RE: Re: Whodunnit?
GaryP is correct about an acro crab. If chips are missing on the tip and at the base, its either an acro eating crab or sea urchin and long spines in particular are pretty effective in that on occassion. Those two animals have the mouth parts and digestive enzymes to take part of the skeletal calcium too. The usual reef safe fish can not take chips out unless its a very fragile end. In that case if they run into it, that can break a chip out. If the calcium skeleton is in tact with only soft tissue missing around the base, then look at something other than a crab or urchin at night such as an asterina star, oddball predatory little snail/slug or a chiton. An urchin that just moves fast around the base may keep its mouth parts working and only scrape off tissue, just to make it more difficult to tell whodunnit. Since it sounds like its coming back for more, you'll probably catch it soon. BTW, Urchins can recall the spots where something good was and return over and over again while seeking a more sheltered area during daylight hours. Acro eating crabs are small and hairy and often left in the imported corals as if they were the smooth beneficial kind. Let us know who you catch.
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