Trap for Mithrax Crabs

[Buzz1329]

Bubble algae. Ordered some emerald mithrax crabs to control them. The only thing they have controlled is a Duncan and a Hydnophora.

I tried several searches but can't seem to find directions for a good crab trap. And yes, thank you very much, I know I'm an idiot and that I should be able to find this information without asking, but if you can steer me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it.

 

[TigeBell]

glass cup angled enough where the crab can get in but it can't get out and a piece of food in the cup.

 

[zeebies]

A few ideas in here:

http://s.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1755209&page=2

 

[Buzz1329]

Thanks TigeBell and zeebies!

Just what I needed.

I've got the tilted glass trap resting against the rock now.

Can't wait to see what I get in the morning.

 

[zeebies]

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

 

[TigeBell]

Stay up all night and shine a red light to see if you catch it. Lol

Good luck and let us know.

 

[vasilithegreek]

What always works for me, kind of the same concept/idea as the others stated,
•take a water bottle
•cut the top 1/4 of the bottle off
•invert the 1/4 narrow top in the bottle
And there you go, place it in the sand and throw something tasty for them to eat and it's very difficult for them to get out. I found out this is decent way to catch bristle worms that get fairly large in.
Good luck

 

[Pdxile]

Get an exorcist!


I hate Emerald crabs.

An emerald crab dropped a piano out a 25th story window on to my brother. An emerald crab ate my puppy. Once, in the fourth grade, an emerald crab locked me in the girl's bathroom, and stood outside and laughed. They are predatory killing machines. I wouldn't trust them with the dust on my car. Emerald crabs hate kittens and jump the turnstiles on the subway. They are rude to waitresses and eat other people's lunches from the break room refrigerator. You know when you end up in the middle seat of an airplane? Emerald crab. An emerald crab broke up my first marriage and stole my good drillbits. At this very moment, a group of Emerald crabs are plotting to kill me.

Some people like emerald crabs. Some people eat that crazy Fillipino fermented egg thing. Some people believe that beanie babies are still a great investment.

I hate emerald crabs.

 

[Crackem]

Get an exorcist!


I hate Emerald crabs.

An emerald crab dropped a piano out a 25th story window on to my brother. An emerald crab ate my puppy. Once, in the fourth grade, an emerald crab locked me in the girl's bathroom, and stood outside and laughed. They are predatory killing machines. I wouldn't trust them with the dust on my car. Emerald crabs hate kittens and jump the turnstiles on the subway. They are rude to waitresses and eat other people's lunches from the break room refrigerator. You know when you end up in the middle seat of an airplane? Emerald crab. An emerald crab broke up my first marriage and stole my good drillbits. At this very moment, a group of Emerald crabs are plotting to kill me.

Some people like emerald crabs. Some people eat that crazy Fillipino fermented egg thing. Some people believe that beanie babies are still a great investment.

I hate emerald crabs.

Awesome

 

[Buzz1329]

Get an exorcist!


I hate Emerald crabs.

An emerald crab dropped a piano out a 25th story window on to my brother. An emerald crab ate my puppy. Once, in the fourth grade, an emerald crab locked me in the girl's bathroom, and stood outside and laughed. They are predatory killing machines. I wouldn't trust them with the dust on my car. Emerald crabs hate kittens and jump the turnstiles on the subway. They are rude to waitresses and eat other people's lunches from the break room refrigerator. You know when you end up in the middle seat of an airplane? Emerald crab. An emerald crab broke up my first marriage and stole my good drillbits. At this very moment, a group of Emerald crabs are plotting to kill me.

Some people like emerald crabs. Some people eat that crazy Fillipino fermented egg thing. Some people believe that beanie babies are still a great investment.

I hate emerald crabs.

Hilarious! Thanks for the laughs.

 

[Buzz1329]

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

Well, it did not work the first night. Glass was empty in morning, but the food was gone. I'm going to try it again but this time, I'll make the angle of the glass steeper and will not put it in tank until after lights are out.

