Hermit Crab Identifications
- Thread starter wax32
- Start date
turboeel
Member
Originally Posted by tnt
I have 4 of these in my semi-aggressive tank. They're striped hermit or thinstripe hermit, clibanarius vittatus. They seem to grow very fast, not considered reef safe, and can reach the size of a tennis ball. I think they are a gulf species and are pretty common.
Mine seem to keep the sand and rocks pretty clean. They don't eat hair algae and enjoy a piece of meat once a week. They ate a hawaiian featherduster, tube and all, in 3 days. I have a picasso trigger they have held their own against for about a year now. Better have lots of shells for them to choose from. One killed one a turbo snail for his shell in spite of all of the empty shells. Very interesting to watch though. Seem pretty hardy.
Here are a couple of pics of one of my hermits. His shell is about 2.75 inches long.
I have use to have three of thoes. They killed off my turbo snails so I gave them to my friends 140 aggressive. They got big fast and never stopped moving. Great crab for fish only.
I have 4 of these in my semi-aggressive tank. They're striped hermit or thinstripe hermit, clibanarius vittatus. They seem to grow very fast, not considered reef safe, and can reach the size of a tennis ball. I think they are a gulf species and are pretty common.
Mine seem to keep the sand and rocks pretty clean. They don't eat hair algae and enjoy a piece of meat once a week. They ate a hawaiian featherduster, tube and all, in 3 days. I have a picasso trigger they have held their own against for about a year now. Better have lots of shells for them to choose from. One killed one a turbo snail for his shell in spite of all of the empty shells. Very interesting to watch though. Seem pretty hardy.
Here are a couple of pics of one of my hermits. His shell is about 2.75 inches long.
I have use to have three of thoes. They killed off my turbo snails so I gave them to my friends 140 aggressive. They got big fast and never stopped moving. Great crab for fish only.
wax32
Active Member
Here is better picture of that last unidentified hermit. I am going to go out on a limb here and say it almost has to be the same genus as the scarlet hermit (Paguristes). It is either an albino of the same species or a new, undescribed species in that genus.
Paguristes sp.?, "Unidentified Hermit"
Note the tiny, same sized claws like the scarlet. The legs also have the same shape/angularity to them as the scarlet hermit. These crabs come in to the LFS when they get shipments of scarlets, making me think they are collected at the same time and place.
Paguristes sp.?, "Unidentified Hermit"
Note the tiny, same sized claws like the scarlet. The legs also have the same shape/angularity to them as the scarlet hermit. These crabs come in to the LFS when they get shipments of scarlets, making me think they are collected at the same time and place.
hapshot
Member
I got this weird crab in a batch of Blue leg hermits. Its none of the ones you posted wax. It looks like the thin striped hermit kind of but with really wide, skinny legs. They are reef safe because they have not tried attacking anything. It doesn't have hair on its legs either.
Its cool looking but I have no clue to what it is. And btw I can't get a quality picture because my digitals can't take up close shots like yours can.
Its cool looking but I have no clue to what it is. And btw I can't get a quality picture because my digitals can't take up close shots like yours can.
wax32
Active Member
Cool. That is probably one of the hundred of undescribed hermits that live in the Caribbean. They main thing to watch for is its growth rate. If it starts getting huge you may have problems with it knocking over things. If you know someone with a decent camera try to get a snap!
hapshot
Member
Originally Posted by wax32
Cool. That is probably one of the hundred of undescribed hermits that live in the Caribbean. They main thing to watch for is its growth rate. If it starts getting huge you may have problems with it knocking over things. If you know someone with a decent camera try to get a snap!
Yeah I will try to get a good shot of it.
Cool. That is probably one of the hundred of undescribed hermits that live in the Caribbean. They main thing to watch for is its growth rate. If it starts getting huge you may have problems with it knocking over things. If you know someone with a decent camera try to get a snap!
Yeah I will try to get a good shot of it.
celacanthr
Active Member
Originally Posted by wax32
I don't own this crab... thanks to CELACANTHr for sending me a link to this picture.
http://www.zooxanthellae.com
Ciliopagurus strigatus, Halloween Hermit Crab
These come from the Indo-Pacific. I have seen them offered for sale labeled as collected in Hawaii. Some say they are reef safe, some say not. I have heard they eat cyanobacteria. They are also said to reach an adult size of "several inches".
