id my hitchhiker please

I just bought this scarlet crab today and noticed this feathery red thing on the top of the crap shell. There is a tube that it pops in and out of.

 

Hard to tell by the pic. By the looks of the pic, the "red thing" looks like either cyano, coraline, or foraminiferans. But by your description, sounds like a feather duster.

 

Can you get a bigger/closer pic? Try loading to photobucket first ad posting that link instead

 

It looks like a little feather duster is attached to the shell that your hermit lives in. He's harmless.

 

+1. That's what I am leaning towards, specially with the description.

 

thank you all for your quick replies. i was trying to get a better pic but wasn't working out

 

Feather duster on a snail shell. Looks cool

 

I thought it looked pretty cool too matches scarlet

 

If it is a feather duster cool score, specially if it is attached and happy!

 

can they be purchased online or at lfs?

here is photo link
http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p369/paytonsl/100_0102.jpg