Green Star Poylps

[Dorsalfin1]

Morning to all,

I just put a beautiful rock covered with green star poylps in my tank, and I think that my blue legged hermit are having a fine ol' time eating them. I know that they are climbing all over the rock but I've not seen them eating, however there are bare spots now. Is it the crabs?

Tank is:
125 gal
1 3 stripe damsel
1 clown
6 green chomis
1 yellow mono

[Flatfish]

Huh. I've not seen my blue legs touch my green stars. In fact I've not seen anything touch them. Are you sure they're getting eaten? Do you have any other corals in the tank? Are they open? How are your water parameters? Expand on what you're seeing a bit if you would?

[Dorsalfin1]

The other coral I have is a Mushroom on the other side of the tank. And for once the water tests perfect. (now that I said that we'll see)
The reason I think they are being eaten is the purple "tubes" the poylps live in look as if they been eaten down to the nub. Also where ever the crab has crawled around the purple base the tubes are connected to seems to be pulling away from the rock.
This is my first try with corals, maybe the all fish tank is better for me.

[Flatfish]

Don't give up just yet. Corals are funny. Some will work where some won't. Green stars should work most anywhere though. I'm stumped. I've never seen any get eaten before. I would try moving them. Green stars like water movement. If you can try putting them just under the flow of a powerhead. That might help keep whatever is munching off of them. Maybe someone else can chime in on this one?

[Phantom Phish]

Don't know how much help I can be, but I also have green star polyps with probably 25 to 50 blue legged hermits. The hermits have never bothered them (nor has anyother crab in my tank). I can't say that no crab will eat them, but my blue legged hermits haven't. I have had crabs eat my mushrooms though.

[ReefDave]

It could be that the hermits are there scavenging for what ever dead tissue happens by. Its often easy to point at a crab munching on something to be the culprit, but many times they are just taking advantage of an already bad situation.

Do what flatfish said and get some water movement on them....and keep and eye out. Dunno how big a colony you have, but you may eventually want to frag a healthy portion in case you loose the whole colony, wouldn't jump through that hoop yet, but keep it in mind.

Dave