Lobster in my reef - Eating my fish?

[Larry E]

I have a 400 gallon reef and there is a red, Philadelphia Lobster in the bottom of my tank that I bought from my local aquarium when they relocated. He has claws mamd is probably 5".

I keep missing fish and someone told me the lobster is eating them.

Really bummed.

Does this sound right?

Assuming he is, how can I catch and remove him? I have shelf rock that is huge and it would be a disaster to have to pull the live rock out.

[LisaD]

I don't know what a philadelphia lobster is, but my guess is that he is eating your fish. your best bet is to trap him. take a look at a lobster trap, build yourself an aquarium version...

[Mattmcf]

lobsters are oportunistic feeders, I was going to purchase a small caribean lobster for my 220 reef but quickly changed my mind after talking to an employee who told me they just removed it from there display because it had killed a few fish, and these have no claws!

[o.c.d.]

MMMMM Lobster hunt

[Larry E]

And successfully remedied it?

[o.c.d.]

At night sink a glass or plastic jar in the substrate put some food (krill is stinky).Try to find it's borrow and place it near, if you have no substrate add a ramp??Or try to build a lobster trap but they look elaborate,Is it shy?only out at night?I'd also try the bag over the borrow method,roll the edges of a bag tie fishing line around the folded edges load with food , set over burrow at night and if it's bold it'll go in the pull line closing bag,you may have to weigh bag depending on flow,and make sure no air bubbles in folds.You can also buy small traps for crabs they may also work Aqua Medic makes one,Good luck

[Larry E]

Thanks for the response. Is this the unit?

http://www.aqua-medic.de/seawater/en/18/trap%20pest/


I wonder if the lobster is too big for this trap. We seldom see him as he is hidden in the back.

When I don't feed the fish for two days and then drop some pellets in he emerges but is spooked very easily.

[o.c.d.]

ya thats the one I guess it depends on the size if the lobster,I've built my own traps from acrylic and copied the design alot cheaper that way. looks like an easy rebuild

[Bernie21]

I have two spiny lobsters in my tank, they dont have any claws. So far, as long as they are fed (which I hand feed every other day), they really dont hunt and I have small fish and all types of shrimps! They are out and about in the tank and chill, theyre really neat to see. I would still remove that lobster if he is already hunting!! Just dont be burned by the one bad experience w lobsters!!

[o.c.d.]

Bernie 21 one bad experience, I don't think so major understatement . Lobsters are very well known for catching fish and eating them, Most LFS will tell you Not Reef Safe on most lobsters Palinurellus and Enoplometopus are the only two I found and both are still a risk. Few if any are suitable for reef, their indiscriminate opportunistic feeding habits and aggression make them a undesierable inhabitant. A combination of very small lobster very fast fish that are light sleepers may be a combination that works.

[Bernie21]

These are my two pets, Ive had for some time now, not long enough to say my experience is complete, but so far so good...
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd221/bernie2149/DSCN1255.jpg
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd221/bernie2149/DSCN1292.jpg
Im am not saying they are risk free, but they arent as deadly if you take cerftain precautions to keep them fed. I do have fast swimmers (Angels) and my clowns that do not go near the rock, so that helps them stay safe...
I'm just saying theres a risk w almost anything w put in our tanks, just have to do what we can to minimize those dangers...
If they catch something, they're a breeze to catch, mines come to my hand when I feed them, all I have to do is take them out...

[Mattmcf]

The spotted lobster in the first picture would be a safer bet in my opinion. They grow much slower than the spiny lobster in the second pic. I believe they are a bit more docile than the spiny also, i know when i go lobstering in the keys every year we always find many many large spinys and they are pretty bold considering their size. In contrast, the spotted lobsters seem to be much smaller and would hang mostly in the back of caves (upside down like a cleaner shrimp would) and would take off as soon as a tickle stick touched them! I guess if you keep them fed and have all your corals glued down tight you might not have a problem, but as soon as they realize they can catch your fish, rest assured because they are opportunistic, they wont stop once they have started.