Gorrilla Crab????

ice4ice

ice4ice

Active Member
Some people get them as hitch-hikers on their live rock. They are predatory crabs and will eat your fish. If you're lucky to find one, keep them by themselves without the fish. Ask around and maybe someone will gladly give you one.
 
inawe

inawe

Member
I found one also a couple of weeks ago...haven't been able to catch him. Scary looking!
 
ukcats

ukcats

Member
I have one. He came in smaller than a dime on somer really porus LR. Now he is about the size of a silver dollar. He has "fur" all over him, little brown eyes and big claws with brown tips. He stays in my fuge and will eat anything I put in there..dead or alive.
 
julie853

julie853

Member
I was looking at my LR the other night and saw something really hairy move I could tell it was a crab but had no idea what kind.Until now.Should I remove him???Is he capable of attacking my fish??How large will he get??Hes about the size of a nickle right now.
Sorry for all the questions but the little guy has me very curious about him.
 
ukcats

ukcats

Member
Originally Posted by julie853
I was looking at my LR the other night and saw something really hairy move I could tell it was a crab but had no idea what kind.Until now.Should I remove him???Is he capable of attacking my fish??How large will he get??Hes about the size of a nickle right now.
Sorry for all the questions but the little guy has me very curious about him.

I would find him and, at the very least, quarantine him until you determine what he is. IF its a gorilla he will eat your snails and crabs. ALL OF THEM!
Don't ask me how I know...
 
julie853

julie853

Member
How should I go about catching him??The LR he is living in has a large anemone living on it there's no way to get the anemone off the rock with out killing it.Any suggestions for me???
I am very concerned about this crab in my tank now.
 
ukcats

ukcats

Member
Do you have any idea where on the rock it is? Mine comes out when I put food in the water. Try attaching a shrimp to a skewer and place it near the rock. When it comes out to eat net him. Have you tried that?
 
julie853

julie853

Member
He only comes out very briefly and as soon as he sees you he runs into a hole towards the bottom of the rock.
I really dont want this crab in my tank after hearing what they are capable of doing so I'm thinking about taking the hole rock,crab,anemone and putting it into a quartine tank until I see him come out and then maybe I'll be able to get the rock out of there bofore he gets back in.
I might loose my anemone doing this they get very stressed easily but I can't take a chance keeping him in my tank.

Opps sorry to steal the thread.
 
renogaw

renogaw

Active Member
just get the anenome off your rock.
point a powerhead at it, and tickle its foot with something. it will get annoyed enough to move.
as for the crab, until it gets big enough to not stay in your rock it won't do very much damage.
 
ukcats

ukcats

Member
seriously, try and coax him out with food. My brother in law caches crabs in Key West by just placing food on a string and when the crab grabs it he pulls them out of the water. They don't let go of food too easily.
Good Luck and let us know how you do!!!
 
farnorth

farnorth

Member
maybe you can try a fish trap with one of the doors on it that you have a piece of fishing line attatched to the door. Put it near the crabs "home" leave it there for a day so he gets used to the trap in the tank then put a good chunk of food in the trap after you have fed your fish. Then wait (with the lights off or on depending when he comes out) and close the door behind him. (just don't let anyone come home and see you sitting in your underwear staring at your tank with an army helmet on saying "here crabby, crabby, crabby!")

Seriously though, I have caught almost all my fish in my reef tank this way and it works great
 
ukcats

ukcats

Member
Originally Posted by farnorth
just don't let anyone come home and see you sitting in your underwear staring at your tank with an army helmet on saying "here crabby, crabby, crabby!")


Been there...done that! :scared:
 
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