Pom Pom crabs

[ARTindall]

So I have 2 cc starfish, and i know they are notorious for eating other inverts and occasionly fish. I originally wanted to get a sea cucumber but i am scared they will try and eat him. It was suggested to me by my Lfs to try getting a pompom crab which is another slightly unusual thing to have in an aquarium (Which is what i am trying to put in my aquarium, I also have two morph clownfish). The problem though is I want something my cc’s will leave alone for the most part. I have no corals or any other inverts at the moment. I also would want to know if a Pom Pom can even be in a fish only aquarium with no anemone to replace “poms” if needed.

If you have any other suggestions for things that will cohabitate with my starfish, please help!

 

[griss]

It’s been many years since I thought about Chocolate Chip Stars but, if memory serves, they only harm sessile inverts. So, I think the Pom Pom crab should be fine.

As far as the anemones for the crab, it should be fine without.

 

[T Diddy]

I have to agree with @griss …the “Pom poms” are likely more about camouflage than anything. I think of them in the same way as decorator crabs. As for the starfish, it’s highly unlikely that they’ll ever eat a living crab. I’d be more worried about the fish in the tank eating your crab than the star