Do gorilla crabs kill other crabs?

[Tired]

I'm finding all sorts of cool critters in some live rock I got from Tampa Bay. I want to put a choice few of them in a HOB 'fuge, so I'm trying to figure out what would be compatible.

So far, my favorite non-reef-suitable critters I've found are three tiny decorator crabs, but I also like the gorilla crabs. Does anyone know if gorilla crabs will attack decorators? Assuming all parties are well-fed and have some space to avoid each other.

 

[SaltyT]

When it comes to gorilla crabs, if they can catch it they'll try to eat it, that includes other crabs.

 

[Tired]

I figured. Probably won't keep these; the decorators are really neat, and I'd hate for them to get eaten. Or maybe I'll try to figure out how to partition them off.

 

[Tired]

Given that I've just found one of these baby gorillas trying to eat another one that had recently molted, I am going to say that, yes, they will very much try to kill crabs. Including each other. The target wasn't even that much smaller!

 

[AydenLincoln]

Yes…if given the chance.

 

[Brooklands]

I'm finding all sorts of cool critters in some live rock I got from Tampa Bay. I want to put a choice few of them in a HOB 'fuge, so I'm trying to figure out what would be compatible.

So far, my favorite non-reef-suitable critters I've found are three tiny decorator crabs, but I also like the gorilla crabs. Does anyone know if gorilla crabs will attack decorators? Assuming all parties are well-fed and have some space to avoid each other.

It's likely that they will leave them alone. I've found pest crabs to attack their own kind and small mollusks before they attack other crab species. Key is hiding places.

 

[Cell]

and food availability

 

[Brooklands]

I'm finding all sorts of cool critters in some live rock I got from Tampa Bay. I want to put a choice few of them in a HOB 'fuge, so I'm trying to figure out what would be compatible.

So far, my favorite non-reef-suitable critters I've found are three tiny decorator crabs, but I also like the gorilla crabs. Does anyone know if gorilla crabs will attack decorators? Assuming all parties are well-fed and have some space to avoid each other.

My experience is different species cohabitate well, but same species often attack each other if there are not significant hiding places. By attack I mean ripping all their legs off.

 

[danenelsen]

Gorilla crabs will eat anything they can! I would get something else.

 

[vetteguy53081]

They have that name for a reason- They can do damage to other crabs, snails, shrimps and even seeing isolated cases small fish

 

[Tired]

Gorilla crabs will eat anything they can! I would get something else.

I already have them, they came on my rock. I'm trying to decide if I want to keep one or not. Probably not. I'm not sure if I have anywhere they'd do well long-term, this HOB 'fuge is pretty small for the size gorilla crabs can get to.

My experience is different species cohabitate well, but same species often attack each other if there are not significant hiding places. By attack I mean ripping all their legs off.

Makes sense. Any idea if that applies to decorator crabs? The half a dozen split-pea-sized ones I've found seem fine together so far. Maybe they have enough space.

 

[danenelsen]

I'm sorry! I misunderstood! I would try and get rid of them all if you can.

 

[Tired]

Yeah, I'm working on trapping them out. I'm going to humanely euthanize either all of them, or all but one, depending on if I keep one. They're neat little things, and if I had a cozy sump I'd love to keep one or two. Currently I'm trying to see if I can find anyone near me who'd like any, just in case.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

gorilla crab = bad

 

[Tired]

Yes, I know gorilla crabs aren't reef safe. You might notice I referred to them as non-reef-suitable and was asking about putting them in a 'fuge. My question was about if they'll attack each other, not about if they'll behave in a typical reef.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Yes, I know gorilla crabs aren't reef safe. You might notice I referred to them as non-reef-suitable and was asking about putting them in a 'fuge. My question was about if they'll attack each other, not about if they'll behave in a typical reef.

Natural selection. Go for it then.

 

[JoJosReef]

I already have them, they came on my rock. I'm trying to decide if I want to keep one or not. Probably not. I'm not sure if I have anywhere they'd do well long-term, this HOB 'fuge is pretty small for the size gorilla crabs can get to.


Makes sense. Any idea if that applies to decorator crabs? The half a dozen split-pea-sized ones I've found seem fine together so far. Maybe they have enough space.

How big is the HOB fuge? I had a gorilla live in the tiny return chamber of my IM 10gallon AIO for 8 months, and it seemed to be growing healthily!! I used a piece of floss instead of filter socks and had lots of things like pineapple sponges growing in the back (and on rubble I had tossed back there), so I think it ate anything that passed through or grew in there. In any case, I'm sure given the option of the fuge or the axe, the gorilla crab would happily take the fuge.

 

[Tired]

The fuge is about 10" by 10" by 4", but the problem is that the 4" is the width/floorspace, and I'm pretty sure gorilla crabs can get to be at least 4" across. I don't know how much moving space an adult gorilla crab needs, but I do know that putting an animal in an enclosure too small for it isn't necessarily better than killing it.

 

[JoJosReef]

The fuge is about 10" by 10" by 4", but the problem is that the 4" is the width/floorspace, and I'm pretty sure gorilla crabs can get to be at least 4" across. I don't know how much moving space an adult gorilla crab needs, but I do know that putting an animal in an enclosure too small for it isn't necessarily better than killing it.

10" x 4" should be fine for the crab for a while. Over the better part of a year, mine grew maybe 25% in size? So from nickel to quarter, perahps. That was in a 2" x 12" space. By the time it gets bigger, I imagine you'll have a new fuge

 

[Tired]

Ah, okay, so they aren't terribly fast growers. Good, more time for me to catch the remaining ones out of this rock! They're all little half-an-inch ones that can't hurt anything yet.

That's good to know, thanks. Any idea how much these lil guys move around, if food comes to them and they don't have to hunt it? I've been catching the ones on the rock when they come out to wander around, but I don't know if maybe they're doing that because they have to come out to get food, not because they need to wander for their health.