Blue leg hermits

[tarrahsmom]

Ok, I had 5 of these little critters and now I am down to 3. The biggest one is killing the littlest ones/ I did not know they would do this. Do all of the mdo this or are mine just pshco??

 

[jason490]

Good question,
It is possible the bigger one is feeding on the smaller ones, but I would think that would only be in a case where you put them in a tank and there is nothing for them to eat. Try getting them some algae wafers if there is not enough in your tank.

 

[tarrahsmom]

any one else have this happen?

 

[nick76]

Ive herd of crabs picking on snails and small fish but never herd of them as canibals.

 

[murf48]

check the shells they might just be molting

 

[seek]

I've had trouble with the Blue Leg Hermits before. Had a tank with 30 Scarlet hermits and 30 Blue Legs, the blue leg hermits fought constantly over shells. I ended up putting the blues into the refugium and after about 4 months I was down to about 10 blues and 20 empty shells. There was plenty of macro for them to eat they just seem to like to eat each other. My book on invertebrates states they live in the wild in huge colonies. I haven't seen that in the aquarium.

 

[sigmachris]

I would guess molting too.

 

[tarrahsmom]

Another question. After they molt do they go hide? i also have 2 emerald crabs and I have not seen one of them out at all but the other has come out some. Do they all do this?

 

[garnet13aj]

Yes, the hide while they molt because they are unprotected.
I have "assorted hermits" in my tank and the blue ones always seem to go down first, not sure why. My unscientific assesment would be that they are fiesty Having some extra shells for them to switch to seems to help keep their numbers in check though.