Shrimp safe from Hermit Crabs?

Sheni Angel · 07/11/2006, 01:42 AM

I posted about being nervous about too many Hermits but I want to target that if they are the Reef Safe Hermits, they won't bother the Shrimp will they? Or fish while they are sleeping? Thanks, Carrie

nctommy · 07/11/2006, 01:47 AM

My hermits have not even thought about messing with my peppermint shrimp. The only thing that I have seen them harrass is my snails.

marine134 · 07/11/2006, 02:26 AM

Your hermit should do good with the shrimp.

Sheni Angel · 07/11/2006, 09:57 AM

That's a relief! Not to not care about the snails though. How about my Clam Lagoon? Will they bother the clams?

nctommy · 07/12/2006, 12:34 AM

I think your clams will be fine. The hermits will most likely be relatively small and cannot affect much. They will just flip snails to see if the shell is one they would like to have. Most of the time I have noticed that they don't even harm the snails. Some snails just have a hard time turning back over. I think it is mexican turbos that can't turn back over. In that case you just have to flip them yourself.

carfac · 07/12/2006, 11:09 AM

I think it is the Astrea that can't turn back over- white, conical shells. Nice snails, I think.

Had a blue leg take over one of the shells (Did not kill a snail, I had empties in the tank). ANyway, he got turned over, and could not getr turned right again! He was in a new shell in a day!

dave

Sheni Angel · 07/12/2006, 11:20 PM

I had that experience today! My TINY Hermit kept pestering one Snail that never moved and he would flip him over.. I would flip him back and so on for a couple days. Today I found the shell back over and the snail drug off OUT of his shell, just left on the sand. The bigger Hermit didn't even eat it.? I put the shell back by the snail but it was too late and I didn't have extra shells. Definately WILL get those... It's amazing to watch what takes place under the Sea!

Thanks for the confidence with the Clams and Shrimp!

ReefWreak · 07/12/2006, 11:55 PM

I've had stupid blue hermits in my tank kill snails and take their shells, but the biggest thing that turned me off of using hermits is that during a waterchange, I scared my one clownfish into the bottom of the middle lagoon of my nanocube, and a freakin hermit grabbed it's tail, and pulled it down, but by time I seperated them, it was too late.

I've never heard anyone else tell a story like this before, so I guess it's not a frequent occurance, but it happened, and I no longer trust/like hermit crabs in my tanks. I'll stick with astreas, since even in my danged nano-cube they're breeding and doing a great job of keeping the tank clean of everything.

Sheni Angel · 07/12/2006, 11:59 PM

You know, I've really been pondering this whole Hermit Crab thing and if I should just keep the snails ONLY and give the Hermits to my LFS!

After seeing how aggressive the tiny Hermit even was it has me worried that they want me to put 90 of them in there.?

My problem is that I have A LOT of ugly hair like BROWN algae (Diatom??) CAKED in my tank and I really need it cleaned up! Who eats that???

I'm sorry about your Clown... Very sad!!

07/11/2006, 01:42 AM	#1
Sheni Angel Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Washington State Posts: 154	Shrimp safe from Hermit Crabs? I posted about being nervous about too many Hermits but I want to target that if they are the Reef Safe Hermits, they won't bother the Shrimp will they? Or fish while they are sleeping? Thanks, Carrie

07/11/2006, 01:47 AM	#2
nctommy Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 181	My hermits have not even thought about messing with my peppermint shrimp. The only thing that I have seen them harrass is my snails.

07/11/2006, 02:26 AM	#3
marine134 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: California Posts: 171	Your hermit should do good with the shrimp.

07/11/2006, 09:57 AM	#4
Sheni Angel Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Washington State Posts: 154	That's a relief! Not to not care about the snails though. How about my Clam Lagoon? Will they bother the clams?

07/12/2006, 12:34 AM	#5
nctommy Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 181	I think your clams will be fine. The hermits will most likely be relatively small and cannot affect much. They will just flip snails to see if the shell is one they would like to have. Most of the time I have noticed that they don't even harm the snails. Some snails just have a hard time turning back over. I think it is mexican turbos that can't turn back over. In that case you just have to flip them yourself.

07/12/2006, 11:09 AM	#6
carfac Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 362	I think it is the Astrea that can't turn back over- white, conical shells. Nice snails, I think. Had a blue leg take over one of the shells (Did not kill a snail, I had empties in the tank). ANyway, he got turned over, and could not getr turned right again! He was in a new shell in a day! dave

07/12/2006, 11:20 PM	#7
Sheni Angel Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Washington State Posts: 154	I had that experience today! My TINY Hermit kept pestering one Snail that never moved and he would flip him over.. I would flip him back and so on for a couple days. Today I found the shell back over and the snail drug off OUT of his shell, just left on the sand. The bigger Hermit didn't even eat it.? I put the shell back by the snail but it was too late and I didn't have extra shells. Definately WILL get those... It's amazing to watch what takes place under the Sea! Thanks for the confidence with the Clams and Shrimp!

07/12/2006, 11:55 PM	#8
ReefWreak Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Astoria, NYC Posts: 10,159	I've had stupid blue hermits in my tank kill snails and take their shells, but the biggest thing that turned me off of using hermits is that during a waterchange, I scared my one clownfish into the bottom of the middle lagoon of my nanocube, and a freakin hermit grabbed it's tail, and pulled it down, but by time I seperated them, it was too late. I've never heard anyone else tell a story like this before, so I guess it's not a frequent occurance, but it happened, and I no longer trust/like hermit crabs in my tanks. I'll stick with astreas, since even in my danged nano-cube they're breeding and doing a great job of keeping the tank clean of everything.

07/12/2006, 11:59 PM	#9
Sheni Angel Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Washington State Posts: 154	You know, I've really been pondering this whole Hermit Crab thing and if I should just keep the snails ONLY and give the Hermits to my LFS! After seeing how aggressive the tiny Hermit even was it has me worried that they want me to put 90 of them in there.? My problem is that I have A LOT of ugly hair like BROWN algae (Diatom??) CAKED in my tank and I really need it cleaned up! Who eats that??? I'm sorry about your Clown... Very sad!!