I have no first hand experience with these. Anyone with such experience feel free to chime in.
This genus appears to have 7 species that appear similar. Some seem to have a thick body (like the crabs from Calcinus) and some appear to have a thin body (like the crabs from Dardanus).
The thin ones (like this picture) often wear Conus shells. I haven't seen a shot of a thick one in a shell, only preserved.
...
wesa
Member
Well , just an update on my Big Boy, the white spotted hermit...put some manila clams in as cleaners & the Boy & I had a fight when I took one of them away from him. Guess he was hungry because he went after the largest clam with a vengence. I gave him some food so I could move the clams out of the tank. I've never seen him like that.
daitheflu
New Member
Here is my White Spotted Hermit. I've only had it for 2 days and would have never known its exact name if it werent for this thread. I can definitely attest to his cleaning ability, though. This crab loves to eat.
Its interesting that they are also known as 'Shell Breakers' because the opening of his/her shell appears to have been broken...almost modified in an effort to enlarge the opening. I wonder if the crab did this or its just coincidence. He actually abandoned this shell temporarily for another shell I have in the tank but went back to his 'modified' shell after a few hours. Very cool to witness.
According to PetEducation.com, these guys will eat tube worms, mollusks, and fish which is the reason for them not being considered reaf safe. Another website, the Hawaii Biological Survey, said they can grow up to 12'' in length and are natives of the Hawaiian Islands.
wax32
Active Member
Wow wesa!
Nice picture and info Dai.
My LFS has a couple of them right now. They are very big already and I think I would have trouble getting shells for them, or I would bring one home and put it in my sump.
BY THE WAY: The new Coral Magazine is in stores and has the hermit crab feature articles in it. Good reading!
Nice picture and info Dai.
My LFS has a couple of them right now. They are very big already and I think I would have trouble getting shells for them, or I would bring one home and put it in my sump.
BY THE WAY: The new Coral Magazine is in stores and has the hermit crab feature articles in it. Good reading!
auntkaren
Member
Wax, first off, thank you!
Yes he's in my 24G nano along with 3 chromis an electric blue hermit and a few corals. He's a nice friendly guy doesn't bother my corals or shrimp or anyone. Actually the chromis flock to him when he's eating his squid treat! My tank is a reef tank and he's a great little cleaner upper for sure. He is a big part of the entertainment in our lil tank. He is in about a 2" shell and since he molted he's switched back and forth between other shells and his old one about 5 times LOL. What kind of tank do you have? Are you considering getting one? If you do I hope he's as great an addition to your tank as ours has been to ours. :happyfish
unleashed
Active Member
i keep a large white spotted hermit with my tess as part of his clean up crew its almost the size of my fist.very agressive crab i started with 2 he tore apart his buddy tried to ad another giant hermit also but he attacked it right away so i moved it to my reef (not a spotted).very good thread wax
felipe
Member
Originally Posted by wax32
http://www.zooxanthellae.com
Unidentified Hermit
I have no clue as to the ID on these guys. I came across these in a batch of blue leg hermits, so I assume they are from the Carribbean. I have seen them offered for sale (CHEAP), labled as "right handed hermits" at a website dedicated to critters from the Florida Keys. I'd hazard a guess that they stay small, similar to blue legs. The ones I have are all in Cerithium shells.
One claw is way LONGER than the other. Their legs are also longer than average. They are mostly colorless, with thin tannish bands on their legs.
I like to call these: "Albino Blood-Sucking Spiders from Mars". Kind of creepy looking, they are a VERY active hermit and can move pretty darn fast. They are aggressive and do a great job of eating detritus and micro algae from the live rock.
I came across one of these guys at my LFS last night. I was ready to take him home, when the LFS guy told me they are certainly not reef safe and are mad carnivores. They are collected by filling pantyhose with meat and elaving it underwater for 24-36 hours. then the collectors come back with a pantyhose fuilled with hermits.
You may spot feed them, but one they they will get bored and attack your corals. or so i was told.
They look great in person, but too bog a risk with as many zoa's as I have in my tank.
Felipe
http://www.zooxanthellae.com
Unidentified Hermit
I have no clue as to the ID on these guys. I came across these in a batch of blue leg hermits, so I assume they are from the Carribbean. I have seen them offered for sale (CHEAP), labled as "right handed hermits" at a website dedicated to critters from the Florida Keys. I'd hazard a guess that they stay small, similar to blue legs. The ones I have are all in Cerithium shells.
