Gorilla Crab Anyone?

[tinatuom]

Ok, last night I went through my curiousity faze which I have done before, but never have I ever seen this guy! I didn't have a clear enough shot of him or I would have snapped a picture! I found what I believe is a gorilla crab (1 1/2 inch size) crawling around on my live rock! Now I have to get him out of my tank before he gets bigger and starts eating my fish and corals! Any suggestions? And does anyone want him when I get him out? He is cute, but I am not chancing him eating my other inhabitants!
Oh, if you want you can also have the 4 inch bristle worms I found last night too, if you can catch them!
Thanks,
Tina

 

[JDrex]

I have found the easiest way for me to get unwantful things out of my aquarium is to get a nice sized tube and siphon them out. You have to be pretty quick but it is a pretty painless way to get them out. As for the bristle worms. They are not a bad thing to have in your tank. You can buy certain fish and shrimp that will eat them and keep their population under control but they simply eat diterous. If you have a lot of them that is a sign that you may have too many nutrients in your tank. But if you have some its not a bad thing.

 

[zenn]

I've had the same thing happen to me and this is what I did to fix the problem...

First off...here is the rock crab annihilating a hermit crab. Rock crab wins.

Step 1
Create Device to trap rock crab. I used a glass with a glass martini stirir. Then i rubber banded chunk of mysis shrimp to the martini stirir making sure to poke a few holes in the foil to let the odor waft out of the glass to entice the evil crab.

Step 2
Lean DIY trap up against a rock at 45 degree angle. I leaned my trap up against a rock I knew he was hiding in. The 45 degree angle thing is important because if you leave the angle too shallow, the crab will be able to climb out.

Step 3
Leave the trap in the tank overnight. Hopefully you'll wake up and find a desperate evil rock crab trapped in glass.

Step 4
If your first attempt is unsuccessful, take the trap out, and then rebait and set the trap up again the next night. Repeat until you catch him. I just so happened to catch this guy on the first night. You can see him in the second picture at the bottom of the glass.

On a side note, I keep mine in my refugium. I didn't want to throw him out, and nothing was in my fuge except algae, so he made a great addition. That was a year ago, and now he's huge. I'm glad I kept him.

Regards,
Jeremy

 

[bubbaOPPD]

No thanks as you have read from my other post I already have enough Bristleworms, I have even found a mantis shrimp in my tank.

 

[tinatuom]

Well, we just got a psuedochromis that I have heard will eat the bristle worms so that they don't get out of control! The worms just freak me out! I hate snakes and bugs and that is what they remind me of. The crab we ended up getting when I moved rock around to clean today. I found him in the rock that I last saw him in last night, so I was able to get him and get him out of my tank. If I had a sump I would have put him in there, but since I don't he went to MUD heaven! Thanks for the advice! I don't think I have a bristle worm outbreak, just a couple hanging around!
Thanks,
Tina

 

[zenn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8990036#post8990036 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bubbaOPPD
No thanks as you have read from my other post I already have enough Bristleworms, I have even found a mantis shrimp in my tank.

Not going to lie...that's disgusting looking.

 

[tinatuom]

Bubba,
Your picture of bristle worms is what really grossed me out about them! Thanks for sharing that image, cause it makes me get up at night and worry that I have 14 inchers in my tank! LOL!


Jeremy,
Thanks for the detailed directions for catching a crab if I find myself with another in the future I will use it!

Now, does anyone know how to adjust the attitude of an ornery maroon clown fish? My big one is not afraid of anything, even my hand which is 4 times his size. He doesn't mind the fish, but if my hand goes in the tank, than he has a field day trying to bite me. I am just glad he doesn't have teeth!
Thanks,
Tina

 

[bubbaOPPD]

Maroons can and will draw blood I had one attack and bite my hand and draw blood surprised me more then hurt me. Maroons just get meaner and more territorial as they get bigger I think the only thing that will mellow it out is a large Volitan Lionfish and I'm thinking that not the tactics your looking for.

 

[tinatuom]

No, I want a lionfish, but not in this tank! He is almost comical in how he will charge you if you are on "his" side of the tank. I didn't realize they could draw blood, I am glad he hasn't become capable of that yet! We call him "meany" accordingly! LOL! He is so spunky that if you stand in front of the tank he charges at you like he is challenging you to a duel. I won't get rid of him, because he is fine with his fellow inhabitants, just doesn't like me!
Thanks,
Tina

 

[bubbaOPPD]

Your Maroon is probably a "she", they are more territorial and larger then the male if you have a pair.