Hermits...to crab or not to crab that is the question...

mfp4073 · 08/02/2006, 09:22 AM

I have seen some folks around here talking about their passionate hatred of hermits. I dont know that I am there yet, but with my initial experience of dropping hermits and snails in was immediately followed by the hermits killing half the snails and switching shells...then the hermits started in on each other. The carnage had finally stopped, until yesterday when I introduced 2 feather dusters (see feather dusters under attack thread). At the same time I moved one of my small polyp colonies down to the sandbed and lower light. I come back 5 minutes later to hermits chowing on feather dusters and polyps. I have both red and blue legs, both chowing down.

So, those of you that have ditched the crabs, what kind of "other" stuff have you had to do or what effects did you have to deal with to make up for them.

shortstack · 08/02/2006, 11:02 AM

You could try to supplement with some food to keep em content. I had a similar problem with my emerald crab, who is no longer with us. I dont know of any true replacments for hermits, but cerith snails will sift through sand pretty nicely.

RichConley · 08/02/2006, 11:07 AM

Sounds to me like you're not feeding nearly enough.

Theyre animals, they need to eat.

LobsterOfJustice · 08/02/2006, 11:42 AM

I have never had a problem with my scarlet reef hermits. They cost more than other hermits but I have never seen them eat a snail. I do however have plenty of shells for them to move into, and I only have about 5 in a 75 gallon.

ReefNuggets · 08/02/2006, 11:50 AM

I was hesitant about adding hermits to my tank...I added 2 scarlets last week, they chowed downon diatoms at first then went straight for the microalgea and showed no interest in the cerith, nerite, or nassarous snails. I am now thinking about adding 2 or 3 more.

Black Mammoth · 08/02/2006, 12:15 PM

I've rarely had a problem with hermit crabs. The only problem that I have is that sometimes a couple of them will fight with each other. Usually you can get a bunch of empty shells for free from your LFS. I got a bunch and made a "bone yard" in the bank of my tank. The crabs go back there and switch out shells as needed. They do such a great job of keeping the sand and tank clean...I can't imagine not having them.

duec22 · 08/02/2006, 12:57 PM

I've never really had a problem with my hermits killing my snails. I've developed a hatred of them crawling all over my coral, esspecially my LPS....when I feed my LPS they will just crawl right up on them and start pulling the food from the LPS's mouths and even reach down into the gut... I still keep a few, but I keep an eye on them when I feed. I honestly thing that brissel worms make much better cleanup crew than hermits. Only thing is that hermits will sometimes eat alge, but it's not their first choice.

Sheol · 08/02/2006, 12:59 PM

Yeah. I've had my hermits decide on their own brand of urban renewal. Its really annoying re-seating a coral in the rockwork 6 times in one week. Growwwlll..

Matthew

mfp4073 · 08/03/2006, 07:06 AM

I tried putting a small piece of shrimp in there yesterday...and both red and blue leg guys went after it. I remember seeing at least one member on here that was anti crab, thought I saw more than one and have been hoping to hear from them.

Kigs · 08/03/2006, 07:41 AM

nassarius snails and small shrimps works just as well as hermits, without all the downsides.

falconut · 08/03/2006, 07:58 AM

I have always had blue leg hermits and never recall seeing any problems. My snails have occationally died and then the hermits may take over the shells later. I know they weren't killed because I would find the snail intact in it's shell, just dead. Or I would find empty shells. I am considering getting more again. I only have about 20 - 30 in my 90.

08/02/2006, 09:22 AM	#1
mfp4073 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 1,506	Hermits...to crab or not to crab that is the question... I have seen some folks around here talking about their passionate hatred of hermits. I dont know that I am there yet, but with my initial experience of dropping hermits and snails in was immediately followed by the hermits killing half the snails and switching shells...then the hermits started in on each other. The carnage had finally stopped, until yesterday when I introduced 2 feather dusters (see feather dusters under attack thread). At the same time I moved one of my small polyp colonies down to the sandbed and lower light. I come back 5 minutes later to hermits chowing on feather dusters and polyps. I have both red and blue legs, both chowing down. So, those of you that have ditched the crabs, what kind of "other" stuff have you had to do or what effects did you have to deal with to make up for them.

