Accidental blue crab addition

[Paul B]

I love it when I do things like this. Yesterday I took my boat to some tide pools to go crabbing and amphipod collecting. I collected a few hundred amphipods and I also got about 8 baby blue clay crabs about 1/4" long. Sometimes I collect these to raise then I let them go. Of course since we had been partying all day on the boats I forgot about the crabs and dumped them along with the crabs into my reef.
If you have never seen blue claw crabs they are very nasty and are usually eaten (by me) Nothing in an aquarium would be safe from them. Luckilly, they are very small and will probably be eaten by my fish and shrimp. They also swim to the surface at night so they should also get caught in the skimmer.
If one lives long enough to grow, I will have a nice lunch.
Have a great day.
Paul

[Puffers]

I never knew they actually swim!

[Simms142]

Yeah, when you buy crabmeat, its is mostly from the Backfin of the crab. Which is the swimming fin/legs and is also the best eatin part

[Paul B]

We catch them at night with a net as they swim to the surface.
The babies swim all the time. Mean little suckers.
Paul

[Samala]

Their latin name.. Callinectes sapidus.. actually means 'beautiful swimmer'...

Paul they're a cool find. We have some in the lab being raised at the moment. I think they're adorable.. and then I get a whiff of crab chowder and I think they look adorably appetizing. Hehehe... but they will certainly eat anything they can get their little claws around.

>Sarah

[Puffers]

Correct me if I am wrong but if they loose their claws they grow back right? So you could keep trimming their claws every so often, eat the claw meat and they might be safe long term?

[Paul B]

They will regrow "one" claw but if a blue crab loses both claws then it can't eat so it will not be able to regrow both claws.
Paul

[sweetmindy]

All the sudden, I'm in the mood for Joes Crab Shack.

[billsreef]

So when's the crab dinner?

[Paul B]

They should be ready in about a year.
Paul

[CaptiveReef]

Originally posted by Samala
Their latin name.. Callinectes sapidus.. actually means 'beautiful swimmer'...

Paul they're a cool find. We have some in the lab being raised at the moment. I think they're adorable.. and then I get a whiff of crab chowder and I think they look adorably appetizing. Hehehe... but they will certainly eat anything they can get their little claws around.

>Sarah

Their Latin name to me is"Lots of butter and delicious"
We go crabbing at night, flash the spot light on them swimming at the surface and into the net then bucket.
Also a BAM of Emeril's Essence sprinkled on top right before steaming, makes for a dining experience!!!!!!!!!

Now that's a tasty crustacean!!

CaptiveReef

[Revolution]

wait till it molts, then fry it up... crab cake sandwich!!!!!

[CaptainDave]

Originally posted by CaptiveReef
Their Latin name to me is"Lots of butter and delicious"

Also a BAM of Emeril's Essence sprinkled on top right before steaming, makes for a dining experience!!!!!!!!!

If it's not Old Bay, it's not crabs!

[Paul B]

I got a spot where the tide goes out and the water is 6" deep. I just walk through and net them. Real sporting of me.
Paul

[Hobster]

Originally posted by Paul B
I got a spot where the tide goes out and the water is 6" deep. I just walk through and net them. Real sporting of me.
Paul

I used to be able to do that here. Could fill up buckets. Now that the Army Corp keeps flushing mass amounts of fresh, polluted water from lake Okeechobee down the river is has destroyed not only the crab fishery but just about every thing that develops in the estuaries.

[Paul B]

We got so many crabs here now that you can't keep them from jumping in the boat.
Paul

[PupChow]

Really wish Baltimore got spots like that, I would LOVE to be able to go into the sea and catch stuff.

[Paul B]

I went out looking for crabs today. They are still all over the place. There are no more babies thiough. I can just smell the linguini and crab sauce already.
Paul