Clean Up Crew Advice (Crabs Mainly)

[JusJim]

I'm getting to the point to where I need to start thinking about the clean up crew I'm going to purchase.

I have a 65 Gallon with 100# live rock, and plan on having smaller peaceful fish, with a few corals. Maybe eventually a sun coral once I know everything is "alright".

Main question is this. I've seen suggestions in other posts where people suggest some type of hermit crab, while others will say they'd never put any type of crab in their tank.

What are the pros and cons of the crabs, and are they "dangerous" to some fish and/or corals?

TIA

 

[fishinchick]

The ugly part about these guys is that I've found they are a necessary evil.

Without them you get nuisance hair algae and such that you normally wouldnt worry about. They also clean up excess waste. You usually have problems with them bugging things like fish and corals if there isnt enough to feed them - just make sure you feed the little buggers. There are larger types of hermit that can pose problems - just buy from a good LFS and make sure you know what you are buying.

Yes they steal snails right out of their shells. However, keep in mind that most of the snails we put in our reefs are from colder waters and will likely die out in 6 months to a year anyway. Either way you will have to get more snails. So what.

I do not think that you should have a TON of hermits. For a tank the size of yours I'd say about 20 red legs and if you must, 6 or 7 scarlets. I would avoid blue legs because they do tend to be more on the aggressive side. There are also the Hawaiian zebra hermits which usually keep to smaller shells like nassarius snails.



Bite the bullet.

Hope that helps.

 

[JusJim]

So will the snails reproduce like the nuisance snails do in a freshwater tank?

 

[tanker]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6953427#post6953427 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JusJim
So will the snails reproduce like the nuisance snails do in a freshwater tank?

Depends on which ones you buy. Most snail bought at LFS do not reproduce well in home aquariums.

 

[bertoni]

Some snails reproduce in our aquariums, but the crabs are going to be very good at eating the small ones.

I avoid any and all crabs and hermit crabs. I got tired of the predation. I don't miss them, personally.