How many hermit crabs for 180?

bpd964 · 09/15/2006, 11:51 AM

Just curious, how many hermit crabs should I have for a 180g reef tank..

Thank you...

Bebo77 · 09/15/2006, 12:03 PM

i dont like scarlets.. why not try blue leg's?

bpd964 · 09/15/2006, 12:07 PM

OK.. but I need to know how many I should get..

LobsterOfJustice · 09/15/2006, 12:34 PM

30 scarlets

bpd964 · 09/15/2006, 12:39 PM

Thanx..

diver_ua · 09/15/2006, 01:21 PM

no one

bpd964 · 09/15/2006, 01:23 PM

I don't think anyone has aquariums with hermits in them....lol..

newtophish · 09/15/2006, 01:28 PM

I don't have a clue but I have about 40 in my 125.
Don't know if it is right or not!

bpd964 · 09/15/2006, 01:32 PM

I have about 15 in my 180. I think I need a few more but not sure what the general amount is.. Ive searched and I guess I will go with 1 per 2 gallons.. Thank you for your response..

Scudd · 09/15/2006, 01:34 PM

check tampabaysaltwater.com they have a nice chart
http://www.tampabaysaltwater.com/the...age_chart.html

They say one per gallon.

newtophish · 09/15/2006, 02:00 PM

According to that chart I am really close on my snails and way off on hermits.

plandy · 09/15/2006, 02:10 PM

While they are excellent scavengers I'd go with conservative numbers. Unless you have everything secured well they tend to knock things over and get into everything.

ratherbediving · 09/15/2006, 02:19 PM

I'll put in my vote for a conservative number, say 1 per 10 gallons, so 18 for an 180 gallon tank. I like my scarlet hermits, (I have 4 of them) but I've read mixed reviews about how much good they actually do.

swedge · 09/15/2006, 02:27 PM

Honestly, I will never put any hermits in my aquarium again. The scarlets and even the 'safe' blue legged feasted on escargot for 2 years so that I hardly have any snails left.

I'd go for more snails and be very conservative on hermits.

Octoberfest · 09/15/2006, 02:40 PM

i have about 10 blue legs and 15 red leg hermits in my 75 gallon and i think i'm good. they are doing there job as far as i can tell.

i would order maybe 40 total hermits with whatever you like and double the amount of snails, but mix the snails up.

reefinmike · 09/15/2006, 03:04 PM

i have about 150 in my 125... all are role model citizens of the tank

deanmcn43 · 09/15/2006, 04:18 PM

Wow what a variety of answers on this one! Thought I'd still put my two sence worth in. The is certainly no perfect answer to this one, however stores selling hermit crabs well error on the too many side many times. I have had blue legged hermits in a reef tank and witnessed them eating green mushroom coral and green striped mushroom coral. If you keep your water parameters in proper there really isnt much of a NEED for hermits, all be it they are fun to watch. I have found the safest ones to add if there is such a thing are the cortez hermits. Even these little twirps can get large enough to bull dozer things as they get larger, so beware!

HBtank · 09/15/2006, 04:33 PM

I have one 5" in my reef. Oh and a medium 2" guy who follows him around. I have to say he is one of, if not, my favorite thing in there.

Identified him as a "blue eyed disaster" that would destroy my reef and all my snails.

Forget the actually name...

So much for "rules", been a year and he is a big baby... There are 40 snails in there with him too. It's actually comical to watch him gently walk around coral when he is supposed to be a big blundering mess.

Here he is rock climbing.

He was from a FO tank that I inherited, I would have never tried it considering the bad rap they get here.

crabsy · 09/15/2006, 05:58 PM

Keep some empty shells in there with them and they'll bother your snails less. They like to change residences as they grow,or even if they don't. I love 'em.
Start 1 per 10g and go from there. The more you have the less scraps around so they'll grab a small snail.

Cody Ray · 09/15/2006, 07:17 PM

Hermits tend to cause poylp retraction and snails create lots of detritus (lots and lots of poo!).

diver_ua · 09/16/2006, 01:48 AM

Ok, guys... how many crocodiles can place in the truck? -- Full truck. -- All right... and how many hippos can place that truck? NO ONE because there are full truck of crocodiles.

