Hermits or No Hermits?
- Thread starter kevin34
- Start date
horsin1963
Member
If you have hermits make shure your snails are much larger than they are.. if they are the same size its going to be a dinner and a home for the hermit.. I love my tiny hermits and my very large snails... I stopped buying small snails they dont last very long I watched a hermit kill and eat snail it was just a little bigger than the hermit was. he then took the shell carried it for a short time, to heavy I guess, didnt take him long to change back
reefmate75
Member
hermits all the way...buy them small, and i like the mexican red leg, alittle more costly but well worth the extra price tag, and when you see the hermits fighting each other drop in a few alge discs and they will forget why they was fighting
i have a 135 gallon with about 1000 snails (they are about the size of a pea or smaller) and about 100 blue legs and about 5 scarlets and 20 jade, and 10 or so zebra hermits, i feed them alge (nori, and alge discs)
at night all them little snails come out and cover my glass hahaha
i have a 135 gallon with about 1000 snails (they are about the size of a pea or smaller) and about 100 blue legs and about 5 scarlets and 20 jade, and 10 or so zebra hermits, i feed them alge (nori, and alge discs)
at night all them little snails come out and cover my glass hahaha
angler man
Member
Originally Posted by Kevin34
http:///forum/post/2525417
How many people here have hermits as part of their cleanup crew. If so how many is a good number to have? Have you had any problems with them with snails or corals? If you dont have them why not? Do you have extra snails instead of hermits?
In my experience, it's not so much the color as it is size that determines agressiveness. I had about 50 small bluelegs and 1 large scarlet given to me by my friend. I gave the large scarlet back because he was a snail chomping machine!
Another thing to remember is that snails will simply die, and any hermit that smells decay is going to go after it. Sometimes I wonder if people mistake a clean up as a kill.
http:///forum/post/2525417
How many people here have hermits as part of their cleanup crew. If so how many is a good number to have? Have you had any problems with them with snails or corals? If you dont have them why not? Do you have extra snails instead of hermits?
In my experience, it's not so much the color as it is size that determines agressiveness. I had about 50 small bluelegs and 1 large scarlet given to me by my friend. I gave the large scarlet back because he was a snail chomping machine!
Another thing to remember is that snails will simply die, and any hermit that smells decay is going to go after it. Sometimes I wonder if people mistake a clean up as a kill.
amyandbrandon2
Member
I have a 55 gallon tank with 2 blue legged hermits, 1 scarlet hermit, 5 turbos, and 4 Nass. snails. I haven't had any problems thus far, but I always have extra shells in varrying sizes for the hermits in the case that they decide to get a bigger house. I'm not sure what will happen when I increase my CUC over time, I guess we'll have to wait and see!
bluelobster
New Member
I only have 2 snails left in my tank, my puffer and lobster keep eating them. Anyone have any ideas??
angler man
Member
Originally Posted by Chris2010
http:///forum/post/2533606
Yes you should get them. I have a 275 gallon and only have 20 hermits. Plan to get around 150 at least. Not sure if this is true but are LFS says you should have 1 per pound of live rock/other rock. Someone correct me if Im wrong.
I had 50 in a 92 and it wasn't enough.
http:///forum/post/2533606
Yes you should get them. I have a 275 gallon and only have 20 hermits. Plan to get around 150 at least. Not sure if this is true but are LFS says you should have 1 per pound of live rock/other rock. Someone correct me if Im wrong.
I had 50 in a 92 and it wasn't enough.
chris2010
Member
Originally Posted by Angler man
http:///forum/post/2533633
I had 50 in a 92 and it wasn't enough.
I wouldn't doubt that
http:///forum/post/2533633
I had 50 in a 92 and it wasn't enough.
I wouldn't doubt that
R
rcreations
Guest
I got so many hermits in my tank, no matter where you look, you'll see one. They're great at cleaning my sand and rocks and have never bothered anything.
azfishgal
Active Member
Originally Posted by Kevin34
http:///forum/post/2530290
Do emerald crabs eat dead snails and fish like hermits do?
Yes, this is why I have 5 emerald crabs in my DT and no hermits (but I do have hermits down in my sump
). As a matter of fact I noticed one of my emerald crabs after I put up my moonlights (amazing what you see after the lights go out) and I swear from one leg to the other it was about 3" long!!
