Gorilla crab vs Purple firefish

[jabberwock]

Is it feasible that if a gorilla crab about the size of a nickel and a 3 inch purple firefish both hid under the same rock, that the crab could kill the fish?

 

[KrisReef]

Was the crab trained in the martial arts? Claws to the eyeballs and keep pressing until the tips touch and hold until the fish stops twicthing, Crab Death Hold, three seconds to execute.

 

[jabberwock]

Was the crab trained in the martial arts? Claws to the eyeballs and keep pressing until the tips touch and hold until the fish stops twicthing, Crab Death Hold, three seconds to execute.

My trusted advisor at the LFS says, "absolutely". I suspect it used the move in the last GIFFY that you posted. Trap arrived today. I don't really want to pull this rock. It is good sized with a hammer and a duncan glued to it.

 

[Uncle99]

Crabs are opportunistic.
If the opportunity arises, certainly possible.
Fish is fast though.

I have no crabs whatsoever for 7 years.
Just trouble.

 

[jabberwock]

Crabs are opportunistic.
If the opportunity arises, certainly possible.
Fish is fast though.

I have no crabs whatsoever for 7 years.
Just trouble.

Yeah, they were hiding under the same rock, so crouching firefish hidden gorilla crab in a confined space does not seem like a good thing. The only crabs I have are hitching porcelain crabs which are filter feeders. I was a little nervous that they were planning an uprising this day. But, they disbanded and have remained peaceful.

 

[CBonito]

I hate them all. You can't trust any crabs. I was forced to dismember an emerald a couple nights ago when I caught the little SOB eating on one of my Tenuis colonies and he wouldnt get out. Hopefully there aren't any more of them.

 

[jabberwock]

I will post photos of the trap and track its effectiveness on this thread. I have used a tiny mason jar in the past with some success.

 

[jabberwock]

Here is the trap. It seems solid and potentially effective. I was considering using FishBites as bait. This is a synthetic product, but of course I am hesitant to put weird stuff in my tank. I do know that crabs in the ocean love this stuff. Thoughts?

 

[Tired]

I would avoid a synthetic thing meant to give off scent (i.e. chemical) into a reef tank. Just use some bits of shrimp.

 

[Katrina71]

Here is the trap. It seems solid and potentially effective. I was considering using FishBites as bait. This is a synthetic product, but of course I am hesitant to put weird stuff in my tank. I do know that crabs in the ocean love this stuff. Thoughts?

Nope nope nope

 

[jabberwock]

Nope nope nope

Why Why Why?

 

[Katrina71]

He's gonna make you tear your rock out. Ask me how I know!;)

 

[jabberwock]

I have caught a few in traps. Removed a couple when breaking down the tank for a move. The traps are hit or miss, so I thought "better bait".

Are you saying the trap won't work or the Fishbites might be toxic?

 

[KrisReef]

He's gonna make you tear your rock out. Ask me how I know!;)

Give the guy some hopelessness already!

I'd use the fake meat cause it probably won't degrade and if the crab eats it then it might die from indigestion and it won't matter if you capture it or not. Good luck!

 

[Katrina71]

I have caught a few in traps. Removed a couple when breaking down the tank for a move. The traps are hit or miss, so I thought "better bait".

Are you saying the trap won't work or the Fishbites might be toxic?

I tried with a trap just like that. For weeks! Lol

 

[jabberwock]

Give the guy some hopelessness already!

I'd use the fake meat cause it probably won't degrade and if the crab eats it then it might die from indigestion and it won't matter if you capture it or not. Good luck!

Those were my initial thoughts. It has a fine strong mesh inside of it to help keep it on the hook. Stop him up good.

 

[jabberwock]

I would avoid a synthetic thing meant to give off scent (i.e. chemical) into a reef tank. Just use some bits of shrimp.

Water is a chemical. I actually just emailed the manufacturer and asked the question directly at the source.

 

[Katrina71]

In the end, he won. However, I did find him a sump with a mate.

 

[Tired]

Water is a chemical. I actually just emailed the manufacturer and asked the question directly at the source.

And so is the stink given off by shrimp. But artificial scent means some sort of substance they've put together, specifically designed to come off the thing and diffuse into the water.

I'd also be a little skeptical that they know whether their product is safe to use in reef aquaria, honestly.

 

[jabberwock]

Trap was out for one night with no joy.

This little crab was standing between me and my tank goals. I chose not to move forward before he was sorted out. So, I sorted it out. I blew the hammer and duncan gently with the turkey baster to get them closed before I yanked the rock. Just one rock the size of a football. I knew this was his lair, so i was confident. When I yanked the rock and flipped it over, a big porcelain crab dropped off. I scooped it up and got some tank water on it and set it to the side. Then, with the rock upside down, I saw the labyrinth. There was a hole deep in the center of the rock. I could see a leg. I used my long tweezers to start rooting around in the hole. I wanted to scare it out, or stab it properly...

It bailed out the back door, and I was victorious! Total width was about 1 inch.

I chucked it in the sin bin which is also know as my macro algae grow out tank. He shares this tank with a single hermit crab.

Here is the rock after I put it back in the tank.