Stupid newb mistake.. Spider crab!

[MBuck]

I bought a spider crab yesterday at my LFS. They called it a spider crab, but had a few other fish mismarked. She told me how it decortaed itself with stuff from the tank. And I said "Oh, like a decortar crab" She said yep.

This guy looks like a huge tarantula, about 3-4 " across, including his legs.

I am trying to stock my 58g cube, and thought I would stop in a get a couple fish for Qt. I bought a yellow damsel, just a little guy, and a green chromis.


I acclimated them all into my 20g L, and went to work. Last night, I get home, and my beloved Blenny is sleeping on top of a powerhead. He has a bed in some of the LR in the tank, and I thought it was odd.
I get on the interent, and punch up Spider crab, well guess what, they get up to 12" across, and eat FISH!

I called the lFS today to take it back, and they refused to take it back....

I get home from work tonight, and the crab is carrying around the head of my yellow damsel!!!:eek1:

Well, i checked to make sure Lenny, my Blenny was OK, and took that big SOB out of the qt, and dropped his fuzzy butt in the 58g... nothing in there to kill.....:mad2:

Anybody want or need a spider crab, he's gonna get big, and he's probably going to die, if no one wants him....Can he live in my fuge? I wouldn't mind keeping him, but it defeats the purpose of a reef tank with fish.....


What the Hell do i do with him when he's 6, 8, 10" across?

I would think he would live fine in an aggressive tank, might become lionfish food or something...

Could use some ideas.... Will NOT buy anything else before investigating further, if I am unfamiliar!!!

Thanks!!

 

[Deacon]

Large crabs look cool and are fun to keep, so I'd buy a cheap 20 or 40 gal. setup and keep the crab by itself.

Sorry that LFS is not treating you right. They could at least take the thing back.

 

[Absint Reefer]

Spider Decorator crabs are sweet one of my fav's it should be fine in your fuge. I keep mine in with big mean fish like 18'' jeweled moray, bird wrasse, and big eye squirrel fish

 

[SW1TCH]

I'll take him will you ship?

 

[rwhhunt]

Wow! Thats awesome! Carying the damsel head around..... I just went to liveaquaria.com and the say the max is 4"... is there different species, or a common one sold through vendors?

 

[Absint Reefer]

the biggest one I've ever seen one was like 4-5''

 

[MBuck]

Harley Dude, you have a PM....

I don't know if there are different species being sold....I just know that he is a fish killer, and cannot live at my house anymore!!

I will try to get a pick of him soon, so you can see what he looks like!

 

[TxAggie08]

get him up to 8-10" and see if hes edible LOL

 

[SW1TCH]

MBuck got the pm thanks will wait to hear from you.

 

[orgetorix]

I had one that was about 4" and he was fine with small fish (damsels, royal gramma, LMB etc.) Unfortuantely, one day my Tusk decided he was delicious.

 

[formanbob]

can he eat a puffer?

 

[Petstorejunkie]

i can most certainly live in your refugium.... keep him you will love him when he decorates himself like a vegas show girl in caulerpa. (lol)