markdadof2 Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 OK, so my cube has been set up for about 8 - 9 months now. I have not introduced any live rock....but I keep finding new crabs in there - hitchhikers. I already killed a gorilla crab - there is one other hairy ugly crab that I see frequently, but he is too fast to spear. I found a nice porcelain crab - a red crab (which is supposed to be a good algae eater I red), and just today I found a small white crab on the gravel. when I flashed the light on him he went to the rocks and kinda wedged between the rock and sand - and it looks like he buried himself. I wonder how many dang crabs are in there that I have NOT seen. Anyone else had this happen to them? I need to research the white crab to see what he may be - good or bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saltfinsax Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I have been lucky so far and havent gotten any bad ones. Seems every time I get some new rock one shows up though. But 8 or 9 month is along time to to not noticing em though, but I look at my tank alot at night with a flashlight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pledosophy Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I've never had a hitch hiking crab. Just wanted to take the chance to rub it in. Not ever Mark. Not even one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markdadof2 Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 Saltnfinsax - I have about 5 million hiding places for these critters. I have found most of them at night with a flashlight, but the guy today came out at feeding time. He is only maybe .30" wide - so pretty dang small. Kevin - you SLACKER - I'll have to give you some of these bad hairy crabs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciao Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I've been fortunate as well for hitchhikers....let's see what have I gotten? I've gottena nice 4" (leg to leg) chocolate brittle star(thanks Brandon), a small reef safe lobster(thanks Tim), zoas, snails, some kind of monti, ricordia, and some Kenya trees(Tim). Fortunately nothing bad yet!! I bought one of those colonies from Tim at Westside and he noticed a small unknown type of crab wedged inside the one I was going to buy and he asked me if I wanted him? I said hell NO! I don't like unknowns in my tank!!! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I don't think I have had a hitchhiker crab either. Hmm.....nope don't think so. Crazy....are you adding corals? I know you said no LR but what about corals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason7504 Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 i have this bastard gorilla crab that i almost caught but got away when i was raising him up and my vortech blew him away.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markdadof2 Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 Jason - get a long metal BBQ skewer - that is how I speared my first gorilla crab. What an ugly critter. I have what I THINK is another gorilla crab but this guy is freaking fast and skittish. Eric - I have added a few corals recently but I ALWAYS coral wash them before introducing into my tank. I imagine one may have survived the coral dip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Hmm....I wonder where they are coming from. How old is your LR? Do you have large pieces or are they relatively small? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pledosophy Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Kevin - you SLACKER - I'll have to give you some of these bad hairy crabs Sorry Mark, I'm flattered but I don't swing that way . . . (laugh)(laugh)(naughty)(naughty)(rock2) Some crabs are pretty cool, I'd like to get a nano tank and a decorator crab for my desk at work. They're just cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nwcoralfarm Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 My guess would be that if this has only been going for 9 months that you got them from your live rock and just hadn't seen them until now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I always thought decorator's were sweet too. So you can't get one in a reef tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason7504 Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Jason - get a long metal BBQ skewer - that is how I speared my first gorilla crab. What an ugly critter. I have what I THINK is another gorilla crab but this guy is freaking fast and skittish. Eric - I have added a few corals recently but I ALWAYS coral wash them before introducing into my tank. I imagine one may have survived the coral dip. I have one and a week ago i saw him on the top of my tank, out in the open so i grabbed my skewer and stababed him several times but it wouldn't go through shell so i tried to pin him against the rock and take the rock out and all was going good until i got infront of the vortech and then he blew off! little SOB! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markdadof2 Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 Let's just say I have a lot of hiding places for these crabs - my base rock is 34 lbs - and I have two others that are about 20-25 lbs each. - tons of hiding holes and such for the critters. This is the Rock that Joel at waves ordered in for me....the nicest rock I have seen yet to date in my humble opinion. Now I wonder how many I have that I have NOT seen. On any given weekend night you can find me 'hunting' crabs at about 1:30 am. I think the family is gettinga bit worried about me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
undrtkr_00 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 I'll have to give you some of these bad hairy crabs I'm getting worried about you, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectra Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Dont worry about the crabs just get a mantis and all will be good(laugh) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nwcoralfarm Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Well the good news is that if you have all kinds of "seen" hitchhikers then you will more then likely have a bunch of good unseen ones as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markdadof2 Posted February 10, 2010 Author Share Posted February 10, 2010 one of the crabs that I speared late one night was munching on my orange cap. I watched him break off little pieces and eat them (at least it looked like he was eating them). It was sweet revenge when I skewered that guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason7504 Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 you know whats weird. i looked down near the base of my stand and i found the little bastard crab dried up (and ready to stuff lol ) i wonder how he got out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason7504 Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 here's the crab i hope there's not more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beckie Posted February 13, 2010 Share Posted February 13, 2010 Well look at it this way...... you know what they are! My 150 has been up for 15 months and every snail is gone. I spent many a night searching with no luck. I know..... listen! I have never heard a thing. Beckie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason7504 Posted February 13, 2010 Share Posted February 13, 2010 [language filter] i saw another crab today! it was eating my lubbocks. i dont' know if it killed it or if it died for other reasons and its just scavaging but i have another one. it looks similar to the one that i found on the ground..man i was hoping there was just the one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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