To catch a crab...

[ScubaSteve]

The other day I noticed a few of my xenia heads had been removed. Just gone. I suspected that it was either a crab or a nudi having a snack. I was sitting here working and saw out of the corner of my eye, in a little cave under my rock, two black pointy claws and a sandy-brown crab (about 1/2" - 3/4" across). Xanthid crab! Yay!

I'm normally cool with crabs in my tank, provided they don't go around messing my stuff up. I have a feeling this guy isn't going to play my rules, however, and he needs the boot.

Does anyone have any ideas to catch this little bugger that doesn't require ripping apart my rock? I'm considering baiting it into a jar, but I am about 100% certain that my cleaner shrimp will destroy that trap something quick.

And is there someone out there who would be interested in a free crab? Probably not.

[lobsterboy]

taggin along, i have a crab that keeps clicking and clacking, everynight, maybe its a pistol shrimp, either way, bye bye

[ScubaSteve]

Originally Posted by lobsterboy

taggin along, i have a crab that keeps clicking and clacking, everynight, maybe its a pistol shrimp, either way, bye bye

Clicky-clacking at night is most likely a pistol or mantis shrimp. Mine do that. I've never heard a crab do that. Then again, most of my crabs are pretty small and eat algae, not tank mates.

If you have a pistol or mantis shrimp you want out of there, sent him my way! My house is a shrimp haven.

[wisesam]

You can use a small pop bottle to make a trap.
Cut the top and bottom. Fit the top upside down into the bottom piece.
Put a bait in the trap. Once the crab goes in, it should not be able to come out.

[ScubaSteve]

Yeah, that's what I am going to try tomorrow. I'm just wondering how that'll go down since the Comedic Duo (aka the cleaner shrimp) will likely rip it apart to get a snack. I'll try but...

[silentcivilian]

The glass jar leaned up against the rock is what ive been told the most. Do it earlier in the evening so that way you can monitor it for awhile, but your shirmp arnt likely to tear apart a glass mason jar, or old spaghetti sauce jar.