Eating coral for new growth?

[reeferpat137]

As im sure we all know, there are just some fish and inverts that dont mesh well with our favorite corals. I recently picked up a new emerald crab that seems enjoy some of my acro. Almost every day i notice a new tip of acro chewed a bit. And i know for sure its the crab. But i doesnt seem to effect the corals too much, within a day or 2 the color will return and polyp extension is good.
My question. Is it possible that the emeraly crab is actually promoting new growth in corals by naturally micro trimming?

 

[KrisReef]

Possible, yes!

Similar to agriculture, we trim the vines to limit branch growth and promote grapes. Trees and roses all benefit from a proper pruning. Is the crab trained to do this? Perhaps they prune tips that are struggling or diseased and the coral benefits from their removal? According to my wife, if you spend a lot at a sale the savings really add up?

If it doesn't kill the coral then the coral is going to spend energy growing new tips and perhaps branching as a result of the end damage?