Hermit Crab ID
- Thread starter eros
- Start date
I just found this info and it looks like your hermit you have. Dardanus megistos (Herbst 1789), Shell-Breaking Reef Hermit Crab, often sold as the White Spotted. Members of this genus are predaceous, and will gladly consume any fishes they can get their claws on. To six inches. Place with large, aware fishes only. Aquarium and N. Sulawesi pix. The website is http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/arthropoda/crabs/hermitcrabs.htm Hope that helps.
alextheromanian
New member
i had one...when i first started saltwarer...the lfs owner sold him to me even after i told him i wanted a reef...not knowing anyting i bought him...had him for 3 months in a 14gal with a clown sand and some live rock oh and a peppermint shrimp.
he picked at the live rock and when i upgraded to a 29 gal and bought a feather duster he ate it in a second. these guys will destroy your rockwork being so big they move ANYTHING
he became my parents fav wet pet since he had character but i disliked him realising and seeing for myself how destructive they get.
if you want to keep him...add him in a small tank by himself if no take him back to the lfs that sold it to you. its what i did
he picked at the live rock and when i upgraded to a 29 gal and bought a feather duster he ate it in a second. these guys will destroy your rockwork being so big they move ANYTHING
he became my parents fav wet pet since he had character but i disliked him realising and seeing for myself how destructive they get.
if you want to keep him...add him in a small tank by himself if no take him back to the lfs that sold it to you. its what i did
alextheromanian
New member
OH and heres the link to the correct identification of this critter.
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=16&cat=1898&articleid=2111
i believe the other person who relied iddentified him as a scarlet reef hermit which does not have the hair white spots and who also isnt agressive or grow as large
alextheromanian
New member
Re: Hermit Crab ID
your first hint is looking at the rock hes on...its all chipped. he breaks it to eat the coraline off of it
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12978812#post12978812 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by eros
Can anyone tell me what kind of hermit crab this is and if it is reef safe?
your first hint is looking at the rock hes on...its all chipped. he breaks it to eat the coraline off of it
eros
New member
He is very big which is why I wanted him, about the size of a baseball. I am doing a FO 75 gallon with a few polyps and soft corals. Do you think he will eat the corals? If not then I will keep him. I am doing a predator tank so I think he will be ok with the fish. The rocks I am putting in my new tank are very large and heavy so I don't think he will be able to more them.
Here's a video of him crawling around in my 30 gallon.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=A2OR0C9fNZ0
Here's a video of him crawling around in my 30 gallon.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=A2OR0C9fNZ0
eros
New member
Thanks guys. He's very cool in person, freakin huge! I've never seen one so big. He's in my quarantine tank right now and will stay there until I can figure out where else to put him. I'm going to keep him though... somewhere. He's too cool to take back. Maybe I will put him in the 75 gal but glue my corals to his back so he can't eat them. Haha.
