I was watching the tank the other night and this guy came out of the rockwork. Nothing really has died or been missing for quite some time but he is about 3 inch across. Does he need to go and what kind of crab is it? Thanks as always.
Does this guy need to go?
- Thread starter jsvokowest
- Start date
reefer-nyc
One Evil Reefer
- Location
- Manhattan, NY
yep mithrax
- Location
- Sound Beach,LI
I always heard that black claws on crabs are a bad. Meaning they are not reef safe. Check out http://chucksaddiction.com/ and see if you can find a pic of him
- Location
- Forest Hills
it may prey on small fishes
- Location
- north jersey
3 inches across the back shell or 3" claw span when he extended them? if it's 3 inches across the shell, it's not likely the emerald crab.
i had one reddish/tan with black tips on the claws that were caught eating corals.....took me over 2 weeks to catch his a##.
i had one reddish/tan with black tips on the claws that were caught eating corals.....took me over 2 weeks to catch his a##.
- Location
- Overland Park, KS
This does not look like an emerald to me. My emeralds have hairy legs and the claws do not look like this at all.
Crabs, generally speaking, are opportunistic carnivores - so chances are it will eventually do some damage if it gets hungry enough.
If I were you, I'd say, If you can catch it, at least put it into your sump. That said, I have a crab in my tank that I didn't put there, and I can't catch it, and I'm sure it is eating stuff, but whatever - I've got a living reef in my tank - that crab is part of it (till I catch it!)
Good luck!
Crabs, generally speaking, are opportunistic carnivores - so chances are it will eventually do some damage if it gets hungry enough.
If I were you, I'd say, If you can catch it, at least put it into your sump. That said, I have a crab in my tank that I didn't put there, and I can't catch it, and I'm sure it is eating stuff, but whatever - I've got a living reef in my tank - that crab is part of it (till I catch it!)
Good luck!
about 3" with the claws expanded. i noticed he was hanging around this brittle star i got for my daughter. Apparantly finding an easy meal when the star catches silversides. Little nips were on the legs of the star. I managed to grab a hold of him between a rock. But he nailed me. This will probably take me a few days if i notice he keeps going after the star. Did lose a goby and a clown fish before i noticed his size. The goby just disappeared but i think the clown died of starvation because he was watching something for days in the back of the tank (eggs?) and then something got him. If it is him and i can catch probably will just put him in the fuge, as far as the site he is looking like the Xanthid species, claws seem larger than the body in scale. Did notice he would use the hind legs to stir up sand and then feed. Thanks guys.
- Location
- north jersey
hey daisy...try this. you need two tongs... something like this to lure with silversides.
and this to catch...stronger grip and rubber tipped, he can't slip away.
first you have to practice grabbing small objects out side the tank so you can maneuver with both hands.
feed him the silversides with the small thong a few times so he gets use to it. leave the second tong near by but don't try to grab him just yet. each time he feeds, tug it a bit so he'll be use to hanging on to the fish with his claws. once you're able to drag him out where you can get him with the other tong, go for it....make sure you get him across the shell not the claws or the legs 'cause he'll shed them and run. they are damn smart....you may have only one or two shot at it with this method. once he learns that there's a second tong coming, that's it....on to a new method.
took me two weeks to catch mine. and yes i slept in front of the fish tank for two weeks:sleeping:....my wife wanted the crab dead:supermad:
....lol.
- Location
- Overland Park, KS
wow! interesting idea.... Thanks.
Jim says knitting needles! skewer him! (I haven't tried that either)
Jim says knitting needles! skewer him! (I haven't tried that either)
- Location
- north jersey
very hard to stab them...top shell deflects the penetration....unless you can skewer him from the underside....
Don't want to kill it. But it does have to get out. tried to grab him by hand again as he is back hanging around the brittle star but i know now what level of pain to expect so if i do get him i will grin and bear it. Enough work trying to keep everything alive let alone work at killing something that could clean up the fuge.
Please do not kill the critter with a skewer! That should only be a last resort. I had to fish out emerald crab out of my tank, it CAN be easy if you use a good tactic. Forget about tongs and grabbers, they rarely work.
get a small chunk of rock, as regularly shaped as possible(best if it has large holes/crevices on it). rubber band a small piece of silver side to it and lean it in a clean corner of your tank. When the critter comes by for the easy meal, grab the rock out with the crab.
This will work because crabs really love carrion, and most crab in that size and shape category will secure itself into a crevice when something big approaches(your hand). It will cling to that rock for dear life and you can get it out easy.
Good luck, and please give the crab away or put it in a sump. It did not ask to be in your tank and only did what it needed to survive.
Yili
get a small chunk of rock, as regularly shaped as possible(best if it has large holes/crevices on it). rubber band a small piece of silver side to it and lean it in a clean corner of your tank. When the critter comes by for the easy meal, grab the rock out with the crab.
This will work because crabs really love carrion, and most crab in that size and shape category will secure itself into a crevice when something big approaches(your hand). It will cling to that rock for dear life and you can get it out easy.
Good luck, and please give the crab away or put it in a sump. It did not ask to be in your tank and only did what it needed to survive.
Yili
- Location
- Bushkill, Pa
+1 pretty much sums it up. If you notice you snail/hermit population dwindle some, he's most likely the cause.
After you've found his last know location around lights-out time, take a flat rock with a small bit of shrimp or fish rubber-banded to the bottom. Prop it near his location, and about a half hour after your lights go out, turn them back on and pull the rock out quickly. He'll be there hanging on to his last meal.
- Location
- Rego Park, Queens
Its not the color of the claw tips, its the shape. If the tips come to a sharp point, I'd get that crab out asap. If the tips are slightly flattened, then its a Mithrax or similar crab...I can't tell from your pictures though.
- Location
- Overland Park, KS
(....weeks later, I know....) I just wanted to share that while I did post the "skewer" comment, I have never done it and wouldn't want to - I would much rather leave it alone or catch it and put it into the sump.
I've seen folks take crabs out exactly the way described above, and I'm embarrassed I didn't think of that myself!
huh - well, live and learn
I've seen folks take crabs out exactly the way described above, and I'm embarrassed I didn't think of that myself!
huh - well, live and learn
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