Elegant V.S. Blueleg Hermit Crab!

[little]

OK so I got a nice elegant for $70 (neon green non the less) and had it in my tank for about 4 days and it was doing great. Opened up right away had no flesh coming off of it that I could see and would suck down the oster/clam eggs I gave it. Next day i see my GD hermits all over him

They had over half of him eaten up befour I could do any thing. So can some one tell me why this happend !!! I thought elegants were bad {Edit} and would EAT THE DAMN HERITS NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND !!!
So if you have any insight on this pleas let me know.
My tank is good all lvls good lighting good.
P.S. Yes he was down on the sand off to the side in good flow and happy!
Thanks
Little

 

[teen]

elegance corals usually have poor survival rates, they seem to be doing good, and then just die. i think the water in our tanks is to clean for them, they need a siltier, mucky environment, with lots of particles throughout the water.
i dont keep blue leg hermits in my reef anymore because i dont believe them to be reef safe after they have eaten a number of my shrooms, even when i would spot feed the hermits.

 

[ophiura]

Elegance corals used to be somewhat easier to keep...it is thought to be a highly contagious disease that is now wiping out many. Eric Borneman is doing a lot of research on this...but it entirely possible that the hermits where helping you out somewhat with an otherwise dying coral