A week after adding the live rock and the snails to my new marine aquarium, I found the remains of one of my beautiful banded trochus snails scattered on the rocks in my tank.  The shell was broken into pieces. 

The remains of a snail. Did it die of natural causes, or was it a victim of murder?

I immediately blamed the creepy crab with his big claws.  I asked the experts here at the office, and they agreed to disagree.  I got all kinds of responses.  “Most crabs are scavengers.”  “Never trust a hitchhiker.”  “It depends what shape and color the tips of his claws are.”  “When in doubt, take it out.”

I saw him climb into one of his rock caves and I decided that was my chance to remove him.  I took the rock out of the tank and put it in a small bucket filled with water from the Continue reading »