Help Please! Gorilla Crab

[Skipper2]

My Mantis is in molt right now, 3rd day inside rock. We have tried to get rid of a huge Gorilla crab for days now and can't. He is inside a cave in the rock. He is quick and gets way inside the rock where we can't see him. I am having nightmares about him getting my Mantis. Is it safe to do a dunk to the rock with the Mantis inside, especially during a molt, with fresh water? Any other suggestions? We also have 3 other known Gorilla crabs that are small right now that we want out before they get bigger. We are going to try this morning to dangle a piece of fresh fish on a stick to try and coax the **** out and nab him.

 

[mattyice]

put a trap inside the tank to get him out, then leave the smaller onesin there for the mantis to kill, how big is it? my O. Scyllarus is a crab specialist

 

[Skipper2]

The main body is about 1/2". What does your specialist (crab assasin) suggest?

 

[Skipper2]

Dangle piece didn't work...made trap with a plastic water bottle with food inside and dimmed the dinning lights for atmosphere!

 

[mattyice]

at the body being only 1/2" the mantis once it comes out of molt will easily take care of it... my specialist has easily taken down gorilla crabs over 1.5" in the body

but the worst thing to do is to dip the rock, it will kill the mantis, if you dont want him in the tank though the best thing to do is when the crab comes out take a shishkabob skewer and when you see him, stab him with it, he wont be able to go anywhere then, and you can get him out

 

[Skipper2]

I have a 2" N. Wenerra. We tried the skewer several times but he is to *** fast, or our old age makes us too slow! Okay dunk is out!

 

[Msby12]

got chopsticks?

you could also make a snare with some fishing line and a straw, i can't use a program to draw it, but here goes

1. Make a loop With fishing line,
2. Put line inside straw so that the loop sticks out one end
3. Catch crab by pulling opposite end of line

Dunno if that helps, maybe if you could shove some rocks/sand in the gorilla crab's hole and somehow seal it!

 

[Skipper2]

I will give that a try! Thanks, I understand. The trap has only caught a snail so far. My Mantis came out yesterday from the molt very hungry. Took food from us without even a snap.

 

[Skipper2]

Update

Update

Haven't seen crab for past week!
Heard a lot of snapping....
Mantis has smug look on face

 

[mattyice]

told ya, stomatopods seem to love crabs, its one of the things that fight back when they hunt and i think they like a good fight

 

[Skipper2]

Went looking for the small gorilla crabs and they are all gone too! (except my decorator crab.) Very hungry after a molt I guess:eek1: and I have been giving him food!

 

[gemini aquarius(t)]

hey skipper where in SD did you get your mantis?

 

[Skipper2]

He came in a LR from Florida...surprise addition!

 

[gemini aquarius(t)]

ohh cool how big was he when he was first found?

 

[Skipper2]

He was almost 2". Very loud snapping and we had no idea what it was until we found this website. I spent hours / days watching the tank until one day I saw him peak out at me and wiggly what I call his little mustache! My husband had read other sites that said to get rid of him. I now have him in my own Biocube and he is very happy. We think we have another one in the reef tank. Exact same snapping sound but we haven't seen him yet. A lot of rock and hard to see everywhere.

 

[saltwatersucker]

Anyone have a pic of what a gorilla crab looks like??
Thanks

 

[andromedia226]

Just google image search it.