A gourmet treat for my little ones

I brought home a handful of seaweeds for the hermit crabs, planted the eelgrass in the sand at the bottom of the aquarium, and left these brown weeds floating near the surface. Within minutes, half a dozen small critters had climbed up to graze.

While I was checking them, I noticed the hydroids, standing like little fans all around the stalks and the float bladders.

These are tiny; the bladders measure about 3 mm. lengthwise.

I took a quick photo, one only because I had to leave. When I looked at it later, I decided to take my time and get a good shot. I went back to the tank, and found bare stalks. The hermits had eaten the hydroids, every single one.

Gotta be quick around here!