My crabs hate me

[Paul B]

I have a love/hate relationship with hermit crabs. I wish they could not detect food so well. There are maybe 6 or 8 of them in my tank but two of them are over 10 years old and they are big and tough.
When I feed the corals (which I do while I am waiting for a phone call) the crabs of course smell the food and race to the meal. They have lousy table manners and just pounce on the coral without even wiping their feet and pry the thing open to get the food.
It is a constant battle for me to physically pick up the crabs and throw them to the far end of the tank. Then of course they make another Bee line back to the coral. I have tried posting signs and using harsh language on them to no avail. Now I am thinking of an electric fence.
This giant cup coral is enjoying some fresh worms.

This smaller guy is also having lunch but the gobi is not much of a deterant.

 

[Awibrandy]

LOL

You have such a way with words! Love your stories..

Nice pics to!

 

[Paul B]

Hello awilda, How are you? they are not stories but facts of life.

Here he is in his fighting posture

And here he is with his little tramp girlfriend in the back. They spawn a lot right in the open with the lights on.

 

[Awibrandy]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Paul, I think I have his big brother in my fowlr! I had to get him out of my reef cause he kept breaking my corals. I ended up with quite a few frags before I caught him doing it.

 

[Paul B]

Awilda, it is annoying and these crabs are over 10 years old so this has been going on since they were babies. I guess I didn't bring them up correctly.
This urchin is the same problem. This is an old picture and he not only steals food from the corals, he steals the entire coral and brings them to the back of the tank where I can't find them.
I swear he is gesturing at me in a not so nice manner but I can't figure out which spine he is using to do it.

He is also much larger now

 

[Paul B]

 

[MIKE NY]

I have the same problem Paul with hermits and fish stealing the food from my Dendros and Acans....I either stand there with a stick and chase them or put a plastic mesh fruit cup over them until they finish eating.

 

[Paul B]

I'm thinking barbed wire

 

[Awibrandy]

Don't forget to electrify the barb wire.

 

[Paul B]

Don't forget to electrify the barb wire.

Oh I will electrify it alright. Those crabs are cunning and fast especially that little slut crab, look at how much knee she is showing under that shell. :flirt:

Look at this, he is all over her like a cheap suit.

 

[Sean]

thanks for the pornographic pictures of your exhibitionist crabs.

 

[Paul B]

You mean you looked!

 

[Sean]

lol
couldn't look away

 

[cthoughts1]

Paul thanks for the laugh... =)



P.S.: How much does she charge? lol

 

[Awibrandy]

Paul thanks for the laugh... =)



P.S.: How much does she charge? lol

So what? Are you actually confessing to us about your kinky side?LOL

 

[cthoughts1]

No, I was actually looking to broker a deal for Herman (my hermit)... ;X

 

[Paul B]

Let me see, I think I have everything. I wonder if I can carry one more coral