Advice on catching a Florida Stone Crab

[crazyfishmom]

Hi all,

I posted a critter ID help post a few days ago and the consensus is that I have a stone crab. Bad news. I am pretty sure he speared and really hurt my Scott’s fairy wrasse, he didn’t make it . I need to catch this crab ASAP. Are there any commercially available traps that you can recommend? Thanks in advance.

 

[PeterErc]

Dangle a piece of shrimp, squid attached to a stick or fishing line with hook in front of its hiding place. Squid would work better as it is harder to pull apart. The crab will come out to grab it. May take some time but you should be able to coax it out enough to jab a skewer through it. Or be nice and grab it with something

 

[VintageReefer]

Tupperware container or cup on its side with string attached. Bait with krill chunks

When he climbs in, pull container out from the string

 

[JGT]

The baited shot glass or if bigger stemless wine glass has worked for me. Caught this dude…

 

[VintageReefer]

Oh he looks friendly

 

[JGT]

He never bothered any fish. But he’d take frags and use them as doors to this cave which was annoying. Super strong. Shell was like iron as a couple of times I tried to skewer him but it just bounced off.
On a positive note, a couple of times he dragged frags that had fallen into the rocks to where I could reach them.

 

[crazyfishmom]

I was able to catch a couple of gorilla crabs, one of them pretty large not too long ago but this guy is a real menace so I want him out asap and waiting around for him to decide to come out makes me uncomfortable. I will continue to try but would prefer if there was also a trap of sorts that I could use during the night.

Did you put something inside the glass to entice him?

 

[JGT]

Piece of shrimp. Tilt the glass on its side. Once they slide in, they can’t get out since they just slip on the sides.

 

[crazyfishmom]

Not sure if it’s clear from this picture but this guy is about 2.5 inches in diameter (without his legs). Dropped his bigger claw as he was fighting me when I somehow managed to grab him as he was attacking another coral at the bottom of the tank. It’s been a wild ride trying to catch this guy. Months!!!! But he’s gone now.

 

[littlefoxx]

Not sure if it’s clear from this picture but this guy is about 2.5 inches in diameter (without his legs). Dropped his bigger claw as he was fighting me when I somehow managed to grab him as he was attacking another coral at the bottom of the tank. It’s been a wild ride trying to catch this guy. Months!!!! But he’s gone now.

How on earth did that get in your tank???

 

[VintageReefer]

How on earth did that get in your tank???

I found the pic from when she got it from the LFS

 

[crazyfishmom]

Live rock… I’m still happy I got the live rock just man this thing was absolutely giant. I don’t know how big it must have been when I got the shipment but it started rearranging coral a while ago and snapping frags and I am pretty sure it hurt a fish too. Been trying to catch it for months.

 

[crazyfishmom]

I found the pic from when she got it from the LFS

My emeralds are kittens compared to this thing. But I worry about how big they might get.

 

[littlefoxx]

Live rock… I’m still happy I got the live rock just man this thing was absolutely giant. I don’t know how big it must have been when I got the shipment but it started rearranging coral a while ago and snapping frags and I am pretty sure it hurt a fish too. Been trying to catch it for months.

Thats crazy! Reminds me of @WhatCouldGoWrong71 and his hitch hiking triggerfish lol

 

[crazyfishmom]

Thats crazy! Reminds me of @WhatCouldGoWrong71 and his hitch hiking triggerfish lol

Wait what? A hitchhiking triggerfish???? Wow!

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Wait what? A hitchhiking triggerfish???? Wow!

Yup… wreaked havoc in my tank. I’ll find the thread tomorrow and post it. I got desperate because he had two CUC grave yards going went from Winnie the cute Pooh to Jaws. He started attacking my hand if I was in the tank. Wild story like yours.