Red Scooter Blenny eating small hermit crabs?

[Powahfull]

I have had this guy for 2 years in May he's always been much fatter than any I see at the store. About once a month I buy 4-6 hermits I have 4 real big ones and a giant Halloween hermit.

They always come in so small and most of the time one if I'm lucky two make it the LFS owner said the Halloween hermi might be eating them or the emerald grab (3 fish inhabitants are 2 clowns pair in 32 gallon biocube and him a male with the flashy fin) rest is just snails, hermits, and a yellow coral shrimp to help with the bristle worms that never left which came in on the live rock.

Well I went tonight for feeding time and sticking out of his mouth were some small red hermit legs. I let it be and he seems to be doing just fine but I looked everywhere online they said a different type of blenny (it's a dragonet) has rarely been seen pulling hermits out of the shell and eating them. But no mention of a red scooter Blenny (red dragonet) doing it.

Any input on this he feeds on copepods all day and eats frozen food at feeding time.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have had this guy for 2 years in May he's always been much fatter than any I see at the store. About once a month I buy 4-6 hermits I have 4 real big ones and a giant Halloween hermit.

They always come in so small and most of the time one if I'm lucky two make it the LFS owner said the Halloween hermi might be eating them or the emerald grab (3 fish inhabitants are 2 clowns pair in 32 gallon biocube and him a male with the flashy fin) rest is just snails, hermits, and a yellow coral shrimp to help with the bristle worms that never left which came in on the live rock.

Well I went tonight for feeding time and sticking out of his mouth were some small red hermit legs. I let it be and he seems to be doing just fine but I looked everywhere online they said a different type of blenny (it's a dragonet) has rarely been seen pulling hermits out of the shell and eating them. But no mention of a red scooter Blenny (red dragonet) doing it.

Any input on this he feeds on copepods all day and eats frozen food at feeding time.

Is it the actual crab or it’s molt?

 

[Powahfull]

Is it the actual crab or it’s molt?

Look to be the actual crab to me molts are almost like see through this looked like the real thing and where he was it was right Infront of an empty shell. When he noticed me he skirted away with it still in his mouth.

But good point could of been that I just couldn't find any information on them going after hermits but since you mentioned that I did a little looking into from a different perspective.

I did find it's possible if the hermit is small enough and as you stated freshly molted (soft) OR it could be the molt and he was eating the copepods going after the molt. Thanks he was fine rest of evening non stop machine those little guys are!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Look to be the actual crab to me molts are almost like see through this looked like the real thing and where he was it was right Infront of an empty shell. When he noticed me he skirted away with it still in his mouth.

But good point could of been that I just couldn't find any information on them going after hermits but since you mentioned that I did a little looking into from a different perspective.

I did find it's possible if the hermit is small enough and as you stated freshly molted (soft) OR it could be the molt and he was eating the copepods going after the molt. Thanks he was fine rest of evening non stop machine those little guys are!

Molts are clear minus the claws and antennaes

 

[Powahfull]

Molts are clear minus the claws and antennaes

Well thanks all seems well I am beginning to lean with he was trying to eat a molt because all the copepods inside it.

He's well as ever I tried what was suggested when I first purchased to turn over the power heads he wouldn't eat. I just leave them on and he eats frozen. He starts flashing his big fin and I just feel he gets excited for the hunt chasing the stuff around. He's not a slow eater like most say they are he enjoys the chase!

Appreciate the response have a wonderful day!