Rock Flower Anemones and Hermit Crabs

[OKCorals]

So I've had a hermit crab in my tank since the beginning. I've probably wrongfully blamed him for the death of a firefish, sixline wrasse, and an emerald crab. He's probably just an opportunistic eater and was performing his job on the CuC after the creatures had passed from something else as he's been fine with all the other creatures in the tank. However, I purchased a few RFA's a couple of weeks ago and one of them was looking really stressed the other morning and had shrunken back into the rock a little bit. Fast forward a couple hours and the hermit crab is directly on top of where the RFA was and I can no longer see the RFA at all. I pull the hermit crab and move him to the other side of the tank, then scramble for the next two hours to put together the stand and set up my 20 gallon tank I will be using as my QT soon and throw the hermit in there.

Fast forward a couple days and the RFA is still in the same spot and looks completely fine again. So my question is, did I overreact? Should I put the hermit back in the DT? Is he the killer I seem to think he is? Or is he just an opportunistic eater trying to do his job? Has anyone had a hermit crab eat a seemingly healthy RFA before?

 

[Kellie in CA]

Hermit crabs are a pain. They generally annoy everything and steal their food. However, I don't think he was hurting the RFA, just bugging it. Seems like normal RFA behavior.

 

[OKCorals]

Hermit crabs are a pain. They generally annoy everything and steal their food. However, I don't think he was hurting the RFA, just bugging it. Seems like normal RFA behavior.

I was amazed at how small the RFA was. I thought he had eaten the whole thing and only part of the foot was left. Then the next day the RFA was just fine. I may put him back in the DT just when I'm around the house and can check on him from time to time and see if we have any problems.

 

[BFolker]

I just got a RFA as well and have had 5 hermits for quite some time. They seem to love to pester the RFA for sure.

 

[Duncan62]

I was amazed at how small the RFA was. I thought he had eaten the whole thing and only part of the foot was left. Then the next day the RFA was just fine. I may put him back in the DT just when I'm around the house and can check on him from time to time and see if we have any problems.

I bought a small rock with 2 on it a week later a 3rd popped out of a tiny hole. They can almost disappear. Lol got the 3rd for free

 

[afrokobe]

hermit crabs can just be a holes lol. I had one that would constantly bother my scoly when I fed it. I had to put the scoly on a magnetic rack to stop it. but before I did that, I would throw the hermit crab from one end of the tank to the other to hopefully buy some time before he came back... lol

 

[shakacuz]

hermits will be annoying but they can’t help it because of their shell. keep the hermits fed and you have nothing to worry about!

i have a 40B with 10 hermits. occasionally i’ll see some on some corals. it’ll be okay

 

[dvgyfresh]

My hermits purposely annoy anemones to get them to retract tentacles, I’m not sure why lol

 

[BFolker]

My hermits purposely annoy anemones to get them to retract tentacles, I’m not sure why lol

Odd to say, but it's like kids playing and poking things they aren't supposed to. I feed my crabs pellets every other day but at the moment I'm trying to get them to eat algae since it's taking bloom on one rock.