Hermits in a Reef Tank

[jumpfrog]

I've read so many differing opinions on adding hermits to a reef tank. I need to improve my clean up crew on my 125.
Any experiences or recommendations for those who have both succeeded and failed with hermits.
BTW, it's nice to be back on the board. Been out of it for about a year but hope to share more again.

 

[hagfish]

I have some blue leg and red leg hermits in both of my tanks. I've never had any real problem with them. But I think you can accomplish the same thing with a mixture of snails like nassarius, cerith, and turbos. I'll probably just get snails from now on.

 

[stanlalee]

have 18 of blue and red mix in my 30 gallon tank. No problems other than the blues fighting amongst each other.

 

[fishy7]

I have 70 red hermits. I just gave them some extra shells and they do not like them. Gave them the wrong kind maybe?..... No issues here. ***)
I also have 3 turbo
3 Nassarius
They do a good job.

 

[effishient]

I don't know the answer to your question, but I'm hoping it's the same as what the above two posts indicate. I just ordered 20 blues and 20 reds for my 55 gal which I am soon planning on developing into a reef tank.
Anyone that HAS had problems with hermits in a reef tank?... or know of someone who had a problem?
effishient

 

[nm reef]

I've kept an assortment of reds/blues along with assorted snails for just over 5 years now. There will always be attrition.....somes times natural and some is definitely predation...but thats the nature of things. Maybe once a year I'll add new members to maintain the balance.......but in general the problems are worth the benefits in my opinion....but I like the diversity.

 

[jester805]

Awesome picture, NM Reef!!!! I've got several red legs, but what's the difference between them & the blue legs??
I've had problems with my red legs eatting snails & stealing their shells. Should I put extra shells in for the red legs???

 

[wax32]

If your hermits are killing snails they are hungry, feed them more! Seriously, mine never bother my snails, but I have WAY less hermits than ppl seem to think is required. I have about a dozen or so comprised of 8 different species in my tank and none kill each other or snails. If you have 50 hermits in a small tank and don't have an algae problem then you likely have starving hermits.

 

[jester805]

Originally Posted by wax32
If your hermits are killing snails they are hungry, feed them more! Seriously, mine never bother my snails, but I have WAY less hermits than ppl seem to think is required. I have about a dozen or so comprised of 8 different species in my tank and none kill each other or snails. If you have 50 hermits in a small tank and don't have an algae problem then you likely have starving hermits.
What should I be feeding them??? I've got a major nitrate problem right now (200 ppm) and everyone is telling me to slow WAY down on the feeding. I was feeding 2 frozen mysis cubes each night. :notsure:

 

[mudplayerx]

I don't see how you can have a successful reef tank without cleaner hermit crabs in my opinion. They are CONSTATLY digging around for bits of detritus. I have bluelegs in my tank along with a species that is black with reddish highlights. I also have some with greenish legs. None of them have bothered anything in the tank at all...not a snail or each other. However, my turbo snails are much too big for the hermits to molest.
Some sources say that cleaner hermit crabs can become a problem when kept in large numbers. If you only keep about 1 hermit crab per 2 gallons of water, I don't see this happening. A nice supply of shells of various sizes is also necessary. Keeping these in a pile in one location of the tank seems to help as the hermits remember where to go to get a replacement.
If you see your hermits flipping each other over and poking their claws into each others' shells, fret not. This is normal behavior and I have never seen it result in harm.
Reef-Safe Hermit Crabs:

• Blue Leg Hermits (Clianarius tricolor)
  [*]Scarlet Hermit Crabs (Paguristes cadenati)
  [*]Red Leg Hermit Crabs (Paguristes digueti)
  Anemone Hermit Crab (Dardanus pedunculatus) *
  -some sources say the above hermits are only reef-safe in a quantity of 1 crab per 10 gallons. I think this ratio is ridiculously cautionary.
  Non-Reef-Safe Hermit Crabs

• Giant Hermit Crab (Petrochirus diogenes)

*needs 100 gallons per crab to remain reef-safe.

 

[jumpfrog]

Thanks all for your input.
NM your advice has always been on target so I'm going to try a few.
I think an excellent point was made about predation by starved hermits.
Choosing the right number and type seem to be the key.
Thanks again!

 

[dburr]

I have problems with hermits. I buy them and they kill each other.(yes I feed them) The past couple years I have only 1 in my 90 and it's a scarlet. It's is just fine by itself and it cruzes the whole tank. I like to add mixed snails to do the cleaning in the tank.

 

[jumpfrog]

dburr
What is the coral in your avatar?

 

[dburr]

Open brain called Lobophylia

 

[wax32]

I was being sarcastic with the feeding remark, sorry doesn't go over well in this format. You need less hermits if you don't have the algae to support them is what I was getting at.

 

[dogstar]

Some people do and some dont. I will never buy crabs again. I have a few tiny hitchickers that seem to stay that way but my only Calcinus tibicen ( Hermy ) thats left after a few years and killed alot to get here. Thats shells from my conch and is the size of a golf ball. Only snails for me.

 

[wax32]

Calcinus tibicen is my absolute favorite hermit. I have 2 of them at the moment. I had a big one like you have before Katrina killed him. Here is a picture of mine:

Orange Claw Hermit, Calcinus tibicen
I now have a Blue-Knuckle that lives in that same shell.

 

[jumpfrog]

dburr
Thanks, that's what I thought. There is such variation in those sp.
I picked one up yesterday. I'll post a pic in a bit after my grandaughter wakes up. She took over the computer room. Gotta love the grandkips

 

[jumpfrog]

Here's is what I think is a lobo.
If I'm off, someone please let me know.
One with flash, one without.

 

[wax32]

Yes that is a Lobo jumpfrog