So, if you buy 10-20-30 hermits, you can't take the snails. I think various snails are much more safer for the reef and... safer for the other snails..

bpd964 · 09/16/2006, 10:51 PM

My hermits are actually almost done eating all my snails.. I had about 10 or so after setting up my 180 (again), and in about a week my snails were finished..

affan · 09/16/2006, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Scudd
check tampabaysaltwater.com they have a nice chart
http://www.tampabaysaltwater.com/the...age_chart.html

They say one per gallon.

Whoa ... according that chart, my "package" will cost me two thousand and six hundred dollars for my tank to have the right amount of snails and etc. hahahahaha

Sk8r · 09/16/2006, 11:39 PM

The 1 critter per gallon rule sort of goes bye-bye on really big tanks.

bpd964 · 09/17/2006, 04:15 AM

I was wondering that too because In my case, 180 hermits sounds nuts...

09/15/2006, 11:51 AM	#1
bpd964 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bridgeport, CT Posts: 2,237	How many hermit crabs for 180? Just curious, how many hermit crabs should I have for a 180g reef tank.. Thank you...

09/15/2006, 12:03 PM	#2
Bebo77 Premium Nonpaying Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Lost Posts: 14,377	i dont like scarlets.. why not try blue leg's? __________________ Gabriel Current Tank Info: 300 Gal Envision Tank(98Lx30Wx26T) 120 Gal SoCalCreations Sump, Deltec TC2560, 2 LumenarcsMini 1 Reg on a light mover W Radiums 250& 400, Gallaxy ballasts, Red Dragon 10m3 return W/ 2 WavySeas, 2 6155 Tunze streams

09/15/2006, 12:34 PM	#4
LobsterOfJustice Recovering Detritophobe Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 7,443	30 scarlets __________________ 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

09/15/2006, 01:21 PM	#6
diver_ua Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Kerch, Ukraine Posts: 102	no one __________________ Sorry for my poor English ;)

09/15/2006, 01:28 PM	#8
newtophish Elite Lounger Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Spring Hill, TN Posts: 192	I don't have a clue but I have about 40 in my 125. Don't know if it is right or not! __________________ Richard <--- She is the cutest!

09/15/2006, 12:07 PM	#3
bpd964 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bridgeport, CT Posts: 2,237	OK.. but I need to know how many I should get..

09/15/2006, 12:39 PM	#5
bpd964 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bridgeport, CT Posts: 2,237	Thanx..

09/15/2006, 01:23 PM	#7
bpd964 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bridgeport, CT Posts: 2,237	I don't think anyone has aquariums with hermits in them....lol..

09/15/2006, 01:32 PM	#9
bpd964 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bridgeport, CT Posts: 2,237	I have about 15 in my 180. I think I need a few more but not sure what the general amount is.. Ive searched and I guess I will go with 1 per 2 gallons.. Thank you for your response..

09/15/2006, 01:34 PM	#10
Scudd Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Largo, Florida Posts: 504	check tampabaysaltwater.com they have a nice chart http://www.tampabaysaltwater.com/the...age_chart.html They say one per gallon.

09/15/2006, 02:00 PM	#11
newtophish Elite Lounger Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Spring Hill, TN Posts: 192	According to that chart I am really close on my snails and way off on hermits. __________________ Richard <--- She is the cutest!

09/15/2006, 02:10 PM	#12
plandy Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Schenectady, NY Posts: 411	While they are excellent scavengers I'd go with conservative numbers. Unless you have everything secured well they tend to knock things over and get into everything. __________________ Peter Landy Schenectady, NY Recent Returnee to the Marines! 12gl Aquapod New "custom euro" 90 gallon under construction!

09/15/2006, 02:19 PM	#13
ratherbediving Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: San Diego Posts: 558	I'll put in my vote for a conservative number, say 1 per 10 gallons, so 18 for an 180 gallon tank. I like my scarlet hermits, (I have 4 of them) but I've read mixed reviews about how much good they actually do.

09/15/2006, 02:27 PM	#14
swedge Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Michigan Posts: 133	Honestly, I will never put any hermits in my aquarium again. The scarlets and even the 'safe' blue legged feasted on escargot for 2 years so that I hardly have any snails left. I'd go for more snails and be very conservative on hermits. __________________ 'The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.' - Bertrand Russell - Current Tank Info: Now Defunct: 70 gal Reef 4/30/04, 29 gal Sump/Refuge, CPR SR-4 Skimmer, 4x65W PC, Maxijet 1200 PH, Aquaclear 500 HOB Filter, 90lbs Tonga Kaelini, 20lbs Tonga Branch. 65gal Hex Reef tank in the process of converting to Equus tank.

