Tell me about Domecia acanthophora

So what do you know about this little decorator crab?

I got one.
It eats flake food.
It sleeps in patches of zoas.

It will spend a couple hours picking stuff off the zoas. It's either dirt or waste or its their slime. I never see anything in his claws when he does this but he eats what ever is. I have had him for a month and there are no holes in my zoas yet, So I assume this behavior is benign.


can anyone give me any insight on this crab or the behavior I have noticed?

 

They spend a ton of time picking at things in an attempt to dislodge the coral, sponge, algae to add to their collection. I love them and have never had any problems with them misbehaving other than adding zoanthids to their shell, such a shame since once they molt it was all for not.