I caught a Gorilla Crab, now what? (See pic)

[nmbeg]

I am very new to the hobby, and have just set up a new 125 gallon in-wall build. I got cycled and paramaters looked right, so I bought a sand-sifting gobie, which I haven't seen since I dropped him in the tank almost a week ago. That seemed pretty normal as far as gobies go, until a couple of days ago I saw a gorilla crab:

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/175234gorilla_crab.jpg

Sorry for the poor quality picture, it was a cell phone camera.

Anyway, he looked ugly, and I know from the TBS website that he is a bad guy (http://tbsaltwater.com/thepackage/organisms.html).

I thought he might be the reason for the missing goby, so I ended up killining him. I skewered him with a length of PVC pipe. Since then, I have felt so guilty and ashamed that I don't know if I am cut out for the reefkeeping hobby.

So imagine my dismay today when I discovered another one, bigger, hairier, and uglier. I tried to work up the courage to kill him but could not, so I ended up catching him alive (I took out the rock he was hiding in). Then I dumped him into the sump. He is in the skimmer portion, with no access to the refugium or the return portion. He has plenty of live rock there to live in.

So my question is this: is it OK for me to let him eek out an existence eating detritus in my sump, or is that a bad idea?

thanks,
nabeel

[Vinnie71975]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11627892#post11627892 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nmbeg
I am very new to the hobby, and have just set up a new 125 gallon in-wall build. I got cycled and paramaters looked right, so I bought a sand-sifting gobie, which I haven't seen since I dropped him in the tank almost a week ago. That seemed pretty normal as far as gobies go, until a couple of days ago I saw a gorilla crab:

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/175234gorilla_crab.jpg

Sorry for the poor quality picture, it was a cell phone camera.

Anyway, he looked ugly, and I know from the TBS website that he is a bad guy (http://tbsaltwater.com/thepackage/organisms.html).

I thought he might be the reason for the missing goby, so I ended up killining him. I skewered him with a length of PVC pipe. Since then, I have felt so guilty and ashamed that I don't know if I am cut out for the reefkeeping hobby.

So imagine my dismay today when I discovered another one, bigger, hairier, and uglier. I tried to work up the courage to kill him but could not, so I ended up catching him alive (I took out the rock he was hiding in). Then I dumped him into the sump. He is in the skimmer portion, with no access to the refugium or the return portion. He has plenty of live rock there to live in.

So my question is this: is it OK for me to let him eek out an existence eating detritus in my sump, or is that a bad idea?

thanks,
nabeel

Dont see why not, he should be fine in there. No need to feel guilty you are just trying to make your tank safe for what you want in it!

[Avi]

I had a Xanthid crab in my reef that did incredible damage to my coral. It cost me a small fortune and was very difficult to catch. I would have skewered it in a NY minute but I couldn't get it that way. I finally caught it in a trap. I was very tempted to crush it with a hammer, but...I didn't. Instead I put it into my sump. I even throw a frozen shrimp in there for it once in a while. I have to admit, though, that the offer at my lfs to put it in with a big puffer and watch the result is an attractive possibility.

[pimpinitup6969]

if u decide not to keep him in the fuge i would be more than likely to take him off your hands if you would be willing to ship him to 14904 i would cover the charges
Matt

[theclearblue]

^
That sounds like a great option.

[tcwayne]

I had a ton of them before I started getting into corals. I thought they were cool until I found out they were bad for reefs. So before I started getting coral, I pulled them out and now everytime I see one I either kill it or put it in my sump and there has been a few in my sump for quite awhile and I don't do anything but leave them alone.

Matt, I can get these crabs all day long on the rocks of the Sunshine Skyway bridge that I drive over everyday.

[nmbeg]

Matt,

Just out of curiosity..... what would you do with him?


Do they taste good......?

[madimod]

will they really eat fish ?

[Sk8r]

He's fine in the sump, good scavenger even for the fuge. Just don't let him have your fish.
You're kind of in a position of Great Fish God to your tank: if you don't protect your other inhabitants from monsters that stray in to eat them, who will? Sometimes you have to slay a dragon: goes with the GFG position. Don't feel guilty. Good you could get the other guy to the sump---don't take for granted there isn't another one in there somewhere. Be watchful.