kill the crab!

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ntswift

mako shark
Joined
Sep 12, 2006
Messages
323
Location
Michigan
Okay so I have tried numerous times to capture my sally lightfoot crab. Traps, baited fish hook, spear....None of them are working. Recently he just killed my new pyramid butterfly fish. So after letting him kill 5 different fish its time to sentence him to death. Anyone know of a good puffer or trigger that will eat him and NOT my corals??? I have a humu humu trigger in there now but the crab is as big as he is and i think he is intimidated a little bit. :eek:hwell: Thanks for the help!

Matt
 
It seems all the things you got from me seem to be causing you trouble. Honestly folks this is one of the biggest lightfoot crabs I've ever seen and that was over a year ago. Good luck Matt I know he's an aggressive eater when i put chum in the tank. maybe you can catch him eating?
 
It killed fish? How big is this crab? I'm sorry it's killed so many of your fish :( like others said it will probably be easiest to catch him at feeding or at night. Good luck!
 
Still no luck!!??

For those wondering about size, Jesse's right. This crab was in my 40, being babysat, while Matt set up his tank. It's, by far, the largest Sally Lightfoot crab I've EVER SEEN! Jesse musta been feeding it steroids! While in my care, it didn't kill anything, but definitely tried catching fish, on a regular basis.

Matt, you've tried everything I could suggest. Well, have you tried hunting it, at night, using a red light yet?
 
07FocusST said:
Mantis Shrimp!? A little too extreme maybe?
Click to expand...

That would be cool to see!

Will it chase food? Can you take a plastic cup, put a hole in the bottm. Put a string through the hole, tie some food to it(maybe a silverside or krill?). Leave it hanging out of the cup and lure it in. I think you get the idea.

If you know where it hides, get a pair of hemostats and just grab him out, if you don't care about the crab? The hemostats grab pretty good, they come in straight bite or angled. You could find them at a medical supply store.

The last thing I had to remove that I couldn't get out I had to tear my rock work apart! I hope you don't have to do this, it sucks. Hope you get'em!
 
Yeah he killed 5 of my fish now. Well actually 6. I forgot about my Tenneti tang he got along with Two anthias, two mandarins, and a pyramid butterfly. This thing is pretty smart too. I tried to lure him in with a piece of shrimp and he wouldn't go near it. He would just hid deeper in the rock work. I had a big pickle jar and put a shrimp in it and the little terd got in there and pulled it out and got away clean with it! Obviously the angle wasnt as extreme as I needed it to be...Thats why instead of spending hours of hunting I would rather just get a puffer or trigger that would eat him and then find the fish a good home! :) I did try the red light method but no luck. He stays back in the shadows of the rock work. The mantis shrimp would be awesome but that would be a whole 'nother problem that I dont need in this tank! ;) I really dont want to have to tear my rock work apart but its almost getting to that point....

Jesse-No, it just seems that your crab took pointers on weight lifting from you because he is a beast! :)
 
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This is kinda like a soap opera LOL Im tagging along to see if you can get rid of this hidden monster that has terrorized your little piece of ocean.
Good luck, We will need pictures to prove your monster quest is valid LOL
 
Have you tried a one way trap, one they can go in but not out? Like fisherman use. Get some bamboo scures and line the opening of your jar with the points in so it can't come out.?
 
Boil him. I took a water bottle drilled a hole a hole in it for some tubing filled it with boiling water and squirted it directly on an Aiptasia I found. The thing disappeared never to come back. If you can see him in a hiding spot but can't get to him this might work.
 
Airphotog said:
Boil him. I took a water bottle drilled a hole a hole in it for some tubing filled it with boiling water and squirted it directly on an Aiptasia I found. The thing disappeared never to come back. If you can see him in a hiding spot but can't get to him this might work.
Click to expand...

And have some clarified butter standing by just in case you get him this way. Take care of your problem and make a snack at the same time. Great Idea!
 
I like the boiling water idea only I think I may have to incorporate wearing sunglasses while I do it! :) Just so he cant see the pain that is about to come in my eyes! :) I'm going down now for an hour to go crabbin'....I hadnt tried the one way trap yet, however it is a great idea. I just havent thought of a way yet to make it happen. That is next....If the killing doesnt go over so well that is.... :)
 
Another trap that may work, is a shallow, straight walled dish, Deep enough that it can't climb out. Put it in the sand with bait in the bottom. He falls in and can't get out.
 
PUT a LARGE drinking glass leaned up against a rock at night with food in it.. He shouldnt be able to get out of that
DONT make me call the "deadliest catch guys"
 
LOL....Tried it....he wouldnt fall for it. My trigger when in there and got the bait out instead...:(
 
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