Sally Light Foot Crab

[Tripspike]

And yet again....after watching a small blue hermit molt before our eyes and clamor right back into its shell..we finally had a successful molt without the hunter (sally lightfoot) winning in the end.

I awoke this morning to find a cleaner shrimp antenna laying across one of my mushrooms. Oh no, now the cleaner is gone. But alas, the shrimp had molted and two hermit crabs and an emerald were playing tug of war with the shell. The blue legs won out. It was 2 on 1 and the emrald was at a disadvantage being upside down hanging onto the shell.

I began searching for the shrimp which I was sure was hiding somewhere in the rockwork. I caught a glimpse of Sally and to my disgust she was eating a $10 gourmet meal. The shrimp

Now it is time to trap Sally and sell her back to the LFS. Any suggestions on catching this wiley hunter.

Trip

 

[93blackgt5.0]

Here is what I did. I am sure it wont agree with most of the people here, but after 3 hours and many attempts to "catch" the crab, not to mention removing many pieces of LR and corals, I had to hit it with my algea scrapper. I decided to put a bit more food in the tank and when the crab came out to eat, I just hit it with the scrapper. Done deal, now there is no more missing Emerald crabs, snails, and fish. Now before anyone gets on here and says anything, I did try and bait the crab out to catch it. They are very fast and can get very close to the LR and in spaces where you cannot get a net or clamps. I even tried a pair of Forecepts, just ended up pulling off a leg when I did catch it for a split second. I guess I could have just removed all my LR and corals from tank, I mean it is only about 125 pounds and 2 dozen corals, now back to Earth, there is no way I would have done that. I feel I made the right decision in the end.

Eric

 

[Kent E]

Eric I'm with you man! People eat crabs everyday. Who cares if you off one. I caught a crab in my tank and I flushed it alive down the tiolet! It was fun!

I don't care if you reef huggers flame me.

 

[Snakebyt]

mine are still kicking in my sump, and i am sure thats where they will stay

 

[Tripspike]

I had the wife pick up a couple fresh shrimp at the grocery store. I cut it up into some small pieces. I put one of the pieces into a straight sided glass which I then leaned against the live rock at an upward angle so that Sally could enter to get the bait but hopefully not be able to exit.

I checked the glass about 10 minutes later and found that the shrimp disappeared and only some sand was left behind. A thief amongst us. One of my brittle starfish was the thief. I watched the starfish glide back to its dark cave with its spoils. Suddenly the starfish was attacked and the shrim ripped from its grip. Sally struck again.

I will have to wait her out as she consumes the tasty morsel only to set the trap again. I have to figure out a way to keepthe first responders (brittle stars) out of the glass.

The saga continues.

Trip

 

[Tripspike]

I am goin' fishin' today. I am from New England and in the past have used a string and bait to catch crabs. I am going to use this technique in an attempt to catch Sally.

I will take a piece of raw shrimp and thread a fishing line in and out of the piece of shrimp. I left the glass in the tank hoping the inhabitants would get use to it. I will tempt Sally with the shrimp hoping she grabs on to it. When she does grab on to it I will gently guide her to the glass and drop her in. I decided the glass would be easier as opposed to trying to pull Sally out of the tank while she was holding on to the shrimp.

Trip

 

[Ironman]

I've had mine for three years problem free. She's been a model citizen.

Cheers

 

[Paliya]

Tripspike,

Please keep us updated! I'm very curious to see the results of your fishing method. I have had a big red crab terrorzing my tank for the last 5 weeks. He won't fall for traps, and I'm almost to the point of pulling the tank apart to get him out.

If I can fish him out, that would rock!

-P