Just added my first set of livestock!! got a question...

XtremeFromHell · 10/11/2009, 09:22 PM

as the title says... i went ahead and added my first set of livestock... i bought 10 blue legged hermits and i bought 1 scarlet hermit.. as soon as i put them in they all went to work! and they are doing a good job! i noticed some of the blue legged already getting into some battles but shortly after stop... i got a question about my scarlet though.. when i first put it in it was going to town all over a rock full of algae and but today i noticed that it went to a corner of the tank and has since stayed there and has not moved from there the whole day.. is this normal of them to do? i even dashed some food so they can enjoy and the blue legged hermits quickly responded and ate but my scarlet didnt move... any answers as to why??.. anyways here are some pics..

lordofthereef · 10/11/2009, 09:45 PM

I wouldn't say it is something to worry about, although these critters do tend to have a certain percentage of die off. I wouldn't worry about it too much unless you see this behavior from your others.

jdallred · 10/11/2009, 11:06 PM

That’s pretty common. I wouldn’t worry about it. Also a chance he might be molting. If within the next couple of days you see what you think is a body chances are its not, just the molt. Also make sure you get some shells that are slightly larger so the hermits can move into large shells as they grow. Many people don’t know or forget to do this and unfortunately a hermit will out grow its shell and die.

XtremeFromHell · 10/11/2009, 11:10 PM

yeah, i kinda had a feeling he might be waiting for the lights to go out to molt.. i gotta get some shells 2morrow.. Thanks! btw

goochesfish · 10/12/2009, 12:42 AM

Whenever I see my hermits not moving for a long time, they are waiting to molt. I found that the best place for larger empty shells is petco.

wab · 10/12/2009, 05:55 AM

Hi, I got lucky and found a whole bag of shells at dollar tree, for a buck. It had at least 25 shells in it. You might be able to find them at craft stores. The price at my lfs was 3 for a buck so Good Luck. Oh and if you get them dry make sure you soak them over night in a bucket of water.

DC_40gallon · 10/12/2009, 08:03 AM

When you go to petco look in their tanks for a tank that has a bunch of shells in the bottom. Ask them how much they charge for a handful of them. I found that petco would love to give them away as they are cluttering up their tank and when I asked, they said, "you want them....GREAT!" They gave me a big bag of them for free and cleaned up the clutter in their tank.

10/11/2009, 09:22 PM	#1
XtremeFromHell Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Miami, FL (hialeah area) Posts: 735	Just added my first set of livestock!! got a question... as the title says... i went ahead and added my first set of livestock... i bought 10 blue legged hermits and i bought 1 scarlet hermit.. as soon as i put them in they all went to work! and they are doing a good job! i noticed some of the blue legged already getting into some battles but shortly after stop... i got a question about my scarlet though.. when i first put it in it was going to town all over a rock full of algae and but today i noticed that it went to a corner of the tank and has since stayed there and has not moved from there the whole day.. is this normal of them to do? i even dashed some food so they can enjoy and the blue legged hermits quickly responded and ate but my scarlet didnt move... any answers as to why??.. anyways here are some pics..

10/11/2009, 09:45 PM	#2
lordofthereef One reef to rule them all Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Leominster, MA Posts: 5,299	I wouldn't say it is something to worry about, although these critters do tend to have a certain percentage of die off. I wouldn't worry about it too much unless you see this behavior from your others. __________________ "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself" ~ Josh Billings Visit My Home page for current build thread (click my user name and select "Visit LordoftheReef's Homepage" in the drop down menu!

10/11/2009, 11:06 PM	#3
jdallred Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Arlington, TX (until we can move back to Colorado) Posts: 3,053	That’s pretty common. I wouldn’t worry about it. Also a chance he might be molting. If within the next couple of days you see what you think is a body chances are its not, just the molt. Also make sure you get some shells that are slightly larger so the hermits can move into large shells as they grow. Many people don’t know or forget to do this and unfortunately a hermit will out grow its shell and die. __________________ Joe Current Tank Info: 75g SPS dominated w/15g sump/fuge, 2x250w MH ARO ballasts w/XM 10k bulbs, 4x110w VHO Super Actinic, ER CS80 Skimmer, QO4000 return, pcx-30 CL, Koralia 2 & 3 PH, 15g ATO.

10/12/2009, 12:42 AM	#5
goochesfish Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,305	Whenever I see my hermits not moving for a long time, they are waiting to molt. I found that the best place for larger empty shells is petco. __________________ The Gooch, my Beagle, may she RIP 1995-2011 Current Tank Info: 150 gallon Starfire set up July 22,09, 30g QT

10/12/2009, 05:55 AM	#6
wab Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: nj Posts: 512	Hi, I got lucky and found a whole bag of shells at dollar tree, for a buck. It had at least 25 shells in it. You might be able to find them at craft stores. The price at my lfs was 3 for a buck so Good Luck. Oh and if you get them dry make sure you soak them over night in a bucket of water. __________________ 1 year plus and still I DON'T KNOW!!!! LOL Current Tank Info: 45 high 30 breeder sump/refuge diy

10/11/2009, 11:10 PM	#4
XtremeFromHell Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Miami, FL (hialeah area) Posts: 735	yeah, i kinda had a feeling he might be waiting for the lights to go out to molt.. i gotta get some shells 2morrow.. Thanks! btw

10/12/2009, 08:03 AM	#7
DC_40gallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1,474	When you go to petco look in their tanks for a tank that has a bunch of shells in the bottom. Ask them how much they charge for a handful of them. I found that petco would love to give them away as they are cluttering up their tank and when I asked, they said, "you want them....GREAT!" They gave me a big bag of them for free and cleaned up the clutter in their tank.