Another piece of the coral eater puzzle...hermit crabs!!

serpentman

serpentman

part time superhero
It's been a while since I posted an update. For month's I have had mysterious white spots show up on my sps. Each spot is about 1/4" in diameter and appears as surface damage that doesn't go to the skeleton. They appear for several days and seem to heal up. I've caught urchins nibbling and consequently removed them. Today, another missing link in the puzzle....blue hermit crabs. This morning, I found 2 blue hermits absolutely decimating a frag of fuzzy acro. The good news is there isn't algae in my tank. The bad news, everything I have has decidedly turned to eating coral.

I've tried supplementing with nori but my tangs make there is none left over. I will start putting it in at night...
 
I had to actively pry them off. At first I thought maybe the coral had some die off and they were cleaning the skeleton. The is absolutely no doubt at all that they were attacking tissue. The seem to shave the surface layer and polyps.
 
I haven't used hermits in years since they eat all my snails then move onto more expensive meals (like previously stated) and I don't plan on using them ever again.
 
Well, I have discovered red bugs this week so the hermits are on borrowed time once I dose Interceptor.
 
Hmm I don't have any problem with my hermits, they keep my frag plugs very clean of algae so the SPS are easy to encrust the area. I have 100 in 80 gallon display.

How big are yours maybe, when they get bigger it is trouble.
 
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