polyp problem? or crab problem?

[LGR]

This morning the polyps were all doing fine, however when I got home from work it seems somthing went wrong. What makes me think it might be one of my pesky hermit crabs is the fact that this all happened in an 8 hour window, with no previous signs of decay. Here is a photo of the after work polyp.


Do you think it looks like physical damage? or the polyp doing that? If its my crabs does anyone want two of them?

[LGR]

oh yeah, that blueish area that looks like dead/dying ones and the spots that show rock in the middle were covered with dark red good colored polyps.

[zhenya]

oh yeah, that blueish area that looks like dead/dying ones and the spots that show rock in the middle were covered with dark red good colored polyps.

The polyps that you reffering to as dead actually not dead but simply closed up, which indicates that there is a stressor present. That could be physical or chemical but it is hard to tell just from the picture. If your hermit crab/crabs walked all over it then this could be the physical stressor.

I see some bare spots on the rock with those zoanthids, were they there at the time of purchase? If it weren't the case than I would tend to suspect some predation by some critter you have in the tank.

[kevinpo]

It looks like typical closing of the polyps due to your crabs walking over them. They should open in a few hours. If more begin to close or more bare rock begins to show look for other causes. Sundial snails can eat Zoanthids.
They look like this.


Regards,
Kevin

[LGR]

the bare spots in the center of the rock were covered. Some of them in the corners of the bare spots looks smashed. I don't have any snails, just clowns, damsels and gobies and two hermit crabs who i suspect to be the reason.

[PurePerfection]

Yes Blue leg Hermit & Skarlet or Red leg Hermit will eat Zoos sometimes i have had this happen to me and i just dont use them in my cleaning crew ..