kiler hermits

[teog]

is it normal for blue leg hernits to kill turbo snails and taje their shell? Ive had about 5 hermits kill snails in the last week and take the turbo shell.

 

[got krabs]

its very possible. turbos are larger than some blue legs so they take their shell as you said. i have margerita snails which are smaller they just dont cover as much of a area as turbos

 

[templar]

Blue legs are simply snail killers as they want their shells to grow. Putting empty shells in the tank will help but still some will still kill the snails for new shells. If you can you could make a switch to scarlet hermits as they aren't as aggressive.

 

[nm reef]

I've seen and heard lots of statements that hermits(red as well as blue) will kill turbo snails......I've got approximately 20 of each in my reef....along with a large assortment of empty shells.....to date this issue has not been a concern in my system...........I would insure that there are plenty of available shells in there though.....but as for hermits being guilty of random murder.....not here....not yet any way

 

[fender]

I have had over 20 blues of various size with cerith, astrea, and mexican turbos. NOT A SINGLE SNAIL DEATH FROM HERMITS. The blues outclean the reds, are not aggressive and have not killed a single occupant of my tank.
Just because you see a blue eating something does not mean it killed it. They are VERY efficient carrion eaters. If something in my tank dies, a blue is usually on it in minutes.
Snails die for lots of reasons and if a blue is eating it, he is just doing what you bought him for - cleaning up.
I also keep about 2 extra shells for my hermits, but even when I did not they were fine.

 

[sonny]

Blue legs will also eat clams. I saw a tank in a LFS with a beautiful Maxima clam, and there were about a dozen blue-leg hermits all around his mantle having dinner. I told the LFS workers and they moved the clam to another tank. I went in there about a week later and saw an empty clam shell in there! They were asking $89. for that clam. I don't want any blue leg hermits in my tank!
Sonny