Hermit crabs? Pro or Con?

[snorvich]

I am interested in viewpoints. I am starting to think I don't want them in my reef tanks.

 

[davocean]

I don't like them, they pick at too many good things like snails IME.
My CUC is all snails w/ the exception of a couple emerald crabs.

 

[lordofthereef]

There are some that will eat nuisance algae that snails refuse to touch. For that reason, I like them.

 

[ludiNano]

I got so tired of them swarming my Lps during feeding I took them out. And never saw any ill effects. From my understanding ( and I've never gone diving inns reef to know) but these small hermits arnt even on reefs.

 

[UnoZeus]

They don't bother me much. Occasionally one will nab a snail but I consider it natural. They are also entertaining to watch. Any other negatives other than picking on snails?

 

[snorvich]

Mine knock stuff off (corals). I am also unsure they really add value. I am now thinking snails and fighting conchs.

 

[aquaph8]

I took mine out during an interceptor treatment over a year ago and never put them back. I found regardless of having empty shells in the tank they always took out my snails over time. Im much happier with a couple conchs and a bunch of tonga nassarius.

 

[cloak]

I think hermits crabs do have a place in a reef aquarium, but not at the ratios most people keep them at. One scarlet hermit to every 25 gallons has worked well for me. There's plenty of time and space between snail & hermit crab encounters this way.

 

[Faye]

I live to add diversity to my tank, so Ilike them. But they can really be a pita, especially when you watch them crawl on acros and pic around zoanthids. I do like watching them eat through the sand though. As long as you make sure your turbo snails are upright, they really wont bother snails IME.

 

[RJT]

Crabs; whether its red, blue or emerald are opportunistic. It is natural for this to occur but why would you want this in your tank? I use ceriths, neriths and nass snails which keeps my tank cleaner then when I had crabs.

 

[Lynnmw1208]

I don't really mind them. They do a good job at cleaning the food that falls to the bottom. Of course I only have 6 in my 125, but it's enough I think. any more than that and they'd be all over the corals. So far mine have only taken the empty cerith snail shells I left for them.

 

[NYCBOB]

i like the red scarlett hermits. they r much more peaceful and useful. the blue and red legged ones are annoying.

 

[Seahorse NJRC]

I don't like them. They kill snails for sport.:headwally:

 

[btsd]

I like hermits, but don't really care what they eat and if they eat my snails although as far as I know they haven't killed any snails so far.

 

[rancoo]

The ones I hate are the zebra ones, they are crazy and are always attacking something or another. I have 6 different kinds and the rest are fine except the zebra ones.

 

[b0bab0ey]

I was determined to make due without hermits this time around. Snails only. But I got tired of constantly siphoning the detritus off the sand. So I got a few blue & some red. They put a dent in the problem but I'm still not 100% convinced I really need them. Especially since I've now discovered the sand cleaning master, a Fighting Conch. I'm pretty sure my hermits have killed at least a few of my snails as well. My game plan is to get rid of them as they get bigger and try to maintain things without them once they're all gone.

 

[12BRAVO]

I like to see and watch the hermits in my tank. They do fight but I have not seen them killing my snails. I keep extra shells of various sizes so they will not have to kill for a larger shell. They seem to be doing an excellent job of cleaning all the nooks and crannies in the rocks that the snails can't get to. I do have a sand sifting star and a few tonga nassarius snails to keep the sand stirred.
I have Scarlet, Blue Leg and a few unknowns that are tan to dark green in color.
My favorite is the Electric Blue. It is rather large. It has been in my tank going on three weeks now. It changed shells on the first day. I wonder about his habits. He does pick and clean quite a bit but lays still and sometimes hides for days. Does anyone have one of these and can you tell me if this is normal for this kind ? Don't mean to highjack the thread.

Here is a pic.

 

[shifty51008]

I don't like them, they pick at too many good things like snails IME.
My CUC is all snails w/ the exception of a couple emerald crabs.

+1

besides the diff. variety of snails, tiger tail cuke, and 2 emerald crabs I leave all other crabs out of the mix.

 

[shifty51008]

I keep extra shells of various sizes so they will not have to kill for a larger shell.

IME they will kill regardless of extra shells in the tank or not.

 

[tgray3]

I got rid of all my hermits when I added a large rainbow wellso. As soon as it was fully inflated the hermits would climb on top of it. I was worried they would damage the wellso so one of them had to go......The hermits lost and are now in friends 'fuge.