crawl into the funnel but has a hard time getting back out. I caught a bunch that way.

Ptyochromis · 04/05/2013, 12:05 PM

Got that SOB. Probably not a stone crab but its puffer food for anyone who wants.

http://i.imgur.com/QEvvBes.jpg

Also got a cool snail I didn't know I had

http://i.imgur.com/syYy2.jpg

Ptyochromis · 04/05/2013, 02:47 PM

What do you do with the crab once you have caught it?

thegrun · 04/05/2013, 02:56 PM

Boil slowly, serve with drawn butter...

eshtog · 04/05/2013, 03:27 PM

I am guessing you caught it using the glass jar method? I have 2 rock crabs I need to catch.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ptyochromis

Got that SOB. Probably not a stone crab but its puffer food for anyone who wants.

http://i.imgur.com/QEvvBes.jpg

Also got a cool snail I didn't know I had

http://i.imgur.com/syYy2.jpg

ACBlinky · 04/05/2013, 04:28 PM

Aww, he's kinda cute! Why not toss him in the sump, let him clean algae and eat detritus to pay you back for the damage he caused?

cherubfish pair · 04/05/2013, 04:33 PM

If you can't possibly find a good home for it, you must euthanize it humanely. The best way is to put in a zip-lock bag and put it in the freezer. The cold will put it to sleep and then kill it without pain.

Ptyochromis · 04/05/2013, 05:20 PM

I have a feeling if I put him in my sump he would eat the rest of my detritivores lol.

Sugar Magnolia · 04/05/2013, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ptyochromis

Got that SOB. Probably not a stone crab but its puffer food for anyone who wants.

http://i.imgur.com/QEvvBes.jpg

Also got a cool snail I didn't know I had

http://i.imgur.com/syYy2.jpg

Excellent! It's definitely a species of xanthid but narrowing it down to the exact species is kind of tough with over 500 species of xanthid.

The snail is a marginellid species. They forage for microfauna and other snails smaller than themselves. Nothing to worry about. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...rginella+snail

saf1 · 04/05/2013, 05:47 PM

Good catch. Key in on his/her pincers...they are a dead give away that they are trouble.

Side note, and it is after the fact, I've had a ton of success with both fish and crab hitch hikers using the soda bottle with the top inverted inside. They can get in, not out (quickly I should say). I've also used a tupperware or glass vase with string attached. As they enter and get food, I pull string so it raises the glass again preventing them from escaping...

Take it to the fish store and let them use it for food. That is what I would do. Or, if you have a sump that is free, toss it in there. It will be a good clean up person.

cherubfish pair · 04/05/2013, 08:24 PM

Wait a minute... You're from Tampa. You should be able to put it in the ocean.

saf1 · 04/05/2013, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cherubfish pair

Wait a minute... You're from Tampa. You should be able to put it in the ocean.

Lol, that is funny. Plenty of water...

However, chances are high that it isn't native from that region and thus be a no-no. I'm sure you are kidding by saying that but even here on the Left, er...I mean West Coast we have a issue with people releasing lion fish

They are pretty much kill on sight.

cherubfish pair · 04/05/2013, 09:55 PM

It would have a chance of survival versus euthanasia. And I don't think one crab is going to destroy an ecosystem.

Jeff000 · 04/05/2013, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cherubfish pair

It would have a chance of survival versus euthanasia. And I don't think one crab is going to destroy an ecosystem.

Don't put it in the ocean. Terrible idea.
Just one could destroy an ecosystem, cause it's never just one, it's just one from one person. Look at the lionfish, I'm sure someone said it's only one lionfish.

It's a crab, smash that mofo with a hammer, you'll feel way better about what it killed.

bearpeidog · 04/06/2013, 08:08 AM

I don't like to kill anything from my tank. I figure the crab isn't bad - it's just bad for my tank. Critters like him are banished to the sump....

saf1 · 04/06/2013, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cherubfish pair

It would have a chance of survival versus euthanasia. And I don't think one crab is going to destroy an ecosystem.

You honestly don't think "one" crab is going to destroy an ecosystem? Well, with all due respect you are flat out wrong.

