Always a surprise

toytech · #1 12-06-2011, 02:44 AM

So I walk up to my tank yesterday to say hi , and i see something scurry out of veiw . Cant think for the life of me what it can be , it wasnt one of my fish and i dont have any fast inverts .So i take the rock out that has all the action goin on and dip it in some fresh water to see what comes out , nothin .So i poke around in a large hole in the rock and find a big crab hes kinda stuned from the dip so i managed to pick him out by hand and sump the sucker . Now i know why im down to 3 snails and there is a variatable snail graveyard along the back side of my tank , has to be a dozen shells back there . Look more latter and found another small crab , tooth pick that one , makes me wonder how many more are out there.

reefwars · #2 12-06-2011, 03:04 AM

i have that same crab hes SUPER FAST and nocturnal only comes out at night, i also got a few others i cant id i managed to get one by the arm with tongs but he was to far in the hole to pull out so i yanked off his arm.....ive decided he deserved to stay after that and i called him lefty.

funny the only crabs i dont get to see are the ones i buy and hope stay out in the open lol irony

Dr_Hicks · #3 12-06-2011, 03:16 AM

Excellent photo!

I have not seen black ones sneaking around yet

jtbadco · #4 12-06-2011, 03:18 AM

I had a large chunk of SW rock that I bought dry and had in one of my FW tanks with some Marbled crayfish.

When I started up my salt tank I recycled the SW rock into the reef.

Months later I start seeing zoas disappear and snails shells start showing up empty.

One night with the moonlights on I spot a now quite large crayfish scuttle out of a hole in the rock and start chomping on zoas.

I took a metal rod and went all swizzle stick on his @$$

Problem solved...

toytech · #5 12-06-2011, 03:24 AM

It was hard to convince my wife to take the pic cuz it creeped her out , and watch out for lefty he will get his claw back when he molts .

reefwars · #6 12-06-2011, 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toytech

It was hard to convince my wife to take the pic cuz it creeped her out , and watch out for lefty he will get his claw back when he molts .

yeah i know but he wont come out of his hole he just sticks his arm up and searches for food judging by his claws i dont think hes dangerous.

im not sure if mine and yours are the same exactly but its close ive id'd(???) mine as a black mithrax(im a horrible speller tonight lol)

reefwars · #7 12-06-2011, 03:29 AM

sorry meant to say by his " claw " lol

id give him a dip but the rock is also home to my pistol shrimp and goby pair

fishytime · #8 12-06-2011, 03:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reefwars

id give him a dip but the rock is also home to my pistol shrimp and goby pair

If you want him gone and know where he lives.......just skewer him with something pointy

lastlight · #9 12-06-2011, 03:35 AM

Wow what a badass looking crab. Hope he's at least getting to live in the sump.

reefwars · #10 12-06-2011, 03:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishytime

If you want him gone and know where he lives.......just skewer him with something pointy

but weve grown attached lol i even feed the little bastard now haha im more concerned about the mithrax though hes nasty lookng and very fast i set a trap with a cup and shrimp but he didnt take, he in the middle of my rock tower so id rather not take it apart....im not missing any snails but all my hermits are gone...im assuming it was him