Tank Upgrade, De-Crabbing

mattgumaer · 10/05/2014, 08:49 PM

I'm in the process of upgrading my 90 gallon reef to a 180. I intentionally added a bunch emerald crabs due to a bubble algae problem and apparently also added one or more black crabs unintentionally (hitchhikers) to the 90. I'm looking to de-crab my tank during the upgrade.

A bunch of my live rock has stuff glued or grown onto it, including LPS and SPS. Some of the corals include frogspawn, hammers, torch, acros, montis, acans, duncans, goniopora, favia, blastos, birdsnests, zoas, palys, pocillopora, stylophora, etc.

I'm looking for the best way to get the crabs out. I thought picking up the rock and swishing around under water would be enough to make them jump ship but the LFS says probably not. They suggested putting the rocks in a bucket with a very little water and leaving for some time to let the crabs find their way down to the water. I'm not thrilled about keeping the corals out of water that long. Will this be ok? Is there another way? If I try this route, are there particular coral types that I need to be sure don't get exposed for an extended period of time?

I'm trying a glass jar baited with a clam tonight. We'll see what I catch, if anything.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Matt

ingtar_shinowa · 10/05/2014, 09:26 PM

Glass jar is probably the best method. I pulled a crab off a millie once and had to break the branch even after I crushed a couple legs. Crabs hunker down and are strong.

10/05/2014, 08:49 PM	#1
mattgumaer Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 561	Tank Upgrade, De-Crabbing I'm in the process of upgrading my 90 gallon reef to a 180. I intentionally added a bunch emerald crabs due to a bubble algae problem and apparently also added one or more black crabs unintentionally (hitchhikers) to the 90. I'm looking to de-crab my tank during the upgrade. A bunch of my live rock has stuff glued or grown onto it, including LPS and SPS. Some of the corals include frogspawn, hammers, torch, acros, montis, acans, duncans, goniopora, favia, blastos, birdsnests, zoas, palys, pocillopora, stylophora, etc. I'm looking for the best way to get the crabs out. I thought picking up the rock and swishing around under water would be enough to make them jump ship but the LFS says probably not. They suggested putting the rocks in a bucket with a very little water and leaving for some time to let the crabs find their way down to the water. I'm not thrilled about keeping the corals out of water that long. Will this be ok? Is there another way? If I try this route, are there particular coral types that I need to be sure don't get exposed for an extended period of time? I'm trying a glass jar baited with a clam tonight. We'll see what I catch, if anything. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Matt

10/05/2014, 09:26 PM	#2
ingtar_shinowa Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Billings MT Posts: 1,610	Glass jar is probably the best method. I pulled a crab off a millie once and had to break the branch even after I crushed a couple legs. Crabs hunker down and are strong.