How Many Hermits Should I Get For My 46 Gallon Bow
- Thread starter blutang
- Start date
up north hermit
Member
The more I read and learn and listen to the experiences of other hobbyists, the more I am understanding that reds AND blues are reef terrorists. They have killed all the turbos in my tank (except for one!) in 8 months. I'll never put them in another reef.
I now lean towards a various assortment of snails. Ceriths, Astreas, Nassarius (for my DSB), etc. I recommend AGANIST too many of any one kind of anything. Since they are specific in their diet, when the food runs out, they are left to kill and scavenge, or, just waste away.
This is just my humble .02.
HTH
Hermit
I now lean towards a various assortment of snails. Ceriths, Astreas, Nassarius (for my DSB), etc. I recommend AGANIST too many of any one kind of anything. Since they are specific in their diet, when the food runs out, they are left to kill and scavenge, or, just waste away.
This is just my humble .02.
HTH
Hermit
billyv
Member
I started out with 50 or so hermits in my tank, but they numbers slowly dwindled to about 10-15. They are always fighting each other, and/or eating my snails. I don't plan on replacing my hermits, and when I finally get a sump, I think I'll throw then in the sump, along with some other creatures that are cool, but not reef safe. P.S. They also knock over corals.
D
diatom
Guest
Well it depends what you're keeping in your tank as tankmates. My recommendation, if you have snails...0.
Most MO places oversell hermits. In nature I think there are found about 1 every 1000 SF of sand surface.
JMO
Brent
Most MO places oversell hermits. In nature I think there are found about 1 every 1000 SF of sand surface.
JMO
Brent
wrigley11
Member
Okay about your 1 to every 1000 SF comment.
You are wrong, I see that you have never been to the Florida Keys. If you have, go below one of the seven mile bridges. You can easily find over 5,000 in a day. Hermit crabs are actually really good for a tank, but I would suggest scarlet, not red legs. I have over 75 scarlets in my larger reef tank and have never seen them kill a snail. Now my blue legs in my agressive tank, I've never seen them eat a live snail, but dead or turned over types are another story. But as long as you make sure they get enough food they are fine.
Since you will ask, put a little seaweed on the floor of the tank feeds the little devils just fine. Also, snails only live about a year or two in a tank because they are at the end of their live cycle when we get them anyways. I have had snails reproduce in my reef tanks many times. Now I have snails from very small to very large and no the blue legs are no making dinner out of the small ones either..
So get the usual amounts of hermits and have fun watching them... they actually due serve an important role.
You are wrong, I see that you have never been to the Florida Keys. If you have, go below one of the seven mile bridges. You can easily find over 5,000 in a day. Hermit crabs are actually really good for a tank, but I would suggest scarlet, not red legs. I have over 75 scarlets in my larger reef tank and have never seen them kill a snail. Now my blue legs in my agressive tank, I've never seen them eat a live snail, but dead or turned over types are another story. But as long as you make sure they get enough food they are fine.
Since you will ask, put a little seaweed on the floor of the tank feeds the little devils just fine. Also, snails only live about a year or two in a tank because they are at the end of their live cycle when we get them anyways. I have had snails reproduce in my reef tanks many times. Now I have snails from very small to very large and no the blue legs are no making dinner out of the small ones either..
So get the usual amounts of hermits and have fun watching them... they actually due serve an important role.
D
diatom
Guest
Blu~
that's what a DSB is for.
wrigley11~
You caught me I sure haven't...those numbers aren't mine but Dr. Ron's...I trust his judgement more then my own. I have been diving in Long Lake (MN) though and you don't see ANY there.
[ November 16, 2001: Message edited by: Diatom ]
that's what a DSB is for.
wrigley11~
You caught me I sure haven't...those numbers aren't mine but Dr. Ron's...I trust his judgement more then my own. I have been diving in Long Lake (MN) though and you don't see ANY there.
[ November 16, 2001: Message edited by: Diatom ]
D
diatom
Guest
Here is Dr. Ron's post about hermits
"I think both of those hermits are fine in reef tanks, if kept at natural densities. This would be about 1 hermit for about 100 to 1000 square feet of tank space. More concentrated that that they will eat a lot of small desireable animals. "
just so you someone else to reference and you kow it's not just me making up numbers.
Notice however he is talking about reef tanks and not FO. If you're not into the DSB thing then this probably doesn't apply.
Bumblebee snails will also eat extra food BTW, but they also are not suggested for a DSB.
HTH
Brent
[ November 16, 2001: Message edited by: Diatom ]
"I think both of those hermits are fine in reef tanks, if kept at natural densities. This would be about 1 hermit for about 100 to 1000 square feet of tank space. More concentrated that that they will eat a lot of small desireable animals. "
just so you someone else to reference and you kow it's not just me making up numbers.
Notice however he is talking about reef tanks and not FO. If you're not into the DSB thing then this probably doesn't apply.
Bumblebee snails will also eat extra food BTW, but they also are not suggested for a DSB.
HTH
Brent
[ November 16, 2001: Message edited by: Diatom ]