Who does NOT have hermits?
- Thread starter earlybird
- Start date
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smartorl
Guest
I have one tank with hermits, the rest without. I actually enjoy the hermits and like to watch them cruise around but have not put them into any of my newer tanks. I have sand sifting starfish, brittle stars, serpent stars, moon snails, nassarius snails, turbo snails, and peppermint shrimp in my other tanks.
dogstar
Active Member
Getting hermits is what I consider a newbe mistake...Its a mistake I made as a newbe too...I have not kept hemits ( or any other crabs ) in my reef for years now, except one thats so big now that none of the snail's shells will fit him so he does not even try to kill them...
dogstar
Active Member
IMO, snails are more valuable in a reef than crabs. Crabs often kill the snails.
They also feed on other micro/macro organisums that ppl also would like to have like pods, starfish and worms, ect...some crabs even kill small fish and shrimps, ect. Most are carnivors and predators...If you like haveing them because they look good then fine, but as clean up crew....I think they do more harm than good in the long term.
They also feed on other micro/macro organisums that ppl also would like to have like pods, starfish and worms, ect...some crabs even kill small fish and shrimps, ect. Most are carnivors and predators...If you like haveing them because they look good then fine, but as clean up crew....I think they do more harm than good in the long term.
earlybird
Active Member
How do you supplement snails? I hardly have any algae just seems like detritus on my rocks mostly and a thin layer of film on my glass. I can't keep more than 7 it seems and I don't know if I'm starving them or the hermits are the cause.
Can I use a veggie clip with some nori? Will astraeas eat off of it?
Can I use a veggie clip with some nori? Will astraeas eat off of it?
donald
Member
I have about 20 blue leg hermits, 2 scarlet hermits, 2 emerald crabs in my 55 my blue legs are so small I don't think they could kill a snail. Plus my snails are big, about the size of a quarter or more. My turbo snails won't touch the substrate so I need hermits that will. I saw an emerald crab today holding one of my turbos, When I looked closer he was eating the alge off its shell. I'm sure the snail didn't like it but he is fine and his shell is sparkleing clean
mudplayerx
Active Member
I always have at least 20 hermits in my 55 gallon tank. They have never killed any snails or anything else for that matter. It could be luck but in 2.5 years I doubt it.
Just visit the pet store every couple of months and buy a handfull of assorted size shells and dump them into the tank.
I could never do without hermits. They eat up the scraps that my fish/corals miss and they are hilarious to watch. I love when one falls on its back and takes 20 minutes to flip over because it is so paranoid it keeps darting back into the shell.
Just visit the pet store every couple of months and buy a handfull of assorted size shells and dump them into the tank.
I could never do without hermits. They eat up the scraps that my fish/corals miss and they are hilarious to watch. I love when one falls on its back and takes 20 minutes to flip over because it is so paranoid it keeps darting back into the shell.
misteri2c
New Member
I have a hermit , had him about 5yrs , started runing out of shells only have 2 saltwater fish stores in this 100 mile aera.he is now about the size of a base ball any help on trying to find some larger shels would be great. I only have one sheel left , they say they will die if they dont have a shell to live in?? I have in a tank by his self , too big knocks over my other rocks and corals in my 2nd tank email me if you know where I can get some more shells
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earlybird
Active Member
Originally Posted by misteri2c
I have a hermit , had him about 5yrs , started runing out of shells only have 2 saltwater fish stores in this 100 mile aera.he is now about the size of a base ball any help on trying to find some larger shels would be great. I only have one sheel left , they say they will die if they dont have a shell to live in?? I have in a tank by his self , too big knocks over my other rocks and corals in my 2nd tank email me if you know where I can get some more shells
etlouis@msn.com
Google Sea Shell City.
I have a hermit , had him about 5yrs , started runing out of shells only have 2 saltwater fish stores in this 100 mile aera.he is now about the size of a base ball any help on trying to find some larger shels would be great. I only have one sheel left , they say they will die if they dont have a shell to live in?? I have in a tank by his self , too big knocks over my other rocks and corals in my 2nd tank email me if you know where I can get some more shells
etlouis@msn.com
Google Sea Shell City.
mudplayerx
Active Member
A hermit crab that large is not of the reef-safe species. It will probably eat corals, snails, clams, and fish it can catch.
jc74
Member
Originally Posted by donald
I have about 20 blue leg hermits, 2 scarlet hermits, 2 emerald crabs in my 55 my blue legs are so small I don't think they could kill a snail. Plus my snails are big, about the size of a quarter or more. My turbo snails won't touch the substrate so I need hermits that will. I saw an emerald crab today holding one of my turbos, When I looked closer he was eating the alge off its shell. I'm sure the snail didn't like it but he is fine and his shell is sparkleing clean
That's why I have snails and hermits. The turbos like you said don't go to the bottom and all of my hermits are small algae eaters.
I can't picture one of them being able to kill a turbo snail. The snail has a flap it can close to the opening of its shell that the little hermits most likely won't be able to crack.
I have about 20 blue leg hermits, 2 scarlet hermits, 2 emerald crabs in my 55 my blue legs are so small I don't think they could kill a snail. Plus my snails are big, about the size of a quarter or more. My turbo snails won't touch the substrate so I need hermits that will. I saw an emerald crab today holding one of my turbos, When I looked closer he was eating the alge off its shell. I'm sure the snail didn't like it but he is fine and his shell is sparkleing clean
That's why I have snails and hermits. The turbos like you said don't go to the bottom and all of my hermits are small algae eaters.
I can't picture one of them being able to kill a turbo snail. The snail has a flap it can close to the opening of its shell that the little hermits most likely won't be able to crack.
earlybird
Active Member
If a snail can't right itself the hermits will get it and can lift that flap after a little while. They all team up. Not sure about mexican turbos but astraea for sure. Normally when I see the snail on his back I'm too late. I placed one on it's back in my tank and within 20 minutes 4 hermits were trying to pry the "flap" open. Given longer time I'm sure they would have gotten it but I didn't wait to find out. I reattached him to the glass.