09/15/2006, 02:40 PM	#15
Octoberfest Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: NC Posts: 1,350	i have about 10 blue legs and 15 red leg hermits in my 75 gallon and i think i'm good. they are doing there job as far as i can tell. i would order maybe 40 total hermits with whatever you like and double the amount of snails, but mix the snails up. __________________ 29 gallon bio-cube with 150w metal halide sunpod fixture, stock 14 gallon bio-cube

09/15/2006, 03:04 PM	#16
reefinmike Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: ohio Posts: 846	i have about 150 in my 125... all are role model citizens of the tank __________________ 90g reef lit by 2 kessil 360's and 4 T5's. 55g sump/fuge, eshopps s-200 skimmer and slowly working on getting every apex gadget

09/15/2006, 04:18 PM	#17
deanmcn43 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Vandalia, IL Posts: 12	Wow what a variety of answers on this one! Thought I'd still put my two sence worth in. The is certainly no perfect answer to this one, however stores selling hermit crabs well error on the too many side many times. I have had blue legged hermits in a reef tank and witnessed them eating green mushroom coral and green striped mushroom coral. If you keep your water parameters in proper there really isnt much of a NEED for hermits, all be it they are fun to watch. I have found the safest ones to add if there is such a thing are the cortez hermits. Even these little twirps can get large enough to bull dozer things as they get larger, so beware! __________________ Everydays a holiday, enjoy it like its your last, because you never know. Current Tank Info: 75 gallon reef tank

09/15/2006, 04:33 PM	#18
HBtank Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Huntington Beach, CA Posts: 2,957	I have one 5" in my reef. Oh and a medium 2" guy who follows him around. I have to say he is one of, if not, my favorite thing in there. Identified him as a "blue eyed disaster" that would destroy my reef and all my snails. Forget the actually name... So much for "rules", been a year and he is a big baby... There are 40 snails in there with him too. It's actually comical to watch him gently walk around coral when he is supposed to be a big blundering mess. Here he is rock climbing. He was from a FO tank that I inherited, I would have never tried it considering the bad rap they get here. __________________ 80g Aiptasia dominated reef tank.. with fish and now a bunch of berghia! Current Tank Info: 80g tank, re-starting a reef after a zoanthid nudibranch plauge, followed by months of steady and unstoppable STN/RTN, crashed; stayed FOWLR for a couple years, currently an aiptasia dominated reef tank with fishies and BERGHIA

09/15/2006, 05:58 PM	#19
crabsy Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 172	Keep some empty shells in there with them and they'll bother your snails less. They like to change residences as they grow,or even if they don't. I love 'em. Start 1 per 10g and go from there. The more you have the less scraps around so they'll grab a small snail.

09/15/2006, 07:17 PM	#20
Cody Ray Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 5,101	Hermits tend to cause poylp retraction and snails create lots of detritus (lots and lots of poo!). __________________ Limit 1 stupid question per day Current Tank Info: Mr. Aqua 7.5g bowfront

09/16/2006, 01:48 AM	#21
diver_ua Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Kerch, Ukraine Posts: 102	Ok, guys... how many crocodiles can place in the truck? -- Full truck. -- All right... and how many hippos can place that truck? NO ONE because there are full truck of crocodiles. So, if you buy 10-20-30 hermits, you can't take the snails. I think various snails are much more safer for the reef and... safer for the other snails.. __________________ Sorry for my poor English ;)

09/16/2006, 10:51 PM	#22
bpd964 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bridgeport, CT Posts: 2,237	My hermits are actually almost done eating all my snails.. I had about 10 or so after setting up my 180 (again), and in about a week my snails were finished..

09/16/2006, 11:39 PM	#24
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	The 1 critter per gallon rule sort of goes bye-bye on really big tanks. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

09/17/2006, 04:15 AM	#25
bpd964 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bridgeport, CT Posts: 2,237	I was wondering that too because In my case, 180 hermits sounds nuts...