Crab!

[tcottle]

So I was looking at the tank last night and noticed a piece of dead coral skeleton in a pocket on a large piece of live rock. I had just purchased a set of large stainless steel tongs from Dr Fosters and Smith – they looked like a perfect tool for the job. I removed several frags of rock and shell from the hole. This wasn’t surprising since the rock came out of another person’s tank and I figured it was left over from a previous mount. The pocket was large and deep and begging to have a coral frag stuff into it.

I came home for lunch and glanced at the tank. The hole was full of small frags and shells again! Ruh-Roh …

http://img343.imageshack.us/img343/9263/hole6ga.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

So after work, using my new tongs I removed this crap from the hole.

http://img327.imageshack.us/img327/492/rocks6ul.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Peering in with a flashlight I spied a large crab! He wasn’t going to come out even with help from the tongs and I did not want to smash him to pieces. I removed the rock and filed the hole with vinegar. He was pretty easy to remove after that and unfortunately while the operation was a success the patient expired. His carapace is 2 inches across.

http://img327.imageshack.us/img327/2366/crab1yp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[bravoreefer]

Why did you put vinegar into the hole? Was that to get him to come out?

So his trip on acetic acid was the death of him instead of the HOT tub?

[tcottle]

Yeah I had read that vinegar or soda water will expel crabs and mantis shrimps. I did hope to catch him alive though

[DKKA]

Crab killer!!

I used forcepts to remove one from a hole once. He came out piece by piece.....


I'm surprised a little vinegar poured inot the hole killed him.

[Chromed1]

That's it call PETA!!! LOL!!!