piccasotrigger
Member
well i put a medium size hermit crab in my aquarium yesterday amd them ttoday i put a small/med tomato clown and the hermit crab ate it does this happen often cause the lfs said that it wouldnt
upset
- Thread starter piccasotrigger
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piccasotrigger
Member
i bought the clown about 1 hour before this happend and i was watching the tank wen the crab grabbed the fish with his claws and started eating him i tried to hit the crab with the net but he just went inside the shell with the fish its been 3 hours and he is still eating it
piccasotrigger
Member
i dunno it is pretty big i dunno wat kind it is tho it is red with white spots and lots of hairs
angus
Member
Without seeing a picture of the crab, you described what is called a White Spotted or Reef Hermit crab. This is not something I'd want in my tank. They can get up to six inches and are very predaceous. They will, and do attack fish, unless the fish are very large.
If it's red with white spots, hairy legs and on the larger size, bring it back to the LFS where you got it. Obviously they have no idea what they sold you. And make them give you another clownfish. They did tell you the crab wouldn't eat the fish, right?
If it's red with white spots, hairy legs and on the larger size, bring it back to the LFS where you got it. Obviously they have no idea what they sold you. And make them give you another clownfish. They did tell you the crab wouldn't eat the fish, right?
buzz
Active Member
Doesn't sound like a medium sized hermit to me...to be able to grab a clown and draw it back into it's shell...sounds like Hermit Kong to me!
question though...you said it's been about 3 hours and it is still sitting there munching on it???? You may want to get it out of your tank...
question though...you said it's been about 3 hours and it is still sitting there munching on it???? You may want to get it out of your tank...
piccasotrigger
Member
ya ithink that is the hermmit crab you mentioned if so can add any nvertys or like damsel fish i hear damsels are kinda agressive and hang out at the top this clown hung out at the bottom
angus
Member
hi picassotrigger-
Yeah, damsels are downright nasty, but still, they gotta sleep if ya know what I mean. The crab is likely to prowl around at night when the lights are off and could trap a fish in it's bolt hole or where ever it sleeps. FYI, Clownfish are actually in the Damselfish family, and depending on what kind of clown you had, can be pretty aggressive themselves. I've been nipped by one of mine before.
I've never seen a crab grab a fish like you described, but considering the cost difference between a crab and a fish, well...If it is a Reef Hermit, I'd get rid of the crab before I got any more fish.
Can you post a pic?
Yeah, damsels are downright nasty, but still, they gotta sleep if ya know what I mean. The crab is likely to prowl around at night when the lights are off and could trap a fish in it's bolt hole or where ever it sleeps. FYI, Clownfish are actually in the Damselfish family, and depending on what kind of clown you had, can be pretty aggressive themselves. I've been nipped by one of mine before.
I've never seen a crab grab a fish like you described, but considering the cost difference between a crab and a fish, well...If it is a Reef Hermit, I'd get rid of the crab before I got any more fish.
Can you post a pic?
piccasotrigger
Member
this is him not mine but this is wat he look likewww.marinedepotlive.com/117377
piccasotrigger
Member
then after going there go to inverts and it is the one that says hermit crab
angus
Member
From the picture on that site, it looks more like a scarlet reef hermit. That one isn't supposed to be a problem with eating fish.
hmmm. There are many different reef hermits, the one I'm talking about is called the White Spotted or Shell-Breaking reef hermit. I attached 2 pictures.
They're reddish, with white spots, and hairy legs. But the main thing is that they are bigger than most hermits, getting to be 5 or 6 inches.
Fish stores get so many different kinds of hermits, in all sizes and all colors, it must be impossible to identify them all.
I can only tell you what I would do in your situation. If a healthy fish was attacked and eaten in front of me by a big hermit crab, no matter what kind, I'd take the crab back.
If you keep him, don't give him any new larger shells to move in to. The larger the shell, the larger the crab will get. :-}
hmmm. There are many different reef hermits, the one I'm talking about is called the White Spotted or Shell-Breaking reef hermit. I attached 2 pictures.
They're reddish, with white spots, and hairy legs. But the main thing is that they are bigger than most hermits, getting to be 5 or 6 inches.
Fish stores get so many different kinds of hermits, in all sizes and all colors, it must be impossible to identify them all.
I can only tell you what I would do in your situation. If a healthy fish was attacked and eaten in front of me by a big hermit crab, no matter what kind, I'd take the crab back.
If you keep him, don't give him any new larger shells to move in to. The larger the shell, the larger the crab will get. :-}
piccasotrigger
Member
ya i think thats a good idea im not gonna give him a new shell i told the fish store if they would take him back but they said no o i dont know wat to do with h him
piccasotrigger
Member
ya i think thats a good idea im not gonna give him a new shell i told the fish store if they would take him back but they said no o i dont know wat to do with h him
supercichlid
Member
ah..i have one of these beasties.
They are called Hairy Red LEgged Hermits, or Whitespot Hairy Hermits.
They WILL eat other fish.
I have mine in with a dwarf fuzzy lion, and i did have a snowflake eel (choked on a rock..see post in agro forum).
He hasnt eaten any fish, but when he first went in, he did chase the lion quite a bit, especially at feeding time...
They can get to 10" long, and i will be getting rid of mine soon..his claws are about 5" long now..
Sorry about your loss..
James
They are called Hairy Red LEgged Hermits, or Whitespot Hairy Hermits.
They WILL eat other fish.
I have mine in with a dwarf fuzzy lion, and i did have a snowflake eel (choked on a rock..see post in agro forum).
He hasnt eaten any fish, but when he first went in, he did chase the lion quite a bit, especially at feeding time...
They can get to 10" long, and i will be getting rid of mine soon..his claws are about 5" long now..
Sorry about your loss..
James
angus
Member
<i told the fish store if they would take him back but they said no o i dont know wat to do with h him
That's too bad about the fish store. Look around for another store, there are good ones and bad ones.
A friend of mine has one of these hermits in a separate 10 gallon tank. He got a cheap sponge filter, tank, light, and crushed coral and it cost him about $25. Took a couple of chunks of LR and used water from his main tank to speed up the cycle. Instant crab home.
It's easy to take care of, just feed him some cut up shrimp a few times a week. He feeds him by hand, using a two foot piece of wooden dowel with a toothpick taped on the end, and sticking the little pieces of shrimp on the toothpick. At feeding time you should see this crab run for the shrimp!
If you don't want him, maybe there's a saltwater fish club near you, and someone there will take him.
That's too bad about the fish store. Look around for another store, there are good ones and bad ones.
A friend of mine has one of these hermits in a separate 10 gallon tank. He got a cheap sponge filter, tank, light, and crushed coral and it cost him about $25. Took a couple of chunks of LR and used water from his main tank to speed up the cycle. Instant crab home.
It's easy to take care of, just feed him some cut up shrimp a few times a week. He feeds him by hand, using a two foot piece of wooden dowel with a toothpick taped on the end, and sticking the little pieces of shrimp on the toothpick. At feeding time you should see this crab run for the shrimp!
If you don't want him, maybe there's a saltwater fish club near you, and someone there will take him.
