Yeow! What happens to empty shells.

Another kind of Conch, or seashell, or Gastropod, a Milk Conch.  Doesn't look quite right.  The sand is stirred all around.  Conchs don't do that.

Queen Conchs are larger, have a more flared 'skirt', and are pink/yellow inside.  Milk Conchs have a soft white color inside, until they get really old, then the nacre that the animal puts down starts turning  gray.


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Suspicious me, I slowly turned up the shell.  And, found like I thought I might, a hermit crab!  A most ambitious crab, to be in a shell that big!  He had gone all around digging food from the surrounding sand.  I put the shell back right, but a few inches away so crabbie can find some food.  Should I take him a shell that'd be a better fit?  I don't know if he would move out of his 'ego shell'!

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And some activity in an empty Queen Conch shell, some little Cardinal Fish have found shelter.  And down in front, a rather long way out into the sand, a yellow Banded Coral Shrimp.

I settle and watch for a bit...





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The shrimp sensibly got back to the shell.

There was one larger Cardinal Fish deep inside the shell.  The smaller fish would try to go inside, and the bigger fish kept chasing them out.






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The shrimp inside the shell.  I should have extended my hand, and maybe th shrimp would have come for a meal, they are amongst the little critters that 'clean' bigger critters of lice and fleas and whatnot.  I don't think I had any flea for the shrimp.

Both the shrimps.  Sorry, guys, no food from me.

What a life, nothing to do all day but try to find something to eat.









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OK, all for now, and see you Monday!  Thanks for stopping by!
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