Carnage!

[reef fool]

This AM I watched a left handed hermit evict one of my new fighting conch's! As he was ripping him out of his home, my coral banded was chewing on the pieces. The poor lttle SOB was only in the tank for 12 hours. Hope the other one makes it. I guess thats like life in the fast lane of a saltwater tank! Kinda reminded me of the Sopranos 2 weeks ago, when Tony arranged to have the crackheads evicted from the dumps he was buying up. Love that show!!!

 

[cap'n pete]

reef fool,
What type of hermit? Are they getting any supplemental food?

 

[saltyrich]

Tell me it was not a Hawaiin Zebra hermit.

 

[radge69]

That's very interesting. My two left handed hermits I have are the two most peaceful hermits in my tank. The rest of them get kind of spunky, but those two are pretty mellow. Do you have extra shells for them?

 

[reef fool]

I was told they are(soon to be were) left handed hermits. There are many extra shells for them. Actually, they change more than my daughter and wife do when they are goin out! Check em out:

 

[reef fool]

Sorry here is the pic:

 

[saltyrich]

Dam! That is a Hawaiian Zebra hermit. Mine are going back to the lfs. Is told they were reef safe. I'd rather have fighting conchs than the hermits. I guess I'll get a few more bluelegs.

 

[radge69]

Those are the same crabs that I have. Either you got really nasty ones or else I got lucky and got two peaceful ones.

 

[reef fool]

I actually had a huge one that I had bought with the rest of the left handeds and the first 2 days he ripped out 4 of my 6 cerith snails and tried on their shells and then went back to his old one. They don't eat the snail, just pick his but out and steal his home!!! All has been good until the conch's arrived!

 

[j21kickster]

If the crabs dont have larger shells to upgrade to- it is common to kill a snail tankmate to get a new home.

 

[marco68]

IMO no crabs are reef safe shell stealing is just the reason I took all of mine out. There has been no difference in the tank with or without hermits. Just my .02

 

[mikegronholz]

My zebra has been great. He is the ONLY hermit that doesn't fight with the rest.

 

[justinx]

i have about ten of those guys that literally wiped out my snails, but i have replenished the snail population, and there are aboutfour extra shells on the bottom that they all play musical shells with and not a single snail has died since

 

[finland]

I have 5 zebra hermits, and to be honest, they are quite peaceful, and I have more trouble with the bluelegs picking on the snails. The bluelegs only pick occcasionally, on the snails, but I have never caught the zebras. Not to say they don't, maybe they are sneakier then the bluelegs.

 

[entice59]

which conch is good for the sand again? i forgot, queen or just the fighting one? i heard they move your rocks around ... i have a small tank you guys think its recommended for me to still get one, i want to clean my sand

 

[maxi]

I had 2 queen conchs. I bought them to clean up the surface of my sand. They did a great job. They never left the sand or tried to climb any rocks. I thought they were very humorous to watch. Kind of like little elephants. I did lose them after about 7 months. I think they ran out of food. Not sure. If you have a small tank I would only get one. Watch it and pull it out when the sand is clean.

 

[reef fool]

Just an update, I have tons of extra shells in the tank, but the Zebras did the same thing to my other conch this AM.

 

[reef fool]

Another update! I come home today to find one of the zebra hermits inhabiting the shell of one of my new orange turbo snails! The little SOB's are gone tomorrow!!! Back to the LFS! There are plenty of extra shells in the tank, but they seem to chose to kill and steal. I should give them the death penalty!!!!!!!

 

[beth]

LOL
Just mother nature