I'm sure he's one of my originals so that will make him at least a year old. I don't have any problem with bubble algea and something no one has mentioned is my two cleaner shrimp eat every ounce of uneaten food that gets past the fish. I've had three fish die in my tank and all three were stripped down to the bones (nothing left at all) by my clean up crew (with no hermits) and I actually saw my cleaner shrimp picking the last bit off one of my anthias (may she RIP). I also added a black brittle star 4 months ago, so that is one more member keeping my tank clean.
You of course have to do what is best for you. You will learn what works and what doesn't work, and like I've said before every tank is different. So do whatever works for YOU.
http:///forum/post/2530290
Do emerald crabs eat dead snails and fish like hermits do?
Yes, this is why I have 5 emerald crabs in my DT and no hermits (but I do have hermits down in my sump
You of course have to do what is best for you. You will learn what works and what doesn't work, and like I've said before every tank is different. So do whatever works for YOU.
kevin34
Active Member
Originally Posted by azfishgal
http:///forum/post/2534538
Yes, this is why I have 5 emerald crabs in my DT and no hermits (but I do have hermits down in my sump
). As a matter of fact I noticed one of my emerald crabs after I put up my moonlights (amazing what you see after the lights go out) and I swear from one leg to the other it was about 3" long!!
I'm sure he's one of my originals so that will make him at least a year old. I don't have any problem with bubble algea and something no one has mentioned is my two cleaner shrimp eat every ounce of uneaten food that gets past the fish. I've had three fish die in my tank and all three were stripped down to the bones (nothing left at all) by my clean up crew (with no hermits) and I actually saw my cleaner shrimp picking the last bit off one of my anthias (may she RIP). I also added a black brittle star 4 months ago, so that is one more member keeping my tank clean.
You of course have to do what is best for you. You will learn what works and what doesn't work, and like I've said before every tank is different. So do whatever works for YOU.
Thanks that info helped A LOT.
Going by whats happened to my tank so far I think algae is going to be my main problem (diatoms EVERYWHERE!!!). So more snails would be the way to go right? I was thinking of getting emerald crabs but I think I might get even more now and no hermits. Are bristle stars reef safe? Are there any other more attractive reef safe stars that do a good cleanup job?
http:///forum/post/2534538
Yes, this is why I have 5 emerald crabs in my DT and no hermits (but I do have hermits down in my sump
You of course have to do what is best for you. You will learn what works and what doesn't work, and like I've said before every tank is different. So do whatever works for YOU.
Thanks that info helped A LOT.
angler man
Member
Originally Posted by Kevin34
http:///forum/post/2535104
Thanks that info helped A LOT.
Going by whats happened to my tank so far I think algae is going to be my main problem (diatoms EVERYWHERE!!!). So more snails would be the way to go right? I was thinking of getting emerald crabs but I think I might get even more now and no hermits. Are bristle stars reef safe? Are there any other more attractive reef safe stars that do a good cleanup job?
Just so you know, Emeralds become royal pests when they get big. I'm going to get rid of all three of mine next week. The largest ate one of my polyps right in front of me, they also love to eat coralline algae. If you have a really nice color(coralline) starting it may disappear the next day. I have also watched one tear flesh off my finger leather and had to scare it off. I still find him trying to snag a chunk from time to time.
http:///forum/post/2535104
Thanks that info helped A LOT.
Just so you know, Emeralds become royal pests when they get big. I'm going to get rid of all three of mine next week. The largest ate one of my polyps right in front of me, they also love to eat coralline algae. If you have a really nice color(coralline) starting it may disappear the next day. I have also watched one tear flesh off my finger leather and had to scare it off. I still find him trying to snag a chunk from time to time.
pettyhoe
Member
Hermits will clean anything that is dying in a tank, which ultimately includes snails if they do not get enough to eat (turbo grazers). Thats why people think hermits kill snails so much, and the fact that some do if there are not enough shells in the tank to replace the outgrown ones. I keep a bunch in all of my reefs, I prefer them to snails because they live longer and are more fun to watch IMO.
drewissett
Member
I LOVE my hermits (blue legs), they are fantastic cleaners, and have great personality... I think you said a 125? I would say you could easily do between 30-50 without a problem. I have 8-12 in my 25 gal and love them. They will go after the snails if they don't get enough food, or need a new shell... Two things that you can provide for them.
