Killer Electric Blue Hermit

[energizer28]

I recently purchased 5 giant turbo snails for my tank. From the minute they enter my tank, my electric blue hermit crab turned into a serial killer. He killed and shell jacked one and just killed at ate 2 others. I've never seen this crab this agressive towards another invert. What's the deal? I can't have a turbo snail with an electric blue?

 

[btldreef]

My electric blues were the worst snail killers of any hermits I ever owned.
I've slowly removed just about all the hermits from my tank because after awhile, they'll just kill snails for the pure fun of it.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by energizer28 http:///forum/thread/383061/killer-electric-blue-hermit#post_3347377
I recently purchased 5 giant turbo snails for my tank. From the minute they enter my tank, my electric blue hermit crab turned into a serial killer. He killed and shell jacked one and just killed at ate 2 others. I've never seen this crab this agressive towards another invert. What's the deal? I can't have a turbo snail with an electric blue?

I have to ask....how many EXTRA shells are in your tank? If a hermit can't get out of his shell he will remain and die in it being crushed. They must keep finding larger shells..so your gieat turbo sails was just what they needed.
I agree snails have little protection from hermits. In my tank I feel the hermits do a better job than the snails, so I have hermits.

 

[saxman]

It's not always about the shells...hermits are opportunistic omnivores, and most LOVE the taste of snail meat and often kill snails just to eat them. Blue-legs are on of the worst offenders, IME.

 

[btldreef]

Quote:
Originally Posted by saxman http:///forum/thread/383061/killer-electric-blue-hermit#post_3347453
It's not always about the shells...hermits are opportunistic omnivores, and most LOVE the taste of snail meat and often kill snails just to eat them. Blue-legs are on of the worst offenders, IME.
+1 I also believe that blue legs are the worst.

 

[gemmy]

This is the reason I do not have hermit crabs in my tank. It just seems that they will take any opportunity to kill of any snail they can in my tank.

 

[energizer28]

This hermit crab didn't bother the other types of snails in my tank. He has killed 4 out of the 5 turbo snails thought. He must like the meat because there are plenty of shells, large and small in my tank. A year ago I originally had 3 electric blues and now only have one. He probably killed the other two.
Meanwhile, I am still fighting hair algae. The last turbo standing has cleaned the powerheads and often stays on the rock and glass. My Sailfin Blennie and hermit crabs don't seem to want the hair algae. Nitrates are good but I haven't check my phosphates yet. Any other hair trimming suggestions?

 

[btldreef]

They might just be killing the turbos because they are bigger. Bigger snacks are nice sometimes, ya know?
I can't keep turbos in my tank, because the few hermits that I haven't caught yet will kill them everytime.