Crab ??!!

f3honda4me · 01/18/2012, 09:27 PM

I added 3 peppermint shrimp to my tank today, and lo and behold a crab emerged when some shrimp came nearby. I couldn't tell if the shrimp were trying to get at the crab or the other way around. The crab must have been a hitchhiker on my LR. The crab is probably as big as the shrimp are. Golfball size AT LEAST.

I'm concerned. I think it's an emerald crab but the pincers looked kinda small. The crab was very hairy. I couldn't get a pic as they are under the LR doing some dancing around, but it's hard to get a good look at the colors.

Should I be concerned?

Bluemon · 01/18/2012, 09:29 PM

Yes. Take it out

SushiGirl · 01/18/2012, 09:34 PM

Emerald crabs aren't very hairy (just a little on their legs). Sounds like it could be a gorilla crab. At any rate, get it out if you can.

Sugar Magnolia · 01/18/2012, 09:38 PM

Tilt a smooth sided tall glass, baited with some raw seafood against the rock. Crab will crawl in but can't get out. Tilt should be pretty steep.

Jocko · 01/19/2012, 07:59 AM

Yeah I've used the glass technique for catching gorilla crabs. Usually works quite well. You definitely don't want a golf-ball sized gorilla crab. They are kinda interesting, but at that size they could even snag unsuspecting fish if they wanted to.

f3honda4me · 01/19/2012, 11:46 AM

Thanks, I'm gonna pick up some freeze dried shrimp and tie it to a rock and do the glass trick. Hopefully that works, though I hear i will probably catch a few hermits too that way.

SneakyPete · 01/19/2012, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f3honda4me

I hear i will probably catch a few hermits too that way.

Easy to pick them out and back into the tank though, lol.

not to hyjack, but if you had an agressive tank with say a lionfish and a trigger, could you have a gorrila crab or would it cause chaos with your cuc?

tebstan · 01/19/2012, 12:18 PM

I've been told that as a general rule of thumb, if it's hairy it's bad. Crabs, I mean.

Working at a LFS, we found a gorilla crab in a live rock shipment. We tossed it into the predator tank, thinking it would be an interesting show to watch the shark or trigger tear it up. The crab walked into a rock and the fish ignored it. Very anticlimactic. A few years later, we saw the crab stealing silversides during feed time, but the tank inhabitants still ignored it.

gmate · 01/19/2012, 02:05 PM

Gorilla crabs will eat/harm your other inverts and possibly harass fish. Get it out, banish it to the sump, or roast him up and eat him :P

Fish Biscuit · 01/20/2012, 12:06 PM

+1 - hairy crabs are not good, send him packing

f3honda4me · 01/20/2012, 12:35 PM

I've had shrimp in a tilted class against the rocks where I saw him, but no luck yet. It's been in there about 24 hours now. Probably have to pull it out and put a new shrimp in there so it doesn't decay.

Seagars · 01/21/2012, 09:49 AM

Share a picture please blood luck

01/18/2012, 09:27 PM	#1
f3honda4me Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,218	Crab ??!! I added 3 peppermint shrimp to my tank today, and lo and behold a crab emerged when some shrimp came nearby. I couldn't tell if the shrimp were trying to get at the crab or the other way around. The crab must have been a hitchhiker on my LR. The crab is probably as big as the shrimp are. Golfball size AT LEAST. I'm concerned. I think it's an emerald crab but the pincers looked kinda small. The crab was very hairy. I couldn't get a pic as they are under the LR doing some dancing around, but it's hard to get a good look at the colors. Should I be concerned?

01/18/2012, 09:34 PM	#3
SushiGirl Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Fort Worth, TX USA Posts: 8,267	Emerald crabs aren't very hairy (just a little on their legs). Sounds like it could be a gorilla crab. At any rate, get it out if you can. __________________ Visit my Homepage or "My Albums" (via Profile) for hitchhiker pics. Current Tank Info: 55g softy/LPS tank & 20L reef tank

01/18/2012, 09:38 PM	#4
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	Tilt a smooth sided tall glass, baited with some raw seafood against the rock. Crab will crawl in but can't get out. Tilt should be pretty steep. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

01/19/2012, 12:18 PM	#8
tebstan Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 961	I've been told that as a general rule of thumb, if it's hairy it's bad. Crabs, I mean. Working at a LFS, we found a gorilla crab in a live rock shipment. We tossed it into the predator tank, thinking it would be an interesting show to watch the shark or trigger tear it up. The crab walked into a rock and the fish ignored it. Very anticlimactic. A few years later, we saw the crab stealing silversides during feed time, but the tank inhabitants still ignored it. __________________ Washington's Rule #110: Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience.

01/19/2012, 02:05 PM	#9
gmate MASC Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Littleton, CO Posts: 2,267	Gorilla crabs will eat/harm your other inverts and possibly harass fish. Get it out, banish it to the sump, or roast him up and eat him :P __________________ https://www.marinecolorado.org/ 180, 90 and 50 gallon reef ready systems. Fragging & trading since 2010. Current Tank Info: 180g, 90g & 50g frag tank

01/18/2012, 09:29 PM	#2
Bluemon Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 902	Yes. Take it out

01/19/2012, 07:59 AM	#5
Jocko Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Boston Posts: 595	Yeah I've used the glass technique for catching gorilla crabs. Usually works quite well. You definitely don't want a golf-ball sized gorilla crab. They are kinda interesting, but at that size they could even snag unsuspecting fish if they wanted to.

01/19/2012, 11:46 AM	#6
f3honda4me Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,218	Thanks, I'm gonna pick up some freeze dried shrimp and tie it to a rock and do the glass trick. Hopefully that works, though I hear i will probably catch a few hermits too that way.

01/20/2012, 12:06 PM	#10
Fish Biscuit Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,164	+1 - hairy crabs are not good, send him packing __________________ Michele I enjoy vodka entirely too much to share with the fish. Current Tank Info: 65 rimless with Eshopps R200 sump, current inhabitants randall goby, helfrichi, possum wrasse, barnacle blenny, mandarin, pistol, peppermint, & fire shrimp, snails, hermits, & LPS

01/20/2012, 12:35 PM	#11
f3honda4me Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,218	I've had shrimp in a tilted class against the rocks where I saw him, but no luck yet. It's been in there about 24 hours now. Probably have to pull it out and put a new shrimp in there so it doesn't decay.

01/21/2012, 09:49 AM	#12
Seagars Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Parrish, FL Posts: 1,084	Share a picture please blood luck