Yesterday afternoon I saw one munching on my Duncan, hiding in the rocks behind it, and reaching his grubby claw around to pick off pieces. I ran to my supply closet and found a pointy wooden skewer I use to clean alk buildup on ends of 1/4" tubing. Ran back to tank, and tried to shish kebob the bastard. I thought I got him but he skittered back into the rocks and I saw him lurking around later in the day.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Buzz1329]

What always works for me, kind of the same concept/idea as the others stated,
"¢take a water bottle
"¢cut the top 1/4 of the bottle off
"¢invert the 1/4 narrow top in the bottle
And there you go, place it in the sand and throw something tasty for them to eat and it's very difficult for them to get out. I found out this is decent way to catch bristle worms that get fairly large in.
Good luck

Thanks, I'll give it a try.

 

[d2mini]

I just pull them out with a pair of tweezers/tongs when i seem them.
If I'm trying to get rid of them. When they are small they are ok.

 

[Buzz1329]

Hey, good idea. I'll keep a pair of tweezers in easy reach of the tank.

 

[rtecanoe]

I found one munching on my purple styo, finally grabbed him out with my hand and threw him in my sump. The only thing I caught with the empty glass trick was my scarlet reef hermit crabs, over and over again. I think emerald crabs are much smarter than hermit crabs. BTW if you figure out how to get rid of ur bubble algae please post it, Im losing the battle, my emeralds didnt touch it either. I think Im going to try a foxface. I may try reefcleaners.org, they guarantee their emeralds will eat bubble algae, and I think they worked for me a number of years ago.

 

[zeebies]

Hey Buzz, I had to move two emeralds from one tank to another. Each was under a separate rock. I picked up the rock, emerald crab latched on, moved the rock to the other tank, used a chop stick to poke the crab and off he went into the new tank.

Can you corral the crab to a rock that can be removed?

Sorry you haven't nabbed him yet.

 

[Buzz1329]

I found one munching on my purple styo, finally grabbed him out with my hand and threw him in my sump. The only thing I caught with the empty glass trick was my scarlet reef hermit crabs, over and over again. I think emerald crabs are much smarter than hermit crabs. BTW if you figure out how to get rid of ur bubble algae please post it, Im losing the battle, my emeralds didnt touch it either. I think Im going to try a foxface. I may try reefcleaners.org, they guarantee their emeralds will eat bubble algae, and I think they worked for me a number of years ago.

Love reefcleaners (ordered complete package for my 180 in 5/13 and they are still going strong). But reefcleaner emeralds must have lost their appetite on the way here.

I just did a WC today. I used a pointy wooden shish kebob skewer, holding it a few inches beyond the tip of the siphon hose. Start the siphon, stick the BA, siphon off the BA skin and (I hope) whatever spills out of punctured BA. If unable to siphon the BA skin off, I stopped the siphon and pulled the skin out with my fingers. I got most of them out of the DT, but I'm guessing they'll be back.

I also had a sizeable colony in my overflow (along with red and green HA and a few aiptasias). Did aggressive siphoning during last week's WC, repeatedly filling up overflow with tank water, and doing it again and again and again, scraping sides of overflow with wooden stick and siphon hose. Really helped. I usually don't use a filter sock, but I set one up for a few days after the WC and turned it black before I removed it. Just one tiny aiptasia left. Covered it with epoxy and waiting to see if this worked.

Good luck.

 

[Buzz1329]

Hey Buzz, I had to move two emeralds from one tank to another. Each was under a separate rock. I picked up the rock, emerald crab latched on, moved the rock to the other tank, used a chop stick to poke the crab and off he went into the new tank.

Can you corral the crab to a rock that can be removed?

Sorry you haven't nabbed him yet.

Thanks for the tip. When I see them, they are frolicking in mid part of rock wall so I don't think I can remove the rocks with destabilizing the wall.