Reefski's
Active member
chrismunn- that is not the same crab.
others have said it is a stone crab.
i will try the jar with bait trap.
aren't stone crabs good eating? they must be slow growers as it is at least three years old.
here is a link to some stone crab info. the article says the claws are different sizes. the one in my tank seemed to be the same size although my picture and memory are not that good.
i wish also that i wasn't so blind when i examined all the pieces for minutes before putting them in the tank.
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/species/stone_crab.htm
here is some of the text-
Life History and Habitat
Life history, including information on the habitat, growth, feeding, and reproduction of a species, is important because it affects how a fishery is managed.
* Geographic range: Gulf stone crab are found from northwest Florida around the Gulf of Mexico to the state of Tamaulipus, Mexico. Florida stone crab are found from west central Florida around the peninsula to east central Florida and North Carolina. An extensive hybrid zone occurs from the big bend area of Florida to west central Florida, and a smaller hybrid zone occurs from east central Florida through South Carolina. A hybrid zone is where the range of the two interbreeding species meet.
* Habitat: Larvae are planktonic and are found in nearshore coastal waters and within estuaries. Juveniles inhabit hiding places such as crevices in and beneath rock or shell. Adult Gulf stone crabs are found on mud flats and oyster reefs in nearshore and estuarine areas. Adult Florida stone crabs live in seagrass beds or rocky substrate in higher salinity waters.
* Life span: Males live to about 7 years, and females live to about 8 years.
* Food: Larvae feed on smaller zooplankton (tiny floating animals). Juvenile and adult stone crab are generally opportunistic carnivores but sometimes eat plants also. Juveniles and adults both feed on oysters, acorn barnacles, conchs, sea anemones, flatworms, boring clams, blue crabs, hermit crabs, common mussels, and vegetative matter.
* Growth rate: Growth in males is greater and more variable than in females.
* Maximum size: Stone crabs can reach 5 ½ to 6 inches carapace width (the widest part of the body).
* Reaches reproductive maturity: Females mature at around 2.4 inches carapace width; males mature at around 2.8 inches carapace width. The carapace is the part of the exoskeleton that covers the first section of the crab's body.
* Reproduction: Stone crabs mate after molting when the female is soft. Males deposit spermatozoa in the receptacle of the female. Eggs are fertilized within the ovary lumen. After fertilization and ovarian development, eggs are deposited in an external mass or sponge (160,000 to 1 million per egg mass) beneath the female abdomen. At this time, females are termed ovigerous, or egg-bearing. Eggs usually hatch within two weeks after they are extruded. Larval development takes approximately four weeks before metamorphosis to the juvenile form.
* Spawning season: Spring to fall
* Spawning grounds: Mating sites have not been identified, but research has suggested that oyster reefs and seagrass beds may be important habitat for mating.
* Migrations: Little is known about the movement and migration of stone crabs. They may move in response to environmental factors or seasons. Large males appear to move inshore in the fall to mate with molting females.
* Predator/prey interactions: Adult filter-feeding fish, larval fish, and other zooplankton feed on larval stone crab. Predators of juveniles include other xanthids (crustaceans), grouper, black sea bass, and other large fish. Octopi, horse conchs, sea turtles, cobia, and grouper feed on adult stone crab. Juvenile stone crabs are more susceptible to predators than adults because they do not burrow or have the large claw of adults.
* Commercial or recreational interest: Both
* Distinguishing characteristics: Stone crabs have a large crusher claw and a smaller pincer claw with numerous small teeth used for cutting. The Gulf stone crab is maroon brown, as compared to the Florida stone crab which is spotted and banded.
others have said it is a stone crab.
i will try the jar with bait trap.
aren't stone crabs good eating? they must be slow growers as it is at least three years old.
here is a link to some stone crab info. the article says the claws are different sizes. the one in my tank seemed to be the same size although my picture and memory are not that good.
i wish also that i wasn't so blind when i examined all the pieces for minutes before putting them in the tank.
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/species/stone_crab.htm
here is some of the text-
Life History and Habitat
Life history, including information on the habitat, growth, feeding, and reproduction of a species, is important because it affects how a fishery is managed.
* Geographic range: Gulf stone crab are found from northwest Florida around the Gulf of Mexico to the state of Tamaulipus, Mexico. Florida stone crab are found from west central Florida around the peninsula to east central Florida and North Carolina. An extensive hybrid zone occurs from the big bend area of Florida to west central Florida, and a smaller hybrid zone occurs from east central Florida through South Carolina. A hybrid zone is where the range of the two interbreeding species meet.
* Habitat: Larvae are planktonic and are found in nearshore coastal waters and within estuaries. Juveniles inhabit hiding places such as crevices in and beneath rock or shell. Adult Gulf stone crabs are found on mud flats and oyster reefs in nearshore and estuarine areas. Adult Florida stone crabs live in seagrass beds or rocky substrate in higher salinity waters.
* Life span: Males live to about 7 years, and females live to about 8 years.
* Food: Larvae feed on smaller zooplankton (tiny floating animals). Juvenile and adult stone crab are generally opportunistic carnivores but sometimes eat plants also. Juveniles and adults both feed on oysters, acorn barnacles, conchs, sea anemones, flatworms, boring clams, blue crabs, hermit crabs, common mussels, and vegetative matter.
* Growth rate: Growth in males is greater and more variable than in females.
* Maximum size: Stone crabs can reach 5 ½ to 6 inches carapace width (the widest part of the body).
* Reaches reproductive maturity: Females mature at around 2.4 inches carapace width; males mature at around 2.8 inches carapace width. The carapace is the part of the exoskeleton that covers the first section of the crab's body.
* Reproduction: Stone crabs mate after molting when the female is soft. Males deposit spermatozoa in the receptacle of the female. Eggs are fertilized within the ovary lumen. After fertilization and ovarian development, eggs are deposited in an external mass or sponge (160,000 to 1 million per egg mass) beneath the female abdomen. At this time, females are termed ovigerous, or egg-bearing. Eggs usually hatch within two weeks after they are extruded. Larval development takes approximately four weeks before metamorphosis to the juvenile form.
* Spawning season: Spring to fall
* Spawning grounds: Mating sites have not been identified, but research has suggested that oyster reefs and seagrass beds may be important habitat for mating.
* Migrations: Little is known about the movement and migration of stone crabs. They may move in response to environmental factors or seasons. Large males appear to move inshore in the fall to mate with molting females.
* Predator/prey interactions: Adult filter-feeding fish, larval fish, and other zooplankton feed on larval stone crab. Predators of juveniles include other xanthids (crustaceans), grouper, black sea bass, and other large fish. Octopi, horse conchs, sea turtles, cobia, and grouper feed on adult stone crab. Juvenile stone crabs are more susceptible to predators than adults because they do not burrow or have the large claw of adults.
* Commercial or recreational interest: Both
* Distinguishing characteristics: Stone crabs have a large crusher claw and a smaller pincer claw with numerous small teeth used for cutting. The Gulf stone crab is maroon brown, as compared to the Florida stone crab which is spotted and banded.
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LOVE the doggie pic. They are so fun
