Coral Guard Crab

Care Summary

The Coral Guard Crab is a true mutualistic species that lives exclusively within the branches of Pocillopora and Stylophora corals, actively defending them from predators like Crown-of-Thorns starfish. It thrives in a well-lit reef with at least one established branching SPS coral to call home, and it won't bother any other inhabitants in the tank. The key challenge is that it is entirely dependent on its host coral, so if that coral declines or dies, the crab will have no refuge and will likely not survive long term. It feeds on coral mucus and fine particulate matter naturally, but broadcasting small-particle foods like reef roids near its host coral a few times a week helps keep it well-fed and healthy.