Crab season open

[Dave and Diane]

Today in our RSM130 it is crab hunting day.
Got up this morning to notice a firefish missing.
After looking for most of the day at its normal sleeping area, no sign of it.
Later in the day removed some of the rock work searching for it, found it as a diner for a bloody crab.
Have 3 crabs in the tank, so its time to set crab traps.

Next weekend it ill be removing rock work again and puttying it all back together.

[RossW]

I know it may sound radical but... every piece of rock which has come into my house has gone through a fresh water soak for at least 3-5 minutes.  I recognize that as a result I have lost a lot of the good natural macro, and organisms but I have also not allowed anything into my system.  It prevented at least one or two crabs from entering my system and several star fish plus numerous other things.

[Dave and Diane]

Yes excellent advice.
Something that I shall do before any more rock is placed in the tank.

[salvini55]

Get the scuba mask and take care of business!

[Vincenzo.]

i personally like all the hitchhikers. You get 100 good to 1 bad ratio. Ill take my chances. Plus its only doing whats natural to live. I know it sucks but removal is important to your reef

[Hookup]

I know it may sound radical but... every piece of rock which has come into my house has gone through a fresh water soak for at least 3-5 minutes.  I recognize that as a result I have lost a lot of the good natural macro, and organisms but I have also not allowed anything into my system.  It prevented at least one or two crabs from entering my system and several star fish plus numerous other things.

I second this... which is why almost 100% of the rock in my new tank will be DIY cement... avoid the problem.. 1yr later it looks like any other piece of LR, without the headaches!

[bongo]

I would recommend simply removing the unwanted crabs

In my opinion having unidentified coral grow each day on live rock is a big part of the fun for a newbie like myself

That being said I had two crabs in my tanks and removed them by simply taking out the rock in which they hid and pull them out of their holes

I tried the traps for a week but they didn't work... Ì guess the crabs preferred to feast on their hermit cousins

[Dave and Diane]

I would recommend simply removing the unwanted crabs

In my opinion having unidentified coral grow each day on live rock is a big part of the fun for a newbie like myself

That being said I had two crabs in my tanks and removed them by simply taking out the rock in which they hid and pull them out of their holes

I tried the traps for a week but they didn't work... Ì guess the crabs preferred to feast on their hermit cousins

Ahhhh Yes young grasshopper,,,,,simply taking out the rock work was not simple because it as all puttied and secured in place the crabs were hitchhikers...

Needless to say as of the moment all crabs are removed. Fingers crossed.
After researching it they were Red Eyed Reef Crabs.

[Vincenzo.]

^there are hundred of types of red eyed reef crabs, your problem crab was probably from the family: Xanthidae. a well known species of menace crabs.