Best way of getting hitchhikers, PLS HELP

[hoonshikmc]

Hello,

Ok so I recently bought some live rock and my tank is INFESTED with crabs... from my count, I think I have at least 4-5 black clawed crabs... some as large as an inch or two accross...

Strangely enough, I haven't lost any livestock... but I do see my LR getting hacked to rubble and some of my coral seem to be taking a hit as well.

Well I've tried the clear bottle with the opening turned in, baited with everything from shrimp/clams/fish... well you get the point. But all to no avail...

Can anyone help me with this? Any guidance would be appreciated. Rest assured, any hitchhiker caught will not be flushed... I have a couple of tanks that would accomodate them nicely.

Thanks in advance,
Mike

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Your best bet is to do your hunting at night. Some red plastic wrap over the end of the flashlight works really well and won't startle the crabs into their lairs. If you know where they are holed up, place some bait near the entrance and watch and wait. Another option is to take the rock they are hiding in out and try flushing them out with some fresh water.

 

[jhildebrand]

Red LED headlamps work great for night work too and leave your hands free.

I'd get an empty tank and water and prop up the rock 2-3 inches and put some meaty seafood pieces on the bottom. Leave it in a dark room for an hour and come back with the red light.

These guys? I had to chisel a rock apart to get him out.

 

[hoonshikmc]

Super Magnolia, thanks for the tips! I will definately try the night hunting =) sounds kinda fun as well... the second option is cool too but some of the crabs seem to be dwelling within the base of my coral... and a FW dip would kill everything beneficial as well =)

Jhildebrand, LEDs sound good, especially your point about having a hand free... the extra hand would come in handy considering how fast these... BUT that empty tank idea is KILLER. I will definately give it a go tonight!

Thanks guys, I really appreciate all of your advice =)

 

[ctenophors rule]

if that doesn't work, i hear people in the indopacific uhave used cyanide and dynamite with good results, you could try that.

or, theirs always the ruberband pear gun w/ a needle.

 

[hoonshikmc]

Dude... I can't even point my remotes in the right direction at times =) but thanks for the "tip"

Can you take a vid of your cyanide or dynamite methodology? Perferably, the test setting would be your home as this would prove smiliar to many of our own settings =)

 

[gatormoto]

you MUST get these crabs out ASAP. they are stone crabs and will attack everything. i had just one hitchhiker and he killed 3 clowns, a blood shrimp, and a sand sifter, all in one week. one day when i saw he was on a rock near the top of the reef, i reached in and grabbed the whole rock out. he stayed on the rock and froze he was so scared... lucky for me because the next day i was going to tear the whole tank apart.

 

[chrisstie]

You could just yank on the claws for a tasty snack from time to time ;p

 

[hoonshikmc]

Thanks Gatormoto... didn't realize how "bad" they could be.... I still have all 5 of them... not for lack of trying but... these suckers are just hard to catch. I guess I really do need to consider a total overhaul =(

Chrisstie, you're always welcome to swing on by for some HK style crab claws =)

 

[gatormoto]

I just had to do a major overhaul to get out some yellow tail damsels. the process was painful but in the end it was for the better. there's nothing worse than looking at your tank in the morning and seeing a stone crab holding a beautiful clownfish he caught while it was sleeping at night. do what it takes to get them out.
-Justin