Question about the different types of hermit crabs

[tjnitro]

I have tried to get different types of hermit crabs for my CUC but I was wondering what is the difference between them. There are blue legged, red legged and Scarlett ones that i got. somebody said that they each have something they are good at. Does anyone know the differences? I like to have a diverse CUC. I also have a couple of emerald crabs. I have heard that they can be bad for corals but i have not had a problem yet.

 

[xcali1985]

Don't know the difference between the hermits. However, the emerald crabs are reef safe in general however, theres always exceptions to everything. Most people mistake the emerald picking between the coral polyps as it eating them. Most fish stores will tell you that they are reef safe and my LFS keeps 1 per tank with the corals including frags.

 

[peasofme]

the only crabs that are safe for coral or animals are red leg hermits and scarlet hermits

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by tjnitro
http:///forum/post/3161746
I have tried to get different types of hermit crabs for my CUC but I was wondering what is the difference between them. There are blue legged, red legged and Scarlett ones that i got. somebody said that they each have something they are good at. Does anyone know the differences? I like to have a diverse CUC. I also have a couple of emerald crabs. I have heard that they can be bad for corals but i have not had a problem yet.

All hermits eats algae, the nasty brown stuff that looks so bad...red legs have a nastier attitude than blue legs. It really doesn't matter, the crabs will be less likely to fight if you have extra shells...they will kill the snails for their shells if they need too.
Emerald crabs like green algae, and sally lightfoot crabs like both, but when mature, according to my book, they may eat corals too.

 

[scsinet]

Most crabs and shrimp are opportunistic feeders.
If you put too many of them in a tank and they run out the food supply, they'll eat whatever they can to survive, including each other, and their hunger will embolden them to make grabs for fish, much larger counterparts, etc.
Most people pile them into tanks until all of the nuisance algae and such disappears, but all this does is make them desperate. In the end, if you establish quantities that take care of most, but not all, of the cleanup, everything will work much better, and you can be less careful of what specific types you have.