Crabs vs Snails

natclanwy

Active Member
Both perform different functions so there really isn't a good comparison to be made. Snails are much more versitle since there are so many different species with different diets. Crabs are either detrovores or preditors.
I use a combination of both in my tank.
 

jackri

Active Member
I use a combo as well... both work great as a clean up crew... crabs will eat left over food, algae etc... snails will scrub algae off of stuff but not so much on the leftover food.
 
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usirchchris

Guest
IME I would not mix crabs and snails. Snails become crab snacks. I find snails are a far superior clean up crew. JMHO
 

jackri

Active Member
I have 100 blue legs and 100 astrea snails, some turbos and a couple of nas. snails... no problems with them.
 
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usirchchris

Guest
Originally Posted by jackri
http:///forum/post/2907978
I have 100 blue legs and 100 astrea snails, some turbos and a couple of nas. snails... no problems with them.
I will place my bet now...turbo's will be fine...the nas. are going down, and most likely the astrea's once the hermits get around full size. That is quite the cleanup crew, what size tank you have them in?
ah 90 gallon...can you see any sand? lol
Just teasing with ya, wish your snails good luck.
 

jackri

Active Member
90 gallon... theyve been in there 8 months together without problems. One just took over an old turbo snail shell which is funny. I though some mushrooms were growing on one of my turbos... a closer look revealed that my large (only 1 big hermit) hermit crab found a new bigger shell. So now I have a moving mushroom coral :D
 
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usirchchris

Guest
Originally Posted by jackri
http:///forum/post/2907991
90 gallon... theyve been in there 8 months together without problems. One just took over an old turbo snail shell which is funny. I though some mushrooms were growing on one of my turbos... a closer look revealed that my large (only 1 big hermit) hermit crab found a new bigger shell. So now I have a moving mushroom coral :D
Oh, he wants to be a decorator
.
with that many inverts running around can you really keep an accurate head count to know if you are suffering any losses? I could tell because I only had about 10 of each, and on a few occasions saw it happen lol.
 

natclanwy

Active Member
Originally Posted by usirchchris
http:///forum/post/2907977
IME I would not mix crabs and snails. Snails become crab snacks. I find snails are a far superior clean up crew. JMHO
As long as there is plenty of food and new shells for the hermits to move into as they grow they won't bother your snails. I still have 90% of the cleanup crew I started with 3 years ago, recently lost a turbo, a nassarius and a couple of astreas but that was the first losses I have had in a couple of years and I am suspecting my monster euncid worm for those because all of the shells are on the end of the tank he inhabits
.
 
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usirchchris

Guest
Originally Posted by natclanwy
http:///forum/post/2908534
As long as there is plenty of food and new shells for the hermits to move into as they grow they won't bother your snails.
Not the case in my tank...Just my experience though. I won't keep hermits anymore.
 

maryg

Member
I mix too! I only get the blue legs. I had to to return my red legs. They are too aggressive and were eating my coraline! I also have alot of empties from the LFS for them if they get bored.
 

subielover

Active Member
I am in the snails only category as well. Especially having a small tank like I do, I have to discourage homicides
 
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usirchchris

Guest
Originally Posted by subielover
http:///forum/post/2908608
I am in the snails only category as well. Especially having a small tank like I do, I have to discourage homicides

The gang warfare was rampant in my tank and mine is a 125...space is not an issue once the hermits put out a "hit"
. In the past I had always had hermits, but no snails, this was the first time I had ever tried to mix...lesson learned.
 

kas2247

Member
I also have only snails in my DT. There are a few emerald crabs & some brittle stars to clean up left over food. I started my tank with about 20 hermits & 20 snails... had plenty of empty shells and fed a frozen mix often so that they wouldn't crave snail, but the hermits still killed all my snails off. I do have about 12 of them now, but I keep them in my fuge to clean up any food that makes it down there.
 

jackri

Active Member
I've heard of hermit crabs going after a new clam in a tank before.... but like I say I have 100 blue legged hermit crabs, 100 astrea, some turbos and some nassarius snails... and 3 clams. All are fine together in my 90 and they keep it nice and clean for me.
 
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jeremye83

Guest
i just bought 20 astreas and 10 blue leg and 10 jade hermits from here. half my snails are already gone. they literally climb the glass to get them and tear them out of their shells....
 

woody189

Member
Originally Posted by MaryG
http:///forum/post/2908564
I mix too! I only get the blue legs. I had to to return my red legs. They are too aggressive and were eating my coraline! I also have alot of empties from the LFS for them if they get bored.
I had the opposite experience. I had 2 redlegs for 1 year and they were cool.
THen i got 5-6 bluelegs, and 1 of my died and a blueleg took his shell. Also, while my feather duster was still alive, the bluelegs were all biting his tube. The duster left his tube and died. I took all but 1 blueleg out ( i couldn't find the last 1 when i was giving them to my LFS).
 

creekchub

Member
I tried this stunt twice, the crabs always tear apart the snails (ever with extra shells lying around), wish I could keep both I like to watch the crabs, but bad luck, snails only tank now.
 
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