I've got crabs!

[Eazy222]

Ok... It's not what you think!

On a serious note, I have at least one little crab that's tearing about some of my live rock, every timeI try to catch the little sone of a %&%^& he darts back into any little hole he can find. I know there has to be an easier way, someone help....

[Hop]

Set a glass against the rock (leaning against it), near its hole. Put a piece of frozen shrimp in the glass and leave it over night. Hopefully in the morning, the crab will be in the glass since it can't crawl back out and it's stomach will draw it it

[Loverotties]

ask your pharmacist opps I mean make a trap.Bottle trap.(put some krill inside.

[Eazy222]

found a thread on the bottle trap, it's already in the tank just waiting for the little monster.

[HL]

I would put the rock that you think the crab is in, into a backet of fresh water for 10 mintues. This sould flush the crab out into the bucket.

[tdwyatt]

Originally Posted by HL

I would put the rock that you think the crab is in, into a backet of fresh water for 10 mintues. This sould flush the crab out into the bucket.

The trap method using a tall glass is more effective, and is a definite confirmation of capture. Keep in mind that many spp. of crabs withstand several hours of freshwater rain when they take refuge in near-shore rock during tidal changes, and at best, may only occasionally show during total FW immersion (but think of what this FW will do to your other critters including bacteria and coralline algae in/on the rock).

Do NOT release non-native species of crabs into the ocean. Remember, humanely killing the crab is easy if you either feed it to a carnivorous crab-eating spp., of fish or you freeze it in a small amount of ASW in a Ziploc bag. If you don't want to kill the crab, you can put it in the sump, or swap it to someone that might want it to do the same.