I am a crab. I live on the coral reef, but I am not a fish. I am a crustacean. I don’t have fins to swim with. Instead, I have ten legs, eight of which I use to run along the ocean floor! Two of my legs have claws on the end. I use my claws for grabbing things, to defend myself against predators and to communicate with my fellow crabs. I also have a thick shell called an exoskeleton that helps protect me from other animals.
I am an omnivore, meaning I eat both plants and animals. I walk along the coral eating a little bit of this and a little bit of that. I notice an octopus swimming in my direction. It appears it is fleeing from something, but I don’t know whether the octopus is hungry and I would make a perfect meal! I better get out of sight, just in case.
Hide in the coral!
Run away!