Hermit Crab ID and Questions

georgec · 11/27/2006, 07:29 PM

Hi all,

I purchased a small eclipse tank to use for quarantine... however, it was sold with a damsel and some hermit crabs. I had a few questions about the crabs and whether or not I should put them in my actual tank:

1) There is this one little guy, black legs with bright blue bands. His legs are less than an inch long. He's in a shell that is maybe an 1-1.25 inches long. Also, he has these orange colored feelers.

2) There is a light brown crab. Legs are about an inch long. Kind of brown in color and white running long ways (as opposed to bands on the blue). Shell is a little larger than the blue.. maybe 1.25-1.5 inches long.

3) This last guys is big. He is red in color. Has legs that are 1-1.5 inches long and a big claw or two. I'm scared he'll chew up stuff if I put him in the tank.

Are any of these guys reef safe (I'll be keeping softies and LPS) given their type and/or size? If not, would an LFS take them off my hands?

Thanks!

BiggySmalls · 11/27/2006, 07:41 PM

i think the 1st one is a blue legged hermit
2nd i dont know
3rd scarlet hermit crab

BiggySmalls · 11/27/2006, 07:41 PM

they might take them off your hands

bertoni · 11/27/2006, 07:50 PM

There are many species of hermit crabs. There's some risk with all of them. I'd give them all away. The last picture doesn't show the normal "scarlet hermit" that I've seen.

georgec · 11/27/2006, 07:52 PM

Thanks. I'll try to find a home for them. If they were reef safe, I figured I'd just keep them. But, a lot of things I've read here have mixed reviews and it sounds like there are other things (shrimp, snails, etc) that can provide the cleanup funtion that the crabs do.

a4twenty · 11/28/2006, 10:46 AM

first one looks like an electric blue hermit, i have one. i won't say he's well behaved but he usually only cleans up the mess.

11/27/2006, 07:29 PM	#1
georgec Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 73	Hermit Crab ID and Questions Hi all, I purchased a small eclipse tank to use for quarantine... however, it was sold with a damsel and some hermit crabs. I had a few questions about the crabs and whether or not I should put them in my actual tank: 1) There is this one little guy, black legs with bright blue bands. His legs are less than an inch long. He's in a shell that is maybe an 1-1.25 inches long. Also, he has these orange colored feelers. 2) There is a light brown crab. Legs are about an inch long. Kind of brown in color and white running long ways (as opposed to bands on the blue). Shell is a little larger than the blue.. maybe 1.25-1.5 inches long. 3) This last guys is big. He is red in color. Has legs that are 1-1.5 inches long and a big claw or two. I'm scared he'll chew up stuff if I put him in the tank. Are any of these guys reef safe (I'll be keeping softies and LPS) given their type and/or size? If not, would an LFS take them off my hands? Thanks!

11/27/2006, 07:50 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	There are many species of hermit crabs. There's some risk with all of them. I'd give them all away. The last picture doesn't show the normal "scarlet hermit" that I've seen. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

11/27/2006, 07:41 PM	#2
BiggySmalls Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: chi-town Posts: 1,315	i think the 1st one is a blue legged hermit 2nd i dont know 3rd scarlet hermit crab

11/27/2006, 07:52 PM	#5
georgec Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 73	Thanks. I'll try to find a home for them. If they were reef safe, I figured I'd just keep them. But, a lot of things I've read here have mixed reviews and it sounds like there are other things (shrimp, snails, etc) that can provide the cleanup funtion that the crabs do.

11/28/2006, 10:46 AM	#6
a4twenty Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,603	first one looks like an electric blue hermit, i have one. i won't say he's well behaved but he usually only cleans up the mess.