food of blue leg hermit crabs?

[kris walker]

I have read from another post that blue leg hermit crabs eat snails. Do they eat any other things? I just bought one two days ago with two additional snails (total snails = 3). My lfs never said anything about the purchases being incompatible, fully knowing I am starting a reef. I have not seen the hermit since I let him go in the tank. Luckily, I still have my snails, but they have been staying near the top of the tank (that didn't change when I added the hermit).
sam

 

[@knight]

they are not incompatible, but when a hermit gets really hungry or needs a shell, they will go after snails in a heartbeat. Especially blue-legged hermits. they are notorious. Usually, when a hermit gets a snail, it is either flipped over and cannot right itself or it is sick, or dying. crabs are scavengers, they will eat anything they can get their pinchers on. I have lost a few snails due to crabs....it comes with the territory. but if you only have 3 snails, i would consider investing in some more.

 

[class clown]

The jury is still out on this one. Some people claim that hermit crabs eats their snails. But as posted above, hermits go after sick and dying snails. When you get home from work and find your hermits munching on a snail, it's really impossible to tell if the hermits killed it or if it died first and then the hermits went after it (and hermits go after anything that has been dead for more than one minute). My opinion is that snails sometimes die like anything else, and hermits just get to them right after they die, which is why you bought hermits in the first place. They just get caught at the scene of the crime and get all the blame.

 

[kris walker]

Thanks for the info guys. This is more comforting than the thought of having to find the little blue guy and bring him back to the lfs.
cheers,
sam

 

[bluewater]

You should ask for some empty shells as well
from your LFS. I brought home abouy 6 and 2
of my blue legs moved into their new homes
within a couple hours.

 

[guppie]

Hermits will eat snails, but IMO only the ones that are dyeing or sick, so they are doing us a favor. Good Luck

 

[partonks]

I introduced my blue leg hermits a week ago and I was worried that they were eating each other! Fortunately, it appears that they are either really friendly or have a common "home" in the tank. Unfortunately, they have not been attacking the 3 snails I lost in the last week. I removed 2 and I left the third to see if they would be interested. My water quality remains high, but it seems difficult to keep the snails and stars alive. I've been stressing about it and doing everything I've heard of, 17 out of 20 snails are alive and thriving. Is this a bad ratio, or a common problem with a new tank and new snails?

 

[krazzydart]

as allways.... BE SURE TO GET MORE SHELLS for them to move into!!!! I allways have an abundance of shells in the tank for them... many differant sizes and types!!! that way they don't kill any snails!!!!

 

[lion-fish]

I also added blue legers with scarlet reef hermits in my 46gal and 20 turbo snail, guess what 1 snail is left and he has gotten huge but he is always on the glas and sometimes on the rocks, I have seen the blue legers kill and eat the snails, once these suckes attack they dont stop till they are succesfull in their kill, they have also attacked scarlet reef hermits, they are a killing crew, some have gotten so big they use snail shells, I say stay away from them critters, I am at the moment cycling my new 110 gal and I will NOT add blue legers in there, plenty of other critters to go around, trust me once they start killing youre $2 snails and other critters you will not be to happy, I advise you to stay far away from them, cya.

 

[harris]

Class Clown is right they are just oppurtunistic animals. When something is dying they will eat it. If a snail is healthy and flipped over on it's back helplesss, and MR. Blue legs walks by , he will most likely eat it..... Just part of evolution