We do a lot of Marine Life Rescue Work at Poseidon Dive Center! Here is a Rescue of a Decorator crab.

A few weeks back we found a Decorator Crab entangled into an abandoned Fishing Net. It took me 20 min to cut him out. Wait till the end it’s so satisfying when he walks away! 💙💙💙 Marine Life Rescue is often a difficult work but it will preserve marine biodiversity. Every animal counts!

Marine Life Rescue Decorator Crab

As you can see i use scissors as they are way more gentle than a knife especially with a big knife you wouldn’t be able to cut the net, you’d more likely rip off legs and claws of the decorator crab. Marine Life Rescue is sometimes a very delicate work.

Here are just a few facts about Decorator Crabs.

How does a decorator crab camouflage itself?

They decorate themselves by sticking animals and plants to their bodies as camouflage, if the adhering organisms are harmful, they can also be used to ward off predators through aposematism. Some of them even carry a sea urchin around.

Some crabs in the family that are large enough to defend themselves do not decorate themselves.

But plants and animals can still cling to the crab’s shell and grow on to seek protection from other predators in the larger crab.

These crabs easily blend in with their surroundings thanks to their decoration and often remain immobile in front of predators.

The relationship between decorator crabs and animals on their shells is often symbiotic, whereby the other animals feed on what the crab leaves behind and the animals on its back protects the crab from their predators, be it through camouflage or through poison sponges or Sea urchins.


Interested to join us as a Marine Life Rescue Conservation Volunteer?
Check it out here

Another way to help us is with your donation or buy one of our merchandise items. All income from the Items sold goes to our Marine Life Conservation Projects.

Are you interested in Scuba Diving? Come Join us at Poseidon Dive Center and do a Dive Course or Join us for a FunDive as a certified Diver.

Leave a Reply