Id

[scottdwh]

I just noticed this thing coming out of my live rock today. It has brown, hairy legs and a black pincher with a white tip on the end. It doesnt come all the way out and I can only see 4 legs. I tried to lure it out of the hole with a piece of shrimp but he didnt come out all the way. He ended up grabbing the shrimp and dragging it back in with him. His pincher was probably half and inch long. I looked through wetwebmedia for a pic but didnt see anything that resembled him. Any idea what this is?

 

[Corax]

what kinda body shape? How fast was it? Did you have an unexplained overwhelming sense of fear and terror? (the mantis shrimp victims around here know of what evil I speak...)

 

[scottdwh]

It would shoot back into the hole pretty quick. I never saw a body shape, but it kind of had legs like a crab. I dont really know how long legs are on a mantis shrimp, but I think they were to long to be one. The legs had points on the ends too. Hopefully its not a mantis shrimp. I never heard any clicking yet at night in my tank.

 

[Boogiechillin]

Sounds like a random hitchhiker crab...no hairy legs on a mantis. Try to lure it out with a baited trap near its hole.

 

[scottdwh]

How can I make a baited trap?

 

[VoodooChild]

This is creepy. I have my tank next to my bed, and if something crawls out in the night, it's coming for me! Please, if you catch it, post some pics.

 

[latazyo]

perhaps you could spy on him after the lights go out, he must come out sometime...



ps: voodoochild, you have no pm or email, if I were wishing to contact you, how would I go about doing so? latazyo@yahoo.com

 

[Corax]

ahh, i missed the hairy legs part =) Ya sure the claw wasn't dark green? Might be an emerald crab...

 

[scottdwh]

No, the claw is black, now that I know he is in there, I will keep a look out for him.

 

[Boogiechillin]

Originally posted by scottdwh
How can I make a baited trap?

You can buy a commercial trap at the LFS, or you can do a simple DIY trap by cutting a 2L soda bottle in half and keeping the end with the cap. Flip this upsidedown to make a funnel and wedge it near the crab's hole. Bait this with some shrimp or food and see what's fallen in by the next morning. (Of course, feed everything else first so that desirable critters don't get stuck or steal the bait!)