08/02/2006, 11:07 AM	#3
RichConley Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bostonian in Chicago going to DC Posts: 9,908	Sounds to me like you're not feeding nearly enough. Theyre animals, they need to eat. __________________ NO TANKS!!!

08/02/2006, 11:42 AM	#4
LobsterOfJustice Recovering Detritophobe Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 7,443	I have never had a problem with my scarlet reef hermits. They cost more than other hermits but I have never seen them eat a snail. I do however have plenty of shells for them to move into, and I only have about 5 in a 75 gallon. __________________ If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I remember when zoanthids were called things like "green" and "orange" and not "reverse gorilla nipple." Current Tank Info: 180g reef with all the bells and whistles

08/02/2006, 12:57 PM	#7
duec22 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Sacramento Posts: 2,187	I've never really had a problem with my hermits killing my snails. I've developed a hatred of them crawling all over my coral, esspecially my LPS....when I feed my LPS they will just crawl right up on them and start pulling the food from the LPS's mouths and even reach down into the gut... I still keep a few, but I keep an eye on them when I feed. I honestly thing that brissel worms make much better cleanup crew than hermits. Only thing is that hermits will sometimes eat alge, but it's not their first choice. __________________ -David

08/03/2006, 07:06 AM	#9
mfp4073 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 1,506	I tried putting a small piece of shrimp in there yesterday...and both red and blue leg guys went after it. I remember seeing at least one member on here that was anti crab, thought I saw more than one and have been hoping to hear from them. __________________ Bristle worms are evil and need to be eradicated, at night they creep out of the tank and charge internet porn to your credit cards....ask me how I know. Anyone else notice that anthelia smells like fresh cut water chestnuts? ....they call me chad Current Tank Info: 1 crashed 75 gal..it was really beautiful while it lasted.

08/02/2006, 11:02 AM	#2
shortstack Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 7	You could try to supplement with some food to keep em content. I had a similar problem with my emerald crab, who is no longer with us. I dont know of any true replacments for hermits, but cerith snails will sift through sand pretty nicely.

08/02/2006, 11:50 AM	#5
ReefNuggets Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Lehigh Valley, PA Posts: 161	I was hesitant about adding hermits to my tank...I added 2 scarlets last week, they chowed downon diatoms at first then went straight for the microalgea and showed no interest in the cerith, nerite, or nassarous snails. I am now thinking about adding 2 or 3 more.

08/02/2006, 12:15 PM	#6
Black Mammoth Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Lovettsville, VA Posts: 434	I've rarely had a problem with hermit crabs. The only problem that I have is that sometimes a couple of them will fight with each other. Usually you can get a bunch of empty shells for free from your LFS. I got a bunch and made a "bone yard" in the bank of my tank. The crabs go back there and switch out shells as needed. They do such a great job of keeping the sand and tank clean...I can't imagine not having them.

08/02/2006, 12:59 PM	#8
Sheol Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Waxahachie, Tx. Posts: 3,610	Yeah. I've had my hermits decide on their own brand of urban renewal. Its really annoying re-seating a coral in the rockwork 6 times in one week. Growwwlll.. Matthew

08/03/2006, 07:41 AM	#10
Kigs Moved On Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: LI, NY Posts: 2,182	nassarius snails and small shrimps works just as well as hermits, without all the downsides.

08/03/2006, 07:58 AM	#11
falconut Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Blackwood, NJ Posts: 3,813	I have always had blue leg hermits and never recall seeing any problems. My snails have occationally died and then the hermits may take over the shells later. I know they weren't killed because I would find the snail intact in it's shell, just dead. Or I would find empty shells. I am considering getting more again. I only have about 20 - 30 in my 90. __________________ 180 Gallon FOWLR, 40 Gallon Sump and 10 Gallon Refuge. (2) OceanRevive S026 LEDs, ASM G2 Skimmer & SCA-302 Skimmer. Setup since July 2017.