Mithrax crab causing trouble?

[jtarmitage]

Something has been giving my monti digis some trouble. It looks like bites taken out, and a couple of thin branches broken off. I think it must be the mithrax I've got, but this is a new behavior. Has anyone else had trouble with the mithrax?

 

[mpoletti]

Yep. No emeralds in my tank anymore. I have also had them eat a small frag of zoas.

 

[shiveley]

I caught my emerald crab nibbling on my pocillipora two mornings in a row; he was evicted shortly there-after... In fact, he was given away on this very forum.

 

[jtarmitage]

I've had monti cap and pocci corals for several years with no problems, and all of the sudden I'm seeing chunks taken out. Ok, now, how to lure him out? Any ideas.

 

[shiveley]

hmm, none here. I was lucky enough to grab mine while he was still munching on my pocci...he just didn't want to be bothered while eating his breakfast I guess.

 

[MandM]

Claws are always risky around corals. Can you put him in the sump?

 

[jtarmitage]

Came home to witness him take a nibble from a Cali Tort that I just got from TFP. Now I'm reeeeaaaaalllly ****ed!!!!!! I tried several times to catch him, but he is pretty quick, and now he's on to the fact that I am after him and being very cautious. So, I turned off the lights and put a chunck of shrimp in a glass tilted against the rocks, hoping that this will work. If anyone has any other ideas, I'm all ears. I'll let you know if the glass trap works.

 

[airinhere]

A small octopus would make short work of him!

 

[jtarmitage]

HaHa! Success, and rather quickly too. Here is a picture of the little bugger.

I put him out in my frag tank, which only has soft corals in it at the moment.
If anyone is interested in a very healthy emerald, let me know. Or should I take him to the swap? Not exactly a frag though.

 

[airinhere]

Ummm, that isn't a mithrax crab. Might be a sally lightfoot, but I don't think its one of those either. I do notice right away the very large very pointy claws!

 

[jtarmitage]

He is an emerald crab that I got awhile back from Drs foster smith. Back then he was much smaller, and green. Now he is large and nearly black. The claws actually are not pointy at all, but have rather large flat areas to grip the algae and such.

 

[airinhere]

This is one of my emerald crabs.

Lucky shot!

You can really see the rounded tips of its claws.
Accept no substitutes!
Look for the spoon-tips on the claws!

 

[jtarmitage]

Yup, exactly. Maybe I'll get another pic of him tomorrow. He used to be that same color of green. I wonder why he darkened up so much over time.

 

[airinhere]

They turn Black!?! Yikes!!!

I'm gonna have to keep an eye on mine.

Always said I would never put any in my tanks, and then I got Valonia.

Just had this guy for a week or so. Still not sure I made a smart move or not by putting him in.

Good job on catching yours so easily! I will have to remember that method when I decide to remove mine.

 

[casalt]

Mine are all green, nobody has gone to the dark side yet luke.

 

[jtarmitage]

A few more pix. Anyone need another Mithrax?
I'll be at the swap, so if you let me know tonight I can bring him.

 

[Canarygirl]

I had a black mythrix like this....I assume he's dead now 'cuz I did a couple of treatments of Interceptor. He was a hitchhiker and I barely ever saw him.

 

[jtarmitage]

Yeah, the funny thing is that this was not a black mithrax when I bought him. He was a small green typical mithrax. My supposition is that he ran out of algae to eat after awhile and turned black, and then began munching on my corals.

 

[C4SxM5]

***t, I just put one in from the GB...

 

[mike1962]

Hmm, now I have to wonder about mine. I've had them since the early days of my tank, and no problems so far. Guess I better keep a look out on these guys, though I very rarely see them. Jeremy, it sounds like your tank is just too clean!!