A new species of symbiotic sea anemone has been selected as one of the ten remarkable new marine species described in 2022 by the World Register of Marine Species. Named Stylobates calcifer, the deep sea anemone attaches to the shells…
Hermit crab pictured living in Walking Dendro
Walking Dendros are still fairly new to the reefing hobby, only being introduced as recently as 2009. The coral is Heteropsammia cochlea, a substrate-dwelling yet photosynthetic stony coral that gains its “walking” title by way of a Sipunculan (Peanut worm,)…
I’m Dying For A Xmas Tree Worm Rock Like This
Ever since I started in the hobby in the mid 90s, Xmas Tree worm rocks, coco worms and feather dusters have been among some of the most fascinating non-coral animals for a reef tank. The popularity of Xmas Tree worm…
High Speed Snail Chase And Dueling Hermit Crabs
Remember that time that Blue Planet first wowed us with up close videos of marinelife? We hadn’t until the BBC uploaded a few clips from the venerable nature documentary series which will soon be followed up by Blue Planet 2. …
Gorgeous New Candy Cane Hermit Crab is also a Fish Cleaner!
The Candy Cane Hermit Crab is a gorgeous new species of shell-dwelling crustacean that has just been described. Pylopaguropsis mollymullerae is a handful to say out lout and only the second species to be described from the Caribbean Sea. New species of…
4 Crabby Caveats to Keeping Clibanarius tricolor
Clibanarius tricolor, the blue-legged hermit crab, is very commonly introduced to marine aquaria, either in conspecific groups or as part of a multi-species “reef janitor” package or “cleanup crew” (aka “CUC” for those who just can’t get enough of those…
First Tusk Hermit crab goes on sale in the U.S. at Old Town Aquarium
Hermit crabs are rarely thought of as little more than the janitors for our reef and marine aquariums and blue leg and scarlet hermit crabs are purchased for cheap by the dozen to do our bidding. These species are colorful…
Patagurus rex hermit crab prefers to forego the snail shell
Patagurus rex is a newly described hermit crab from French Polynesia which has forgotten how to equip itself with a shell. Collected at a depth of 400m (1312 feet) at Moorea of the Society Islands, the unusual P. rex didn’t read…
Pagurus curacaoensis is a deep-sea hermit crab that lives in scaphopod shells
Pagurus curacaoensis is a gorgeous little hermit crab that lives in very deep water, a live specimen of which has recently been collected by the Curacao Aquarium submersible responsible for all those awesome deepwater reef fish from Curacao. With red…
Pylopaguropsis keijii from Hawaii
This beautiful hermit crab is called Pylopaguropsis keijii (McLaughlin & Haig, 1989). The body is golden color and claw and legs are really bright purple. I got this hermit crab from famous rare fish diver Robert Lower in Hawaii who…