Rock Crab - Good/Bad?

[Tigger]

I noticed I have a rock crab with bright red eyes in my rock. Is this a good thing, or should I try to get rid of it?

[Beverly]

I've always considered red eyed, brown crabs to be unwanted pests. To catch them, use a small baby food jar or shot glass sized glass container. Place saran wrap around 2/3 of the top and secure with an elastic. Put some thawed frozen food as bait into the trap then place the trap at a 45 degree angle in a conspicuous location with the opening against some LR. Shouldn't take too long to trap these guys as they are fairly aggressive eaters.

Once you catch them, you'll want to do something with them. If you have a FO tank with crab eating fish, put the crab in there, or put them in your sump, if you like. If you have a few of them to catch, they will keep in separate glasses of tankwater for several days provided they get a water change daily, and you can take them to the lfs as food for their crab eating fish.

If you just want to humanely kill them, put your cutting board on the kitchen counter. Put a towel on the board. Place the crab in a baggie, place the baggie on the towel covered board, then cover with the baggie with the towel. Get a big rock and whack the crab really hard. Will kill it instantly, with no suffering.

[Aquattro]

I knew the rock was going to come into this !!

[Wilty]

Thats plain mean, just mean!

[Beverly]

That's just plain getting rid of an unwanted animal quickly and painlessly The poor crab wouldn't know what hit it and it would be in little crab heaven in no time flat.

While I have rocked crabs in the past, I now usually keep them until I go to the lfs where they are eaten by triggers or similar fish.

If I was an unwanted crab, I don't know which I would prefer

[Wilty]

I'd prefer not to be caught in your cruel hands. Crab killer

I do like the pun

would be in little crab heaven in no time flat.

'Flat' being the key word.

[Beverly]

I think I've trapped all the destructive crabs from my tanks. But tell ya what, in the event I find any more, you're welcome to pick them up for your sump or even for your reef

[Wilty]

I'll be know as the savior of crabs through-out the crab community. They even may build me a statue in my sump. Once my tank is fully running I have no problem having crabs in the sump. I'll certainly save them from your clutches

[AJ_77]

The idea of the crab in the Trigger tank seems a little more"natural" than squashing it, but whatever floats your boat...

Originally Posted by Wilty

I'll be know as the savior of crabs through-out the crab community. They even may build me a statue in my sump.

Too bad "Wilty" wasn't at the beach with us this summer- could've maybe saved some of those crabs we accidently stepped on... they might build you a sandcastle or something in appreciation.

[Wilty]

A Wilty monument . . .AH yes, where all the crabs could worship... hahahah

Great crab king wilty.