One claw is way LONGER than the other. Their legs are also longer than average. They are mostly colorless, with thin tannish bands on their legs.
I like to call these: "Albino Blood-Sucking Spiders from Mars". Kind of creepy looking, they are a VERY active hermit and can move pretty darn fast. They are aggressive and do a great job of eating detritus and micro algae from the live rock.
I came across one of these guys at my LFS last night. I was ready to take him home, when the LFS guy told me they are certainly not reef safe and are mad carnivores. They are collected by filling pantyhose with meat and elaving it underwater for 24-36 hours. then the collectors come back with a pantyhose fuilled with hermits.
You may spot feed them, but one they they will get bored and attack your corals. or so i was told.
They look great in person, but too bog a risk with as many zoa's as I have in my tank.
Felipe
wax32
Active Member
Originally Posted by Felipe
I came across one of these guys at my LFS last night. I was ready to take him home, when the LFS guy told me they are certainly not reef safe and are mad carnivores. They are collected by filling pantyhose with meat and elaving it underwater for 24-36 hours. then the collectors come back with a pantyhose fuilled with hermits.
You may spot feed them, but one they they will get bored and attack your corals. or so i was told.
They look great in person, but too bog a risk with as many zoa's as I have in my tank.
Felipe
I have had them for a while now: reef safe.
ANY hermit can be collected by filling a panty hose full of meat!
I came across one of these guys at my LFS last night. I was ready to take him home, when the LFS guy told me they are certainly not reef safe and are mad carnivores. They are collected by filling pantyhose with meat and elaving it underwater for 24-36 hours. then the collectors come back with a pantyhose fuilled with hermits.
You may spot feed them, but one they they will get bored and attack your corals. or so i was told.
They look great in person, but too bog a risk with as many zoa's as I have in my tank.
Felipe
I have had them for a while now: reef safe.
ANY hermit can be collected by filling a panty hose full of meat!
dadummy
Member
Originally Posted by wax32
http://www.zooxanthellae.com
Unidentified Hermit
I have no clue as to the ID on these guys. I came across these in a batch of blue leg hermits, so I assume they are from the Carribbean. I have seen them offered for sale (CHEAP), labled as "right handed hermits" at a website dedicated to critters from the Florida Keys. I'd hazard a guess that they stay small, similar to blue legs. The ones I have are all in Cerithium shells.
One claw is way LONGER than the other. Their legs are also longer than average. They are mostly colorless, with thin tannish bands on their legs.
I like to call these: "Albino Blood-Sucking Spiders from Mars". Kind of creepy looking, they are a VERY active hermit and can move pretty darn fast. They are aggressive and do a great job of eating detritus and micro algae from the live rock.
well, definately from the caribbean , I was snorkeling today and picked one up. It was moving quickly across a large rock. I held it in my hand for a few minutes then dropped it by accident
The other unidentified hermit that is commonly found among blue legs looks to me like a cross between the thin stripe and the blue leg. I find them here among the thin stripe and blue legs, has the claws of the blue leg, and the legs of the thin stripe.
http://www.zooxanthellae.com
Unidentified Hermit
I have no clue as to the ID on these guys. I came across these in a batch of blue leg hermits, so I assume they are from the Carribbean. I have seen them offered for sale (CHEAP), labled as "right handed hermits" at a website dedicated to critters from the Florida Keys. I'd hazard a guess that they stay small, similar to blue legs. The ones I have are all in Cerithium shells.
One claw is way LONGER than the other. Their legs are also longer than average. They are mostly colorless, with thin tannish bands on their legs.
I like to call these: "Albino Blood-Sucking Spiders from Mars". Kind of creepy looking, they are a VERY active hermit and can move pretty darn fast. They are aggressive and do a great job of eating detritus and micro algae from the live rock.
well, definately from the caribbean , I was snorkeling today and picked one up. It was moving quickly across a large rock. I held it in my hand for a few minutes then dropped it by accident
The other unidentified hermit that is commonly found among blue legs looks to me like a cross between the thin stripe and the blue leg. I find them here among the thin stripe and blue legs, has the claws of the blue leg, and the legs of the thin stripe.