Last Gorilla crab caught!

[Adam]

2 plus years in the making. What a satisfying day!

I caught this 2nd to last one a couple months ago. It didn't die a pleasant death.


I thought it was the last one but then I saw a shell and I said damn there must be another one but I'd never seen it. Then one one night a couple weeks ago I saw the him in a rock up front with nowhere good to run but it was all the way at the bottom of the structure. No way I could pull the rock out. So I grabbed my laser put on my glasses and zapped the bastard right in the mouth. I got him 3 or 4 times pretty good too before it found an escape and I never saw it again.

So last night I do a big water change and stirred everything up good. When I finished I turned the lights off and went upstairs. I took today off work and been lazily looking at everything in the tanks and I spot an upside down crab shell in the back of the tank. I think damn I didn't get him good enough after all. I go around back with my big tongs to pull it out but when I get there it pretty much whole. I've never seen a whole shell before after a molt, usually just pieces here and there. I grab it and see it is whole with a few legs missing and when I go to pull it from the tongs and it falls back in the tank and I'm left with a leg in my fingers. The rest of it falls in a spot I can't get to easily but I notice it moving. At 1st I thought it was just the current but after going back around to the front I can see it is alive but barely moving. I know we're supposed to care for the animals under our charge but I couldn't help it. The 1st thought in my head is "Ha Ha! the basterd's been suffering for a couple weeks down there unable to eat." I was able to finally get it out and threw it in the empty coral QT tank so it can continue to wither away in misery. All the damage these things have done... pinching legs off stars, eating a new baby clam and who knows what else. Probably cost me a couple hundred in losses. So please don't judge me for taking such satisfaction from its misery and I hope you never have to deal with these things!

 

[enderg60]

I had one of those way back when, got his ass with a kabob skewer.

 

[FutureInterest]

Gratz man. I had one literally tear up one of my CSBs to get to the food inside... back then they were only 700.... now they're like 1500 . After that I ended up fresh water dipping the rocks till I found him. When I did my youngest daughter had seen my turmoil and declared that I should "stab it in the face". I put it down humanely to set a good example but that's not how I wanted to end its murderous life. Anyways, glad you got it. Can't believe the laser worked... That's some good aim my friend.

 

[urbanknight]

Well crud! I thought you were done when you initially announced the demise of the first one. Little did we know!

 

[joseayes]

Wow, lots of things one can get in anything we introduce in our tanks, some could get nice freebie critters and some can get stuff like this. I had setup one tank only with live rock from a store, I got good stuff like feathers, pods, some sponges and a few worms, also the ycle included good pineapple feathers and such, after that I started tanks with dead rock and live sand, not as good as if you do it with live rock but you can somewhat avoid a little bit some stuff, but you might be missing good critters too.

 

[Steve Burton]

Hey Adam, how many mW is your laser?

 

[Adam]

It's a 3 watt unit or 3000mW. Definitely not a toy. The reflection off the glass is enough to burn you if the focus is right. I learned real quick to use it at an angle that went away from me as much as possible. I got tired of smelling burnt hair when it hit my beard

I haven't tested the full limit for how far it will light a match but 10-12 feet is no problem. When I still smoked I would use it to light a cigarette when I couldn't find a lighter.
I only use it at night when the fish bed down or if I put a mirror up to keep them occupied away from where I'm going to zap something.

 

[Steve Burton]

Where did you find a 3W? At what cost? Do you think a 1 watt would be effective?

 

[Adam]

I had a 1w and the main thing I didn't like about it was the battery died pretty quick. It only had a single 16340 battery. It did work fine but I not only wanted something with more battery life but more power to punch further back in the tank. I actually sold that one to Doug.

The one I have now uses two 18650 batteries and can reach the back of the tank. I don't think the 1st one I had would have had enough power to do the damage needed to do the crab in either.

Here's a link to the one I'm using now, they list it as 30,000mW but it's really 3,000mW. There's a coupon today for another 22% off as well.
https://www.htpow.com/gatling-laser-pointer-upgraded-version-p-1281.html

I was weary about buying from Hong Kong but they were a pleasure to deal with and shipped fast. It took about a week to get the package.

 

[Adam]

I had also looked into building my own but the cost would have been more than this one and the nice thing about it is with the body it has the diode can be replaced.

I also want to reiterate these things are no joke. Wrap around safety glasses are a must and they HAVE to be rated for use with lasers, no simple welding/brazing glasses.
All the lasers this place sells come with glasses and I've seen no spotting or unusual vision problems after using them with the laser.

 

[Steve Burton]

Thanks Adam, just bought myself a Christmas present, the 3W model, complete kit for $132.59. Wasn't really much more than a 1 watt. Now all I need is some Aptasia (jk)

 

[hzheng33]

was the crab from the live rock that you got when you first start setting up the tank?

 

[Adam]

was the crab from the live rock that you got when you first start setting up the tank?

Yes, they came in Tampa Bay rock and I was a noob that didn't know any better. Oh, cool. Look at the little crab. LAMO.

 

[ichthyoid]

I had a 1w and the main thing I didn't like about it was the battery died pretty quick. It only had a single 16340 battery. It did work fine but I not only wanted something with more battery life but more power to punch further back in the tank. I actually sold that one to Doug.

The one I have now uses two 18650 batteries and can reach the back of the tank. I don't think the 1st one I had would have had enough power to do the damage needed to do the crab in either.

Here's a link to the one I'm using now, they list it as 30,000mW but it's really 3,000mW. There's a coupon today for another 22% off as well.
https://www.htpow.com/gatling-laser-pointer-upgraded-version-p-1281.html

I was weary about buying from Hong Kong but they were a pleasure to deal with and shipped fast. It took about a week to get the package.

FWIW, that laser would be rated Class IV by the FDA/CDRH (ie- most powerful class, capable of direct tissue damage), but I wonder if they know it's being sold here?
The blue wavelength is particularly dangerous for the eye, and will cause instantaneous blindness if accidentally viewed, whether directly or by reflection, etc.
I worked for a number of years with lasers, up into the kilowatts, in industry/R&D. Please be very careful!

 

[hzheng33]

Adam, Did the laser burn the vermitid snails? I accidentally introduced one into my tank and now they are all over the place. I’m debating using either a laser, if it’s capable, or redo my entire tank, which I don’t look forward to.

 

[chattreef]

Wow, cool laser! I wasn't aware that you could zap pest fauna with them. Awesome that you go the last one!