Crab Trap?

rashr · 03-09-2007, 11:54 AM

Hi all.....I have found a mean looking crab that must have been a hitchhiker. He looks similar to an emerald, but is brown and has LARGE black "aggressive" looking claws. I want him and his two smaller buddies out, but I don't know how to get to them. Here is what I have tried so far.....1. Tweezers, but they are way too fast even though they will let me get close before ducking into some rock. 2. I put a small glass Coke bottle (8 oz.) in there with mysis shrimp in the bottom so if he/they went in they couldn't get out, but they won't go in....the cleaner shrimp, snails and hermit all flock to it, but he/they won't go near it (too darn smart for me!). Is there something I can do to get him out before he causes damage to the fish or others in the tank. I plan on putting him/them in the fuge once I get to them. Any help would greatly be appreciated.

inwall75 · 03-09-2007, 12:08 PM

Lean a glass against the rock the crab is usually at. Put meaty seafood in the bottom. Once they go in to eat, when they try to climb back out they can get any traction on the slippery surface.

rashr · 03-09-2007, 12:16 PM

That is actually what I did with the small Coke bottle, but everything but the crabs would either go in or try to go in to get the Mysis shrimp.

sssnake · 03-09-2007, 01:22 PM

In my case I eye-balled his favorite rock and hole, made sure he was in there, took the rock out and used a plastic (flexible) cable-tie. I forced him out by prodding away in a few holes until I found the right hole. After a couple of stabs the plastic tie eventually snaked its way through to him and out he came. It took me 10 minutes.

Another option would be to use a can of compressed air and and create a wind tunnel effect scaring the sh*t out of him. He'll probably leave skid marks on his way out of the rock.

Good luck!