Gorilla Crab!!!!

[reefpeeper]

whats up guys? i just discovered what i think is a gorilla crab in my tank. just wondering how bad these things are and what kind of ideas u have about getting it out. if i can remove still alive, i will put in my fuge or is that a bad idea?

 

[Russellaqua]

I would remove the crab. I don't know of any great way to do it other than to wait for them to make a mistake and grab them. I'd keep it out of the fuge too. Most crabs are very opportunistic and will eat anything they can get a hold of. It would likely eventually kill some of the good critters you have in your fuge.

 

[rackyrane]

You can find alot of info on wetwebmedia.com.
I found this link http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/arthropoda/crabs/swcrabs.htm
It may help.
If you decide you want him out, try putting a glass cup with a piece of shrimp in it in the tank close to where you think the crab may be. He will (eventually and hopefully) crawl in the glass and not be able to climb out because of the slippery sides.
This has worked for someone local I know.
Good luck.

 

[mfinn]

I've ended up with several of these types of crabs in my tanks over the years.
They seem to have done the most damage in my zoanthid tanks.
I use the same method of trapping that rackyrane mentioned.
I use a small baby food jar and use the raw piece of shrimp weighted down in the bottom of the jar. If you don't weigh it down it may float out.
I put the jar next to the area where the crab may be, tipped at a slight angle to the rock.
Sometimes it takes a week or more or just one night, and you may catch every other hermit you have in the process, but eventually you should get the crab you want.
I haven't really seen any reason for keeping them alive, so I freeze them.

 

[reefcleaners]

You can lure them out with a banana...sorry had to do it. Go spearfishing with a wooden skewer.

 

[gflat65]

The glass jar trick works like magic. I only had an overgrown mitrax looking type crab (2+"-I call him the big black furry creature from Mars-somewhat inside joke). He was in the jar the first night (along with numerous other hermits, etc.). Easiest extraction I've ever made.