Crab Trapping

Does anybody have any good ideas on trapping crabs? I have what I think is a Xanthid crab that is starting to cause some problems and I would like to trap it and throw it in the 'fuge. I want to try and get it without disturbing my rock formations. Are there any homespun recipes for this type of capture that anyone can think of or has tried before? :-/

Drew

 

Try this link: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-03/jf/feature/

It has good mantis info and I've had success with his preferred trapping method. I assume it would work for a crab also.


Good Luck

Aaron

 

Thanks alarsuel!!

I will try it...the hang-up will be getting the crab to come out and go after the bait...it moves around a lot and doesn't call one rock home!!

Drew

 

If you know his favorite food, it should still tempt him.


Good Luck.

Aaron

 

It has taken me awhile to get back to this. I used an olive jar, some cheesecloth, freeze-dried brine shrimp, a washer, and some kite string and voila two xanthids in two nights.

I cut a 3 inch, doubled-up square of cheesecloth and put about 1/2 tsp of dried shrimp in the middle, tied the cheesecloth into a bag (kind of like a bouquet garni) and tied the other end to a galvanized washer for weight leaving about an inch of line between the bag and the washer. Then I put this into the olive jar (about 2" in diameter by 5" long) and leaned it up against the rock I had last seen the crab in question and left it over night. The next day there were at least three hermits in there and at the bottom the Xanthid Crab which I put in my refugium. It has worked for both of the crabs that came in on some coral I have purchased.

Very easy!!!

Drew