Murderers?!

zexx

zexx

Member
Is it possible that small (less than half an inch) blue leg hermit crabs could be murderers?
I have a set of 6 (out of the original 12) blue leg hermit crabs that I ordered off this site when I started my first tank. They have journeyed with me through 3 tanks and 2 moves. All along the way there have been unexplained MIA's. I always thought it was something else...
But today I found my spotted mandarin covered in all of them, being munched on.
Now, I had seen these buggers try to pick at him while he was asleep, and he had no reaction whatsoever.
I guess it's all part of the food chain..but are my hermits just too aggressive? Could they be responsible for the others?
 
perfectdark

perfectdark

Active Member
Originally Posted by TeresaQ
http:///forum/post/2690319
I'm going to say the mandrine died and the crabs were doing thier job. Cleaning up.
+1 They are opportunistic more then they are predatory. While they wont pass up a meal should it be alive and within their means of killing. Hermits dont communicate collectively and plan an attack. So the odds of 1, 1/2" hermit taking down a healthy mandarin is well none...IMO. If the fish was weak, starving and or dieing, well different story, every omnivore in your tank would take advantage of that.
 
saltn00b

saltn00b

Active Member
Originally Posted by PerfectDark
http:///forum/post/2690358
+1 They are opportunistic more then they are predatory. While they wont pass up a meal should it be alive and within their means of killing. Hermits dont communicate collectively and plan an attack. So the odds of 1, 1/2" hermit taking down a healthy mandarin is well none...IMO. If the fish was weak, starving and or dieing, well different story, every omnivore in your tank would take advantage of that.
+1 to your +1 sir!
 
zexx

zexx

Member
hmm i see... Well, is there a species of hermits known for being more peaceful? Only reason I assume it may have been the hermits doing is because the mandarin wasn't much bigger than then, and they did jump him once or twice while it was asleep, and I had to remove them from him. Ive heard Zebra hermits tend to be better about these things. any idea if this is true?
 
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