Are Hermits Safe?

[c2rn]

I was thinking about getting some hermits to help tidy up the tank and substrate a bit. I had heard that some hermits can actually attack sleeping fish. I have a very small scooter blennie in the tank and I was wondering if he might fall victim to the hermits. Are some types of hermits safer than others? Also in addition to the blennie I also have 2 sand sifting stars and a dozen astrea snails and although I try not to over feed there is still some food that gets missed. My foxface is especially messy w/ the seaweed selects and romaine. Do hermits seem like a good addition to my 50g FOWLR/LS? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[broomer5]

Most would agree that a good clean up crew is a wise addition.
I have blue legs and red hermits in both my tanks. The small blues have never bothered anything in either tank, but the reds I've got are much larger, and they seem a little more agressive. I've seen the reds attack and devour a Turbo snail that was on the substrate. Never had any problem with any hermit messing with the fish or corals though. Maybe get yourself some small hermits and I'll bet you'll be fine.
Broomer

 

[b_ball12_99]

I agree. You will want to avoid left handed hermits because they can get very aggressive with age and size.

 

[totalxtreme1]

I think a clean up crew is great and they help a real lot. I have about a dozen some place scattered around in the tank as well as some snails. I stick mostly with the scarlet hermits and just added 3 blue legs. Anyway I think you should get some. Good luck.

 

[grouperhead]

go with red reefs and blue legs. they are both reef safe and nice additions to a tank. avoid left handed hermits b/c they can be fish killers. later, bo

 

[jimi]

Blue legs can be vicious little killers especially to snails. Scarlet hermits are about as safe as hermits get.

 

[goofieones]

I have the blue legs and Red legs, got them from this site. They do make good cleaners, they do eat dead snails out of the shells. I don't really see any of my hermits eat left over food pieces, but my sally lightfoot loves food left overs, also so do the emerald crabs, which don't bother any of the fish, I don't know about corals though.

 

[krazzydart]

get the blue legged and scarlet..... as for the blue ones being little killers jimmi... it is because they are looking for a new home..... they need plenty of shells to move into as they grow ...... ( i sell them ) I never had a hermit kill anything in any of my tanks..... (knock on wood) but just be sure to get extra shells for them>>>>>>>>>

 

[johnnysalt]

c2rn,
Sorry to have to tell you, but you mentioned that you had both live sand and sand-sifting starfish. those stars sift the sand to eat everything in it. imho, you need to make a choice of what you want: either those starfish or live sand. day by day those stars are munching on all the critters that keep your sand "alive". I would get a blue linkia star...totally reef safe. avoid the chocolate chip stars, they will strip your live rock. if you don't care about having live sand anymore, then keep the stars...and don't listen to 'all' of your LFS's advice....my LFS will sell anything to anyone without EVER asking about the person's current setup nor telling them the risk of the newe addition. HTH