No luck catching giant gorilla

OceanJack

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Started up a new reef tank with some Aussie Rock from Tank Stop, didn't see any hitch hikers when setting up and going through the rock.
But about 2 weeks in, I saw a very small 1/4 inch molt of a gorilla crab. So didn't think much of it, as I saw a tiny crab on a piece of rubble that I decided to not use.

Figured it could of been from that crab. But 3 days ago, I came out in the morning and saw this behemoth of a molt. Bright orange in color, about 1 1/4 inch big. Scooped it out quick and crushed thinking it was alive, but it crushed too easily and realized it was a molt.

So I have been trying to catch this thing, no inverts just two fish right now and no corals. I set up cameras x2 to watch for it over night to see if I can catch movement but nothing. come out around 3-4am with a blacklight to see if I can see it's glowing eyes. Nothing.

Set up 4 traps in the tank with fresh shrimp and no bites from the dang thing. So I bought another actual trap, put some mysis in and let it sit for 2 days now. Nothing going in so far.

Is it possible that this thing just doesn't wanna feed? I have been feeding very lightly, just pellets twice a day. Hoping that it won't get any and will want some meatier foods.

My last nuclear option is to tank the rock out and see if I can find it and skewer it. Would that be my best option? Leaving the frozen food in the tank hasn't elevated any nitrates/phos, so I am willing to see what happens over the course of a few days.
 

jabberwock

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Started up a new reef tank with some Aussie Rock from Tank Stop, didn't see any hitch hikers when setting up and going through the rock.
But about 2 weeks in, I saw a very small 1/4 inch molt of a gorilla crab. So didn't think much of it, as I saw a tiny crab on a piece of rubble that I decided to not use.

Figured it could of been from that crab. But 3 days ago, I came out in the morning and saw this behemoth of a molt. Bright orange in color, about 1 1/4 inch big. Scooped it out quick and crushed thinking it was alive, but it crushed too easily and realized it was a molt.

So I have been trying to catch this thing, no inverts just two fish right now and no corals. I set up cameras x2 to watch for it over night to see if I can catch movement but nothing. come out around 3-4am with a blacklight to see if I can see it's glowing eyes. Nothing.

Set up 4 traps in the tank with fresh shrimp and no bites from the dang thing. So I bought another actual trap, put some mysis in and let it sit for 2 days now. Nothing going in so far.

Is it possible that this thing just doesn't wanna feed? I have been feeding very lightly, just pellets twice a day. Hoping that it won't get any and will want some meatier foods.

My last nuclear option is to tank the rock out and see if I can find it and skewer it. Would that be my best option? Leaving the frozen food in the tank hasn't elevated any nitrates/phos, so I am willing to see what happens over the course of a few days.
I have extracted 4 gorilla crabs from my live rock. I only ever was able to trap one. I even tried fishing for them with bait, line and net. They would grab the bait and play tug of war for a minute but would never come out of their hole. The other three, I knew which rock they called home. I would feed mysis and shut off all flow, and just sit and watch the tank with out moving. That is when I would see them. Then I set out a tote lid upside down to work over. Pulled out the rock over the lid, sometimes they drop right out, sometimes you gotta poke at them to get them to jump out of and off of the rock into the lid. If you have corals on the rocks you will pull, gently "disturb" them to get them to retract before pulling the rock.

Took me a year to catch them all, and I do believe I lost a couple fish to them.

They can live for a long time without food.

image1 (25).jpeg
 
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OceanJack

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Appreciate the insight, I don't have a problem with taking rock out and seeing if I can find them that way. Just no actual sighting of the crab is making me nuts.

I think I'll pull the rock out and use this as an opportunity to rescape. There's no coral, so I might as well take advantage of that now.


Do you recommend a hypersalinity bath for the rock? My problem is not know where it is, I don't see any holes in the lr. The rock is not dense like dry rock, hoping that aren't super deep in it.
 

jabberwock

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Appreciate the insight, I don't have a problem with taking rock out and seeing if I can find them that way. Just no actual sighting of the crab is making me nuts.

I think I'll pull the rock out and use this as an opportunity to rescape. There's no coral, so I might as well take advantage of that now.


Do you recommend a hypersalinity bath for the rock? My problem is not know where it is, I don't see any holes in the lr. The rock is not dense like dry rock, hoping that aren't super deep in it.
I was surprised how far back in the rock my last one was. They always give themselves a back door, so he might come out "on the other side". A flexible poker like maybe a long zip tie might go around corners.

I cannot recommend a hypersalinty bath, because I know nothing about it...

If you catch the bugger post a pic. I now have a small crab tank known as the "sin bin".
 
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OceanJack

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I was surprised how far back in the rock my last one was. They always give themselves a back door, so he might come out "on the other side". A flexible poker like maybe a long zip tie might go around corners.

I cannot recommend a hypersalinty bath, because I know nothing about it...

If you catch the bugger post a pic. I now have a small crab tank known as the "sin bin".
Great idea on the poker idea, I'll use weed Wacker trim. Since it's more ridgid than a ziptie.

I'll see what I find! Be sure to post it as well.
 
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OceanJack

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Fellow reefers, today marks a celebration.

I got the crab, my eyes did not deceive me. It was as big as I remembered it.

Decided to take some rock out, since I have not seen it last after I tried stabbing it with a fork one night.

Used everything, bait, traps nothing. Only saw it twice with a red flashlight. Ended up changing homes after I tried forking it.

Here's a couple photos, biggest one I've ever seen. My thumb next to it and airpods for additional scale.
1000003825.jpg
1000003826.jpg
 

jabberwock

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Fellow reefers, today marks a celebration.

I got the crab, my eyes did not deceive me. It was as big as I remembered it.

Decided to take some rock out, since I have not seen it last after I tried stabbing it with a fork one night.

Used everything, bait, traps nothing. Only saw it twice with a red flashlight. Ended up changing homes after I tried forking it.

Here's a couple photos, biggest one I've ever seen. My thumb next to it and airpods for additional scale.
1000003825.jpg
1000003826.jpg
Woo Hoo! I know how great that feels. Keep your eyes peeled for more. I had one pop up after almost a year. I believe it was larval when I first got the rock.

BTW - that is just a baby. I have seen one the size of a golf ball.

Congrats!
 
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OceanJack

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I definitely will, I haven't seen any molts as of yet.

I know there was a smaller one in there that I got with a fork. This was two weeks ago, haven't seen it since and no molts. So I'm hoping it was injured enough that it succumbed to it's injury.
 

LiquidSpace

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It’s pretty impressive you were able to catch such a tiny crab!
 
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OceanJack

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Hey everyone,

As suspected. I found a new crab molt, however this time. It's a white crab molt, don't see any black tip claws. I'll grab a pic when I pull out the molt, it's white with a smooth body and some hair on it's legs.
 

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