Hermit Crab Help

[lt34]

There was a post about the blue leg hermit as being somewhat aggressive killing clams and stealing their shells. When it is time, I was going to order a reef package for a cleaning crew. Most of them has the blue leg hermit. Should I just order one without the blue leg? What about the scarlett hermit? Are they the same way? I don't know much about the starfish. This is my first tank. It has only been set-up for 5 days now. When would I look at a reef package? I only have 65 lbs of lr and 40 lbs of base rock so it isn't a reef tank.

 

[jam1e]

what size tank do you have?

 

[drose]

They can be aggressive and will even attack their own. It's a good idea to have extra shells in your tank for them to move into as they grow.

 

[winstew]

I am the one you are reffering to as far as the post...... After I started feeding the tank more I haven't noticed the crabs picking on the snails, but I did find a weird hermit in my tank....

 

[drose]

Let your tank cycle first (with a raw shrimp) and add the cleaners after week 3 or 4.

 

[lt34]

Its a 90 gallon reef ready. The lighting is a 40watt 50/50 coral life what ever that means. It puts a blue light for deeper penetration is all I know.

 

[winstew]

def let it cycle... It will do it with the LR but a raw shrimp won't hurt. Hate to be the first to tell ya but to be a "reef" tank you'll have to upgrade your lighting, but no need to do it now. The cleaner crew and LR will be fine in that light

 

[lt34]

They put Damsels in to cycle the tank. What do you feed the hermits? Do they eat the left over flake food? I also saw on this site they sell shells, but they are the same size as the hermits. Don't you need bigger shells for them to upgrade too?

 

[winstew]

it is always a real real real good idea to get extra shells, they WILL kill each other over shells if there aren't alternative choices. Cycling with a damsel will work, but it is frowned upon, because 1 you put the fish through some nasty stuff and it might die, and 2 if it survives it will be in your tank for a while and is noted as being one of the more bully reef fish.
Hermits will eat alot of stuff, Some algae, Diatoms, left over food, etc...

 

[lt34]

I do plan on removing the damsels and returning them after is cycles. I left the room for a minute and they already put them in the tank. I would like a peaceful tank with easier fish to care for while I'm learning. Thanks for the information

 

[winstew]

Damsels are easy to care for, but not peaceful, it is never to late to take them out... they might be a real PITA to get them out after.

 

[lt34]

When I take them back, is there a special bag to use or just a zip-lock.

 

[jam1e]

take the damsel out before you get any fish .. I had my damsel cycle my 90 and I didn't take him out until I realized that he was giving all my fish ich .. then it was an extreme ordeal catching him ...

 

[lt34]

I was going to remove them and wait a couple of days before getting new fish. The put in 3 Domino, 2 stripped, and one blue with a yellow tail. 1 Domino died after 3 days. The others are doing well. The domino's seem to be the real mean ones.

 

[winstew]

You should stay away from any livestock until that tank is done cycling

 

[jam1e]

when are you going to remove the damsels? I would wait 2-3 weeks after you starting putting the damsels in to put new fish in .. but after you remove the damsels there's no need to wait to put other fish in .. hell you can do it the same night if you want to

 

[lt34]

I did a test after 48 hours and got
temp-78
ph-8.1
ammonia-0.1
nitrite-0.1
nitrate-<10
1.0123 on the hydrometer.
Is this the beginning of the cycle or will all the lr and 100 lbs of live sand decrease the cycle?

 

[winstew]

YEa I think you took it the wrong way jam1e, He was goign to put new fish in when he took the damsels out but the tank is only 5 days old

 

[jam1e]

OH I thought that the tank was only five days old, and he'd had the damsels in for five days, and he was going to take them out ASAP .. sorry for the confusion

 

[winstew]

LOL no prob.... We might both be wrong who kows..... I think he dissappeared