Now this is a big hitchhiker...

[SAMSHUNG]

Just curious what method you guys used to catch these things. I have an elusive crab mining tunnels in my live rock which I can't seem to extract.

[christyf5]

Originally Posted by SAMSHUNG

Just curious what method you guys used to catch these things. I have an elusive crab mining tunnels in my live rock which I can't seem to extract.

In my case I knew which rock he lived in, tore half the tank apart to get the rock out, then used a chopstick to coerce him out. Thats been my only successful method so far, pest traps have done nothing (although I caught my wrasse once, interesting seeing a 5" wrasse inside a 6" pest trap)

[lorenz0]

i second posting a how to catch these asshats. i have a black one like in the first picture who has been in the tank forever and its main body is easily the size of a toonie now. i was to send him where there is an abundent of nutrients

[Aquattro]

I have one, it's been in the tank for years. I don't worry about it anymore, it hasn't eaten anything important

instant snacks when you recieve your live rock..LOL

[kien]

Originally Posted by lorenz0

i second posting a how to catch these asshats. i have a black one like in the first picture who has been in the tank forever and its main body is easily the size of a toonie now. i was to send him where there is an abundent of nutrients

Just fluke in my case. There was a patch of zoas that I knew he loved to graze on so I always kept an eye on that spot and one day while he wasn't paying attention I snuck up behind him and grabbed him. It also helped that I had a penninsula so I could sneak up from behind him on the opposite side of the tank from where he was facing.

[trinac]

asshats... haha I like that

I've caught 4 asshats, so far, in a device called the x-terminator. I just put some mysis in the trap and put it near the crab hole when the lights go out. I have caught my own nassarius snails in it a couple times, but overall, I think it works pretty good.

I have also snagged a crab out by hand. I just had a lamp on in the room so it was dark enough for them to feel comfortable to come out, and grabbed one. It held onto the rock with suprising strength for a little guy!

Bought the x-terminator at www.mops.ca But i've also seen it at the fish stores.

[zum14]

Jeeze you could just about cook that one up for dinner! Ive tried with the x-terminator for about 2 weeks now. I know theres one crab in there with banded legs and black pointy claws about the size of a loonie now. Im also trying to get my peppermints as well but no such prevail, they just dance on the door laughing at me. Mysis, silversides, going to try tilapia or maybe this new plankton I got. I did catch my 6-line though. He was not impressed.

[hockey nut]

[hockey nut]

Originally Posted by SAMSHUNG

Just curious what method you guys used to catch these things. I have an elusive crab mining tunnels in my live rock which I can't seem to extract.

I took the rock out of the tank and I poured some soda water in the hole he was hiding in and he shot out of there like a bullet. They hate carbinated water. ( Bubbles ! ) I didn't have corals on that rock so it didn't do any damage to the rock. Sure had one very unhappy crab though. He became a "sump buddy"

hth.