Do a little bit of reading when you have some spare time on invasive creatures and what they "DO" to the local ecosystems. This isn't just about a single crab or lionfish (in the example I provided). This is a much bigger issue with all sorts of creatures people house has pets.

Pythons, lionfish, lizards, freshwater fish like Oscars, and more. It also is a issue with freshwater plants believe it or not and clams from tankers ballasts.

What happes if the "one" little crab is actually "one pregnant" crab...

cherubfish pair · 04/06/2013, 11:08 AM

Okay I've never heard of an actual case but I believe you about the lionfish now. I know how tough those things are so I know they can get established. So Ptyochromis don't throw him in the ocean unless he's native to those particular waters.

04/03/2013, 11:05 AM	#1
Ptyochromis Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Tampa Posts: 467	Help catching a stone crab So I have seen a rather large (1") stone crab in my tank on several occasions. Once I even saw him with a stomatella. I have been unable to catch him; he is fast and I have a lot of rock. He has eaten nearly all of my stomatella, porcelain crabs, some of my Synalpheus (small non social pistols), and even fights with my CBS. I have tried using s shotglass with bait in the bottom but the bait is always gone by morning. How can I trap/remove this crab without adding a predatory fish? __________________ WPG is a lie. Don't misidentify Phyllangia sp. as Aiptasia. Current Tank Info: skimmerless, sps dominant 29gal+20gal fuge. 100% NNR

04/03/2013, 12:34 PM	#3
lilalove Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 462	Lean the jar with food up against the rocks where you have seen the crab most often, so that the jar is at an angle. The idea is it will crawl in for the food but be unable to get back out. Good luck. I've had these before and they are a PITA. They ate almost all my zoas and a couple of clams before I finally saw them and removed them. __________________ Karina For mad scientists who keep brains in jars, here's a tip: why not add a slice of lemon to each jar, for freshness? - Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey Current Tank Info: 180 gallon reef, 55 gallon sump and refugium

04/04/2013, 11:16 PM	#6
Ptyochromis Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Tampa Posts: 467	I used a very tall jar last night, woke up to find the bait missing and no crab >.<" It was taller than an arm of my CBS and had an opening too small for it to fit in. Think my nass could have got it? I would think I would have seen it in the jar, he sucks at climbing. __________________ WPG is a lie. Don't misidentify Phyllangia sp. as Aiptasia. Current Tank Info: skimmerless, sps dominant 29gal+20gal fuge. 100% NNR

04/05/2013, 06:27 AM	#7
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	Just keep trying. The coral banded may steal the bait though. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

04/05/2013, 07:02 AM	#8
ACBlinky Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Peterborough, ON, Canada Posts: 4,954 Blog Entries: 20	What about a bristleworm trap? I have one, can't remember the name off hand (it's lost in the fish cupboard somewhere and I'm at work, or I'd go check) and it's square, about 4-5" long, with a spring-loaded door that closes when the beastie goes in for the bait. __________________ "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen Current Tank Info: 150g mixed reef, 30g sump/refugium, LED lighting, 100lbs LR, coral beauty, flame angel, blue & yellow tangs, gobies, damsels, 6-line wrasse, lawnmower blenny, dottyback, clown pair, rabbitfish, shrimp, crabs, CUC.

04/03/2013, 11:32 AM	#2
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Try placing a small tumbler glass or Tupperware container in the tank at night with a piece of meat in it to act as bait (you may need to weigh it down by rubber banding the meat to a rock). Burry the tumbler in sand or build a ramp so the crab can crawl up to the rim of the glass. The crab will drop down into the glass to get the bait but hopefully will not be able to crawl out.

04/03/2013, 12:48 PM	#4
jBugg Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: NJ Posts: 140	^ I did the same thing to catch a quick crab before it could do any damage.

