Crab eating Birdsnest

[FishyReef]

My emerald crab keeps going after my new birdsnest coral. This seems to be the new coral (out of 23) that he's going after. Is there something about this particular type of coral that is causing him to do this? Any recommendations as to what I can do to get him to leave it alone?

Thanks!

 

[little_fish]

is there algae or something else growing on the base of the coral he is trying to grab?

 

[FishyReef]

Not that I can see - its a pretty clean frag plug - he seems to be going for the polyps on it. I saw him do it briefly on Sunday when I put the coral in my tank and shooed him away - then came in to work today and most of the green polyps covering the birdsnest have either been pulled off or have retracted. There are some near the top that are still visible. He's reaching up the coral to pull things off, not the base of it. My office mate was horrified when I went to shoo him away with tongs!

 

[little_fish]

I would move the frag to another location and see if he stops. Every now and then my sexy shrimp will do the same thing

 

[FishyReef]

Thanks, Hannah, I'll try that and see if it helps. Am I right in presuming the frag will be okay and will regrow the polyps the crab munched?

 

[little_fish]

no, that part of the coral might not make it, but as long as there is some healthy tissue left the coral will continue to grow, you will just have a dead spot.

 

[FishyReef]

Oh no! That means most of it is gone then :(