Large hermit crab eats aiptasia?!

[webdr]

I bought a fairly large hermit today (about 3 inches long) and after putting him in the tank, he started tearing apart my BTA! I was horrified as he tore it apart like pasta noodles!
After moving him to the other side of the tank, he climbed a rock and began munching on the aiptasia (which WAS a big problem) until he cleaned the rock and has since moved on to eat more.....
He has mowed down about 50% of the aiptasia in the tank, and believe me there were hundreds of them.
Whats the deal? Is this some kind of rogue hermit? I thought they were sand sifters?

[tims]

WoW , i guess that is sorta maybe a good thing.
i dont know why he is doing that but they are scavengures.
i will see what i can find. do you know the name of that type?

[tims]

here is a guy that almost looks like yours!

[tims]

the wet wed calls him a white spot hermit( about 1/3 down)

[webdr]

yes he is hairy and has alot of white spots. One claw is bigger than the other. Could be the one you showed me

[tims]

further reading suggests as you have already seen...........
not reef safe.. if you can isolate him the LR with the apitasia that would be best.. you do run the chance that he will find other things in your tank tasty too...