So tired of hitchhiker crabs

[rocketlily]

Well, something has been eating at my Montipora for the past while. Every day I had to blow off pieces of the Monti. (very small slivers) For the past few days, I perched it on top of a piece of plastic bottle so the Emerald Crab and another hitcherhiker crab could not get on it. Now, the Monti is being striped off all life, starting at the centre and expanding outwards.

This morning I noticed a small (approx 1/4") very hairy, light brown crab hiding in the Monti. Gave the Monti a fresh water dip (in hopes of killing the crab). Didn't kill him, but forced him out of his hole, so he could be picked off with tweezers.

Hope I didn't also kill the Monti, with the freshwater dip. I guess we'll see.

I've been going back and forth on how to handle the new live rock I'll be buying for the new tank, but after this "crabby" experience, I think I have my mind made up.

[dsaundry]

You can always buy base rock{on-line?} and seed it yourself..takes a bit but nothing on rock at all when you get it..cheaper too...use your live rock to build on your base rock..
The only other solution is a small quarantine tank and do freshwater dips and scrub all live rock that you purchase..even then not 100%...

Good luck...Dsaundry

[fencer]

How's about traps....put some food in a bottle and your inverts will visit. Thats what I did when I had new LR