local beach crabs in a reef tank

[albert_dao]

Originally Posted by JDigital

If you think they are expensive, you are in the wrong hobby!

I think they're expensive

[babnika]

just buy more then you mite get a discount

[Ken]

Cheaper by the dozen

[gregzz4]

I get a feeling that the OP is out of the conversation now

[The Guy]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

I get a feeling that the OP is out of the conversation now

Yep, I think your right Gregg. Time to ditch this!

[albert_dao]

Originally Posted by babnika

just buy more then you mite get a discount

... I don't get it.

[Samw]

I'm guessing those are "shore crabs". Here are the regulations for those with a valid tidal license:

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/r...quille-eng.htm

Crab, Shore
Area 1 to 27 Limit: 75 Apr 1 - Mar 31
Area 28 and 29 Limit: 0 Closed

Here's the map showing you where Areas 1-29 are.

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/r...-carte-eng.asp

So if you have a license, you can retain up to 75 shore crabs from Areas 1 to 27 which are outside the Lower Mainland. The Lower Mainland span Areas 28 and 29 and you can keep 0 from there.

Now for "Other Crabs" like hermit crabs, you can keep 4.

Crab, Other
Areas 1 to 29 Limit: 4 Apr 1 - Mar 31

You can even keep 6 starfish per day with a license (useful for those who want cheap food for their Harlequin shrimps).

[babnika]

Originally Posted by albert_dao

... I don't get it.

off j&l website Emerald Crab Mithrax sculptus Valonia $10.95 3/6/8 •Quantity discount amounts are as follows. (A/B/C): A: 20% B: 25% C: 30%
so if you buy 30 your only looking at $7.67 not bad when you figure where they came from.

[albert_dao]

Originally Posted by babnika

off j&l website Emerald Crab Mithrax sculptus Valonia $10.95 3/6/8 •Quantity discount amounts are as follows. (A/B/C): A: 20% B: 25% C: 30%
so if you buy 30 your only looking at $7.67 not bad when you figure where they came from.

Oh, you were being literal, haha. I thought I was missing some sorta inside joke.

Yah, too expensive. I'm poor yo.

[GoFish]

2 months ago I collected a dozen of the little crabs from a tide pool by my house. the water temp was well above what my tank at home runs at so these little buggers are definitely capable of of handling 79 degrees. Looong term not totally sure. But after 2 months I have 9 out of 12 crabs remaining, one was killed in a fight with another the first day, another had only one claw so he was kinda doomed (but survived 3 weeks) and another one died last week, he was the only be I tried putting into a nano tank which I barely feed, sorry buddy ...

Some of them are more scrappy than the others. There are many different species with different coloring.

I doubt they're as good at clearing algae than a hungry emerald crab (some of them do graze) but my last emerald slept all day hanging upside down and didn't appear to do anything anyway.

Happy to report all have been reef safe, haven't bothered any corals, fought or killed any of the tropical species of snails or hermits or fish, they just go after each other during feeding time especially the a Red one.
They get fed 1/4 of a silverside every couple weeks and extra NLS pellets that fall to the floor daily.

Do so at your own risk obviously, but I have no problems to report. Collecting them during summer from a warm tide pool made sense so there was less stress acclimating them but not sure how much of a difference there will be. Theyre probably gonna start wondering when summer will end?!