The annual Spider Crab migration in May each year is a must see for divers, very freaky when you see so many in the one place. it is then interesting to watch the pier over the following months as the food created from die off, helps other fish and animals breed and grow rapidly.
Spider Crab Expeditions
Spider Crabs reside in Port Philip Bay, Victoria, Australia for 12 months of the year.
However, in April through to July each year, as the water cools, the crabs gather in the shallows in their tens of thousands! This aggregation is continuously “on the move” and has been referred to as the “March of The Spider Crabs”.
This amazing natural phenomenon is believed to be linked to a mating ritual. Through out this time period the crabs gather and play “stacks on the middle”. The mountains of crabs can be up to 2 metres high and cover areas up to a kilometre long.
Through out the cycle the crabs often moult their shell and at times mass “die offs” of Spider Crabs can be seen. The Spider Crab march is an amazing visual experience and resembles scenes from a science fiction film. The gathering also attracts predators such as sting rays and even sharks.
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