Gorilla Crab: caught!

[Playdope]

I just caught the gorilla crab in my tank, but now what? I feel bad putting it in the freezer, but then again, I don't know if it'll be okay in the sump, which is just an open space, with a piece of eggcrate separating that space from the return pump. The light is also on over the sump at night, and i dont know how the crab would like this.

So it looks like I have possibly 3 options..

1. freeze it
2. put it in the sump with a piece of rock (pain in the ***)
3. take it to the LFS if they would accept it.

You guys know if lfs's will take gorillas?

Thanks

 

[EmilyB]

How did you catch him Jon ?

I would take him if I were closer. I have a tank full of evil critters like that. :lol:

The LFS will likely take him, might be triggerfood tho :wink:

 

[Len]

Hey Jon, got a pic? I'm embarassed to not know what a gorilla crab is As for the LFS taking, that's going to be up to the owner. Some won't take anything at all and some will take Aiptasia If you're interested in a human death, freezing isn't the way to go. Swiftly hammering it (ouch) would probably be better. Or find someone close to you that has a octopus you can feed it to .... circle of life and all. Personally, we boil crabs to eat so as insensitive as this sounds, I don't think it's too big a deal how you dispose of it (unless, of course, you go out of your way to intentionally inflict pain on it).

 

[cdeakle]

Why would you want to freeze him? Doesn't that contradict what were all about in this hobby? :wink:

I'm sure he would be ok in the sump with some live rock and a little target feeding from time to time. If not I'm sure someone here would possibly take him if shipping doesn't cost too much....Hell, I wonder if me mantis would want him? hehe

 

[Ben1]

For fish some people claim freezing as the most human method of putting them down. I am sure that is where he is getting it from so don't over react.

 

[Playdope]

pics

Sorry, pics are somewhat crummy, but he's got evil little red eyes, and he would burrow through rock.

 

[SaltyNewbie]

Do gorilla crabs come in a variety of colors? I have a mystery crab in my tank that looks about like that, but has mainly a white body with some tan spots. Its pinchers are a darker brown. Would this be a gorilla crab? Sorry I don't have any pics...... sneaky little bastard. I am worried because I recently had a percula clown of 1.5 years disappear on me......... (no he didn't jump out) The only other thing that could have gotten him is my tiny reef lobster. Oh, i also have a green brittle star, but he's a big sissy, he only eats out of my hand.

(sorry if i thread hijacked)


I started a new thread over in the hitchhiker section if anyone is interested. I didn't want to hijack this thread any more than I already did. (sorry)

 

[Playdope]

Thanks Ben

 

[Ben1]

Looks kind of like my crab. I got him out of my 150 and moved him to my 20 where I can watch him at night from the bed.

Mine lives in caves in the rock during the day but doesn't seem to bother anything.

 

[tazdevil]

Saltynewbie, you have three prime suspects:


1- The crab, could've attacked the percula while it was sleeping.


2- The reef lobster, could've attacked the percula asleep or awake.


3- The brittle star, they have a method for catching and eating fish, by raising their disc up off the substrate, and when a fish swims underneath looking for cover, they "spin" and their legs make a perfect trap.



Sorry, can't exclude any one of those 3.

 

[HClH2OFish]

What Taz said...or

4)He ran away to join the circus...

 

[_range_]

5) Your moorish idol helped him escape! (Sorry just finished watching Finding Nemo)

 

[shalegac]

When cooking live lobster most people will put them in the freezer for about 5-10 min. This is actualy soothing for the lobster and puts them to sleep. I think it's a hibernation tactic. Then you throw em in the boiling water for an extremely quick death :twisted: . I belive crabs can be done the same way, though I would personaly rather find a place for him to live out his days.

 

[cdeakle]

For fish some people claim freezing as the most human method of putting them down. I am sure that is where he is getting it from so don't over react.

When cooking live lobster most people will put them in the freezer for about 5-10 min. This is actualy soothing for the lobster and puts them to sleep. I think it's a hibernation tactic.

I have read quite a few online articles that basicly stated that freezing marine life is actually not painless so please don't overeact and acuse me of overreacting :wink:

 

[psuedo74]

How did you manage to catch him??

 

[Anonymous]

I would think the swift blow with a hammer would be the best way to euthanize him. I don't think there is any way to know for sure what a crustacean goes through when frozen.

But I think he is cute! I set up little tanks for my pesty critters. He would be adorable in a tiny 2.5 g nano, his own little kingdom.

 

[kusanagiz]

I have the same question. How'd you catch him?

I currently have two tiny less than 1 inch in size emerald crabs i need to catch and dump onto my forest of bubble algae. .

 

[Ben1]

Quote:
For fish some people claim freezing as the most human method of putting them down. I am sure that is where he is getting it from so don't over react.


Quote:
When cooking live lobster most people will put them in the freezer for about 5-10 min. This is actualy soothing for the lobster and puts them to sleep. I think it's a hibernation tactic.


I have read quite a few online articles that basicly stated that freezing marine life is actually not painless so please don't overeact and acuse me of overreacting

Wether or not this is a humane wat to put down a fish or not I am not discussing. The advice is out there that this is the way to do it, if you search around I am sure you can find this recommended all over the place. So the point is if its true or not saying this:

Why would you want to freeze him? Doesn't that contradict what were all about in this hobby

Is not as helpful as letting the person know that this is actually not a humane way to do things. No offence intended, as always.

 

[Ben1]

I have cuaght crabs a few ways, sometimes a simple tall drinking glass in the tank next to your rockwork with bait in it will trap the crab. The sides are to tall and smooth for it to climb out after it jusps in off the rock.

If you view the tank late at night you are likely to see your crabs out scavanging and can snag them up with a net.

 

[Rlumenator]

I had a chromis in quarantine a few months ago- he was going downhill, and we were going out of town. My vet told me freezing was the most humane way. This is not true for humans, dogs, etc.