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Hermit crabs. These familiar, and comical creatures use the discarded shells of gastropods as portable refuges. Some of these small animals are very colorful, particularly Aniculus and the demon hermit crabs, Trizopagurus. A few species of hermit crabs go one stage further, carrying small sea anemones on their shells as additional discouragement to potential predators.

The large terrestrial coconut or robber crab (Birgus latro), a delicacy in the Moluccas and other parts of Indonesia, is actually a hermit crab that abandons its shell when it reaches adulthood. Small land hermit crabs (Coenobita) are common along the high tide line on some Indonesian beaches.

Decorator crabs. These are types of spider crabs that protect themselves by sticking live sponges, gorgonians or other material onto their fuzzy or spiny backs as camouflage. Small decorator crabs may be spotted at any time on sea fans or black coral trees. But look out for the large nocturnal species that carry massive chunks of soft coral or sponge on their backs, held on with their last pair of legs.