Pom pom crab eating bristle worm

[Levinson]

I got some pom pom crabs recently and just a while ago I found one eating a bristle worm. I had no idea that they do.
I googled and it seems to be a common thing. The worms are in trouble now.

 

[Salty_Northerner]

Lol that's awesome and good to know!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Nice looking crab though!!

 

[exnisstech]

Awesome. Looks like it should be enough to keep the crab full for a week lol. Nice job on the image and video too. Awesome detail.

 

[cdw79]

Curious OP, not to derail, but what size is your tank and how often do you see your little guy? I've been dying to add some to my rock-heavy 65 gal but I'm concerned I'll spend a bunch on several of them but never see them again, lol

 

[Levinson]

Curious OP, not to derail, but what size is your tank and how often do you see your little guy? I've been dying to add some to my rock-heavy 65 gal but I'm concerned I'll spend a bunch on several of them but never see them again, lol

It's about 100L or 29gallon-ish. They try pretty hard not to be seen by me. My tank is small and bare bottom so I can find one or two if I searched really hard for a while. I often find them hiding in the holes of the rocks (often just bits of their legs). They don't normally come out in the open like in the picture posted.

 

[Kasrift]

Wondering if people think that a pom pom would be safe with a Christmas Tree Worm rock @ISpeakForTheSeas after seeing this. I have had a pom pom in my tank for over a year and have been trying to get a bysma worm (Christmas tree) rock.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Wondering if people think that a pom pom would be safe with a Christmas Tree Worm rock @ISpeakForTheSeas after seeing this. I have had a pom pom in my tank for over a year and have been trying to get a bysma worm (Christmas tree) rock.

I'm actually curious about this now myself - I can't find much info on how pom poms interact with feather dusters of any variety. The only interaction I can actually find is mildly negative:

Feather duster

I got a feather duster to my 16g biocube and the pom pom crab was eating or disturbing it. So i moved where the pom pom crab van not reach it but i have 2 sexy shrimp "playing" with it. Is this ok or should i put it back in the main area where the pom pom crab is at? Ps. Since i place it on my...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Jmp998]

Very interesting to know. But mostly I have to comment your pic and video are amazing.

 

[Double monti 61]

Are you positive the crab is actually eating it?

 

[zoomonster]

Excellent video and awesome looking crab. Not a good day for the bristle worm

 

[Levinson]

Are you positive the crab is actually eating it?

I didn't wait and watch it finish the worm but I think it was. I saw a pompom carrying a small piece of bristle worm today as well. It could just be the pompoms hugging and smothering the worms with kisses but I doubt it.

 

[Levinson]

Oh my goodness...
Today I found my peppermint shrimp chewing on a pompom crab leg so I was like 'No you didn't!!' but later realize it wasn't the peppermint but one of the bigger pompom was actually eating another pompom!! They weren't mating. The smaller one was being eaten and the peppermint just happen to score a leg that's been dropped. Sorry for doubting you peppermint.
It's not like my tank is crowded and there are plenty of places to hide so I don't really understand.
Now I don't know if the pompom was actively hunted or it was dying/dead and just being cleaned up but it was quite a shock for me to see (the money going down the drain just like that).
It was hard to take pictures so the image/video quality is terrible. This is the best I could manage.
Anyways, the peppermint didn't harm anything ever but still, I think I'll let it go cuz it's just bigger than everyone else.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Go little buddy go!

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

I got some pom pom crabs recently and just a while ago I found one eating a bristle worm. I had no idea that they do.
I googled and it seems to be a common thing. The worms are in trouble now.

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