04/05/2013, 07:20 AM	#9
username in use Sciencing Daily Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 6,560	Plastic soda bottle. cut the top off and invert it back into the bottle and staple it on then cover with some duct tape. Weight it down with some rocks and put a piece of shrimp in it. The crab can crawl into the funnel but has a hard time getting back out. I caught a bunch that way. __________________ Joshua "With fronds like these, who needs anemones?" - Albert Einstein Current Tank Info: multiple nano's sprinkled around the house

04/05/2013, 12:05 PM	#10
Ptyochromis Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Tampa Posts: 467	Got that SOB. Probably not a stone crab but its puffer food for anyone who wants. http://i.imgur.com/QEvvBes.jpg Also got a cool snail I didn't know I had http://i.imgur.com/syYy2.jpg __________________ WPG is a lie. Don't misidentify Phyllangia sp. as Aiptasia. Current Tank Info: skimmerless, sps dominant 29gal+20gal fuge. 100% NNR

04/05/2013, 02:47 PM	#11
Ptyochromis Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Tampa Posts: 467	What do you do with the crab once you have caught it? __________________ WPG is a lie. Don't misidentify Phyllangia sp. as Aiptasia. Current Tank Info: skimmerless, sps dominant 29gal+20gal fuge. 100% NNR

04/05/2013, 02:56 PM	#12
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Boil slowly, serve with drawn butter...

04/05/2013, 04:28 PM	#14
ACBlinky Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Peterborough, ON, Canada Posts: 4,954 Blog Entries: 20	Aww, he's kinda cute! Why not toss him in the sump, let him clean algae and eat detritus to pay you back for the damage he caused? __________________ "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen Current Tank Info: 150g mixed reef, 30g sump/refugium, LED lighting, 100lbs LR, coral beauty, flame angel, blue & yellow tangs, gobies, damsels, 6-line wrasse, lawnmower blenny, dottyback, clown pair, rabbitfish, shrimp, crabs, CUC.

04/05/2013, 04:33 PM	#15
cherubfish pair Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Libby, Montana Posts: 7,061 Blog Entries: 1	If you can't possibly find a good home for it, you must euthanize it humanely. The best way is to put in a zip-lock bag and put it in the freezer. The cold will put it to sleep and then kill it without pain. __________________ pairo chero Thanks for looking at my build thread and subscribe to it if you already haven't yet! Current Tank Info: thirty rimless

04/05/2013, 05:20 PM	#16
Ptyochromis Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Tampa Posts: 467	I have a feeling if I put him in my sump he would eat the rest of my detritivores lol. __________________ WPG is a lie. Don't misidentify Phyllangia sp. as Aiptasia. Current Tank Info: skimmerless, sps dominant 29gal+20gal fuge. 100% NNR

04/05/2013, 05:47 PM	#18
saf1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: California Posts: 2,259	Good catch. Key in on his/her pincers...they are a dead give away that they are trouble. Side note, and it is after the fact, I've had a ton of success with both fish and crab hitch hikers using the soda bottle with the top inverted inside. They can get in, not out (quickly I should say). I've also used a tupperware or glass vase with string attached. As they enter and get food, I pull string so it raises the glass again preventing them from escaping... Take it to the fish store and let them use it for food. That is what I would do. Or, if you have a sump that is free, toss it in there. It will be a good clean up person. __________________ -saf1 Current Tank Info: 210 gallon mixed reef

04/05/2013, 08:24 PM	#19
cherubfish pair Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Libby, Montana Posts: 7,061 Blog Entries: 1	Wait a minute... You're from Tampa. You should be able to put it in the ocean. __________________ pairo chero Thanks for looking at my build thread and subscribe to it if you already haven't yet! Current Tank Info: thirty rimless

04/05/2013, 09:55 PM	#21
cherubfish pair Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Libby, Montana Posts: 7,061 Blog Entries: 1	It would have a chance of survival versus euthanasia. And I don't think one crab is going to destroy an ecosystem. __________________ pairo chero Thanks for looking at my build thread and subscribe to it if you already haven't yet! Current Tank Info: thirty rimless

04/06/2013, 08:08 AM	#23
bearpeidog Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Milton, Vermont Posts: 560	I don't like to kill anything from my tank. I figure the crab isn't bad - it's just bad for my tank. Critters like him are banished to the sump....

04/06/2013, 11:08 AM	#25
cherubfish pair Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Libby, Montana Posts: 7,061 Blog Entries: 1	Okay I've never heard of an actual case but I believe you about the lionfish now. I know how tough those things are so I know they can get established. So Ptyochromis don't throw him in the ocean unless he's native to those particular waters. __________________ pairo chero Thanks for looking at my build thread and subscribe to it if you already haven't yet! Current Tank Info: thirty rimless