Help me catch these pesky Stone Crabs!!

[grapejelly]

OK....

I have 2 stone crabs that are reeking havock on my reef....I must catch them...and destroy them ....or not they will be fine in my fuge..I just need them out of my dispay....
I got tons of help from several people....and thank you
I got 2 good suggestions in catching them....A glass jar set at an angle on a rock they are near with some stinky food in it....however I only cought a ton of hermits and even snails....but no stone crab... he just seems like he is laughing and saying...."hahahah I am not stepping foot in that jar you silly human"

Then the inverted coke bottle....same result.....

anyone have any other suggestions, or tricks with these current methods?
I have even at night shook food in there face to lure them out and snatch them but they just dont seem interested....and one of them even flipped me the bird!!!!

 

[shrkbait]

I caught two by simply waiting for them to crawl into rocks I could yank. A quick spray of fresh water with a baster and they jumped. Put the rock back.

 

[grapejelly]

great idea...My issue is the rock that they are on is like 40 pounds....I have huge live rock

 

[grapejelly]

maybe if I sqirt the fresh water at him and make him jump away from rock I can net him??

 

[shrkbait]

Squirting in the tank would probably dilute too quickly. You have to really p!$$ them off with the FW. Plus netting them will be non-trivial as they can move. If they are only big pieces, then the little traps will be the way to go. Patience. Maybe a two person job with one to hold the rock above the water. I hovered mine over a bucket.

 

[DoctaQ]

you could get a mantis shrimp or an octopus to eat them
no but seriously
you can try at night with a red flashlight, husky makes one that you can strap to your head.

 

[s_kelley]

id ditch the net idea and get yourself a good strong pair of tongs, that way you can grab ahold of any part sticking out and yank it out of there

 

[DoctaQ]

youll just break off arms and legs, i guess thats what theyre designed for, ive tried

 

[s_kelley]

LOL If you break most of them off your all set it wont be able to hold on to anything

 

[willray]

At night,with a red light, wait for it...wait for it.....SPEAR IT!

 

[FOXYB]

1+ on night spearing I use a wooden skewer

 

[grapejelly]

wow.....spear it huh....ok then.....its time to get tribal on those bad boys!!

 

[willray]

Use something with multiple points(large fork,Neptune's staff).It increases your odds....greatly.

 

[tigerslacrosse4]

Lol a trident? hahaha. I would say just cut off the end of a fish hook and stick it inside of a piece of balsa wood. when it goes in the barb will hook onto him and it wont let go. there your guarenteed the catch. Whats the point of the red flash light? Are they attracted to red like a bull haha

Use something with multiple points(large fork,Neptune's staff).It increases your odds....greatly.

 

[gweston]

Sounds like a niche market for a mini aquarium sized spear gun. Got to get the designs drawn up and the patents filed. ;P

 

[shrkbait]

I use my little scuba-smurf in the avatar with a slingshot

 

[willray]

here is a pic of my spear!

Sounds like a niche market for a mini aquarium sized spear gun. Got to get the designs drawn up and the patents filed. ;P

I have done similar to catch mantis shrimp and gorilla crabs.
Dart gun modded with wood skewer. It was fun but currents in the tank made it hard to shoot accurately.BTW patents applied for.

Whats the point of the red flash light? Are they attracted to red like a bull haha

Most critters don't see the red spectrum.

 

[gweston]

Very nice!

I suspect my wife would think I was crazy crouched over the tank in bermuda shorts, snorkel and mask, trying to spear a crab. But.. it does sound like a very effective method!

 

[tigerslacrosse4]

If she thinks your crazy tell her shes dreaming and to go back to bed.

 

[Rudy]

Or, you could simply wait them out. It is an almost statistical certainty you will out live them.