Urchin vs Hermit

[Oakhouse]

Ok has anyone heard of a hermit being eaten by an Urchin?? I know it sounds strange, "Urchy" was ontop of it this morning, and when I got home tonight, clean shell, and hermit with no claws, or by the look of it legs! Hermit must still have been a bit soft as it only molted two days ago. Not sure what to do with it, no claws, how is it going to eat? Here's what's left of the hermit:

 

[LeslieH]

Some urchins will eat anything. Your hermit still has a couple of legs & it's mouthparts so it can eat & will survive. Probably best to segregate it for a while until it grows back the claws. Spot feed it a lot to speed up the molt cycle.

 

[tnwillia]

THat is a great picture Richard!

 

[Reefmack]

I agree on an awesome picture! Any chance the Hermit's claws are now attached on the back of the urchin?

 

[Oakhouse]

Thanks Leslie, just what I;ve been doing, "urchy" been lurking near him, were ever I move the hermit, urchy follows. lol

Thanks Tom, Terry, no there not on urchy, no sign of legs or claws anywhere, go figure.. lol

 

[LeslieH]

What kind of urchin was it? Was it on top of the shell or over the opening where hermie is? Hermie's got a good crop of algae on his shell and a hungry urchy might be very interested in getting on top & chowing down; the legs would have been by-catch.

 

[Oakhouse]

20 days later... "Hermie" is back to normal. Brand new legs and claws, happily munching away lsmile:

 

[mgan9311]

Interesting...I just watched my sea urchin attack my hermit crab...the urchin flipped the shell over and tried to get into the opening, ripped a few legs off but couldn't get all the way into the opening. Then it flipped the shell back over so the opening was facing into the sand...and then squashed it into the sand and held it there for about an hour. Then I guess it gave up becaue the hermit crab was hobbling around in the opposite direction later! :smack: