Probably the coolest thing in my reef...

[Diana]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/dinostar00/coralhermit.jpg

[lastlight]

WHAT is the thing on its back? Is that an encrusted coral?!

Beauty of a pic!

[burrows14]

Did you get that at J&L? I saw something like that there on the weekend:biggrin:

[Diana]

Yaya I got it before christmas at J&L. He's doing well! And what's best is the coral is doing well also.

"Manucomplanus varians lives in a staghorned hydrocoral (Janaria mirabilis)"

:)
-Diana

[christyf5]

Wow that is awesome!! What a cool looking critter :biggrin:

[JJB84]

Red Coral had some of those I think awhile ago. very cool!

[Diana]

and please ignore the obvious reddish hues of cyano in my sand :P

[kien]

wow, very cool! What happens when he falls off a rock and lands upside down ?

[ScubaSteve]

Exactly what you think happens. Ha. I've heard that can be a downsideto these cool little guys. Actually, they ain't that little. I saw them and wanted one but I'm pretty sure it'd redecorate my nano tanks.

[Funky_Fish14]

Those are so cool! Nice critter! How long have you had it?

I dont want to be a downer though, but I hope people dont go out buying tons of these. I hear they dont usually do very well, and I know a few people who have tried them to no avail.

Good Luck Diana! Im sure yours will do well :)

Cheers,

Chris

[RuGlu6]

and please ignore the obvious reddish hues of cyano in my sand :P

Goes well with his eyes!
very cool guy !

[fishoholic]

Very cool, I've never seen one before so thanks for sharing :biggrin:

[fishytime]

Yup we had some in awhile back.....very neat relationship indeed......the shell is actually harder to take of than the crab.....very difficult to keep them in a reef tank, as they get hung up and trapped quite easily, probably would make a better addition to a fuge.....great pic!

[Diana]

Thanks all, he sure is cool.

I've had him for about a month now. In all honesty, I have never once seen him on the rock. He hangs out strictly on the sand, picking away at it.... and seems to prefer one corner of the tank. Although I haven't observed him at night (so who knows what he gets up to!?).

I definitely considered the difficulty level of the coral when purchasing this guy. If I didn't have bryozoans growing already on my live rock I might not have got him. But if my rock can sustain this coral (or a very similar one) already I figured I could give it a shot :D. It is a filter feeder so zooplankton helps. :) If the coral doesn't survive apparently the crab can find a new home in a shell.

I'm pretty impressed with him, but I agree it is not something everyone should try, and for sure not something aquarium stores should bring in frequently.

:)
-Diana