Hermit Crabs on zoa's

[NewbFish]

Hey guys and gals,

I just picked up a new frag of zoa's and for some reason I've got 3 hermit crabs picking at the polyps.

Anyone know why?

 

[Chris27]

Just like any other pet or kids, they want to be where you don't want them. They probably just think there is some food in there they want to get at, don't worry too much unless the zoa's start showing signs of distress.

 

[Kataro]

what chris says, usually when I add new stuff in, my peppermint shrimps and his gang of hermit crab will come and check it out.

 

[AMW]

My scarlet reef hermits usually "show up" every time I get a new frag of something. They seem to want to clean off any tasty gunk that is available...

 

[A. Grandis]

There are probably microscopic organisms and smell of organic matter comming from the colony and the crabs can detect, just like the shrimps as well. Our home tanks are not rich in such natural rates. They also smell different when comming from other systsem as well.

Make sure they don´t get too hard on the zoas. That´s why I wouldn´t keep shrimps nor crabs in a system with corals, anemones and zoas.

If they bug the new zoas too much transfer all of them to the sump for a while.

Grandis.

 

[Trevor15]

That shouldn't be a problem