Crabs making holes in bentonite.

[Reinier]

Not sure if anyone here could be of assistance, but i have just built a small dam 20x30m and have sealed it with bentonite. Which works perfectly however since the crabs have moved in they've started making holes in the sides and I’ve noticed that the level is starting to drop rather quickly . Any ideas as to how i could control their numbers? or perhaps i could get some kind of crab cage? I introduced some turtles but they seem to be more interested in the frogs than the crabs. Any suggestions would be of most help. Thanks

[Byron]

Not sure if anyone here could be of assistance, but i have just built a small dam 20x30m and have sealed it with bentonite. Which works perfectly however since the crabs have moved in they've started making holes in the sides and I’ve noticed that the level is starting to drop rather quickly . Any ideas as to how i could control their numbers? or perhaps i could get some kind of crab cage? I introduced some turtles but they seem to be more interested in the frogs than the crabs. Any suggestions would be of most help. Thanks

You've got crabs! Bleak

[Byron]

Prevention is better than cure… stay away from dodgy birds

[Reinier]

LOL , I knew someone was going to throw a comment like that. Perhaps I should rephrase that to Crustaceans .

[Byron]

All I know is that Otters like crabs - you should have hung on to that bugger you hooked on the weekend.

I'm sure there must be a way of trapping them - try some raw meat as bait. We catch them in the rivers down in the EC with chokka or pilchards. It might not be a solution but should work as a form of population control.

You could probably build a couple traps out of chichen wire quite easily.

You can sell the ones you catch to bait shops.

[Reinier]

Your right, i should have keept that otter. I recon a small otter could make an awesome pet. Anyways i guess the best bet is to start using bait like you said. Thanks

[Chris Shelton]

Not sure if anyone here could be of assistance, but i have just built a small dam 20x30m and have sealed it with bentonite. Which works perfectly however since the crabs have moved in they've started making holes in the sides and I’ve noticed that the level is starting to drop rather quickly . Any ideas as to how i could control their numbers? or perhaps i could get some kind of crab cage? I introduced some turtles but they seem to be more interested in the frogs than the crabs. Any suggestions would be of most help. Thanks

Have you considered stocking it with fish? Trout love crabs.....so much so that there are concerns over the crab population at Lakensvlei. The once thriving population has been descimated by the trout! Is Lakensvlei another candidate for Rotenone perhaps?

[Jasper]

Have you considered stocking it with fish? Trout love crabs.....so much so that there are concerns over the crab population at Lakensvlei. The once thriving population has been descimated by the trout! Is Lakensvlei another candidate for Rotenone perhaps?

which is a reason why my best fly at LAkensvlei has been the Merkin!!

What put me onto using it was cutting open a fish .. found 16 crabs in its stomach ... some of which were still alive!!!

[Byron]

Have you considered stocking it with fish? Trout love crabs.....so much so that there are concerns over the crab population at Lakensvlei. The once thriving population has been descimated by the trout! Is Lakensvlei another candidate for Rotenone perhaps?

I don't think Reinier - visits the forum much anymore (he was going to move to Holland when I last heard - not sure if he has yet).

He did however say he liked the sound of the frogs at night and didn't want to stock it with bass as they would wipe out the frogs. Trout wouldn't really cut it up here they tend to peg off in the summer.

[rory]

I don't think Reinier - visits the forum much anymore (he was going to move to Holland when I last heard - not sure if he has yet).

Quite right, he left about 2/3 months ago.