Why did this crab put GSP on his back

Jyetman

Active member
When I bought him several months ago he had a sponge on his back. About a week later for some reason the sponge came off and he was bareback for weeks until today. He now has green star polyp cuttings placed on his back why?
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It could be a decorator crab. Some inverts will scavenge thier surroundings to hide themself. My urchin does the same thing. Nothing to worry about.
 
Not sure if this would work for your decorator, but... We have a hitchhiker crab (lace crab, actually quite pretty) and to make sure he stays well behaved I give him his own meal once a week or so. I bought a small package of raw frozen shrimp -- I spear a piece of shrimp on a long stick, leave it propped in front of his cave, and he usually grabs it within a few seconds. Keeping him stuffed (he has cleverly set up his home in a spot where fish food washes by and catches his own meals daily as well) makes sure he's not bothering the snails, hermits, corals, or anything else I don't want his little claws on. When we move house he'll be evicted and re-located to the sump, but this method works for now while it's just too much of a headache to try and get him out :)

Your crab is awesome, forgive him for his crimes. Look how spiffy he is in his new coat, how can you do anything but smile!?
 
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