Hermits in a reef?
- Thread starter Devaji108
- Start date
Xxero
New member
I always include hermits, but nowadays I stick to the Scarlet Reef Hermits only.
Go small on numbers though because they are hardy eaters and can grow surprisingly large. Ex: I have 2 Scarlets in a 20g long and I'm getting ready to take one out. One will more than take care of the 20g.
Plus, I just like them. Hermits have great personalities, and the Scarlets also add a brilliant red to the mix. :bigeyes:
***btw, I like your avatar....literally Avatar :lmao: I have always been fascinated with Babaji.
Go small on numbers though because they are hardy eaters and can grow surprisingly large. Ex: I have 2 Scarlets in a 20g long and I'm getting ready to take one out. One will more than take care of the 20g.
Plus, I just like them. Hermits have great personalities, and the Scarlets also add a brilliant red to the mix. :bigeyes:
***btw, I like your avatar....literally Avatar :lmao: I have always been fascinated with Babaji.
Greybeard
New member
Nope. Had too many problems with crabs of just about any sort. They're simply opportunistic. Figure out something tastes good, and a crab that was 'safe' for years suddenly starts destroying a prize colony.
Porcellanidae, Trapezia, that's about the only 'crabs' I'm wanting in my tank.
Oh, I used to keep a big ugly crab or two as a sump monster... they're great to help keep things clean. I might do that again.
Porcellanidae, Trapezia, that's about the only 'crabs' I'm wanting in my tank.
Oh, I used to keep a big ugly crab or two as a sump monster... they're great to help keep things clean. I might do that again.
Dkuhlmann
New member
Scarlet legged hermits ONLY!!!! Scarlet legged hermits are the only ones that aren't murderous bastards :hammer: They stay to themselves and only fool with algae. Scarlet legged hermits are the only crab of ANY kind that is allowed in my DT. All of my others are in the sump, well whats left of them anyway :lmao: My Emerald crab is now quite HUGE, he is the emperor of the sump LOL
My experience: blue legs are great and never bother anything. Scarlets are murderous bastards. They love eating decorative snails.
Neat thing about hermits is they wear their prey so its not hard to assign blame
Interesting how variable our experience are, makes me suspect its all random and not species specific at all.
Neat thing about hermits is they wear their prey so its not hard to assign blame
Interesting how variable our experience are, makes me suspect its all random and not species specific at all.
FirstContact
Active member
Always had scarlet hermits because they don't seem to go after each other for shells or whatever. Gave up my right to have a clean up crew when I got my Jansen's wrasse.
JohnnyHildo
Member
after seeing the work my emerald crabs do in comparison to a snail i probably won't add anymore once the ones i currently have die off. it just seems like i keep reading how unpredictable they can be.
HammerLover
New member
I only had the smaller blue hermits now. I had a scalet before and it has great personality as well, however stepping on corals is one of their biggest setbacks. My long tentacle plate died when my hermits stepped alot on it.
joshky
Acros & Wrasses
Heliofungia have a bad record of dying in captivity, but I highly doubt it was due to crabs stepping on it. Sorry for your loss nonetheless.
Devaji108
New member
Reef Ruler
New member
I have a bunch of hermits and like them a lot. Sure they kill a snail every now and then, but in my experience it isn't as often or nearly as bad as everybody makes it out to be. I ordered one of the reef cleaner CUC packages and its worked out out great for me so far. Also the order included a decent sized baggie of bigger shells for the crabs as they grow.
Dkuhlmann
New member
My experience: blue legs are great and never bother anything. Scarlets are murderous bastards. They love eating decorative snails.
Neat thing about hermits is they wear their prey so its not hard to assign blame
Interesting how variable our experience are, makes me suspect its all random and not species specific at all.
You are the ONLY person that I've heard say this about scarlet legged hermits.
lifeoffaith
Member
They will likely not behave, no matter how many shells you give them. I had tons in my tank and they still took out snails for the "perfect" shell. I do have two small blue legs in my 24 gallon, but once they die of I will only keep a large variety of snails for clean up. I add shrimp for color and personality.
I'm similarly surprised by the claims that blue legs cause problems. I have a single red hermit who has killed and worn three decorative snails, and a couple dozen blue legs who have never hurt anything.
I suspect mine is just an unusual bastard.
homer1475
New member
My red leg hermits have never attacked a snail for it shell, a little over a year and they are still wearing their original shells(I have several larger ones for them to choose from), even though they have molted several times and are noticeably bigger.
My cleaner shrimp on the other hand, I've seen him flip a large snail over and pull it out to eat it.
My cleaner shrimp on the other hand, I've seen him flip a large snail over and pull it out to eat it.
soulpatch
New member
I like the diversity in my tank. I am ok with snails getting eaten by hermits or my shrimp just as I am ok with the hermits getting eaten by my eventual tusk. What I am NOT ok with is eating of my corals which is why I stay with Porcelin crabs and refuse any others save for in my sump.
I have both blue and red leg hermits and my daughter enjoys seeing them. The tank is for us to enjoy together so if I have to spend an additional $100 or so a year in replacing eaten CUC it is more then worth it for the enjoyment we both get in the tank.
Plus let's be real. Going to the LFS for more CUC is a great excuse to come home with a new coral. The wife already expects the bags for the CUC so she wont question you. Gotta play the game fellas....
I have both blue and red leg hermits and my daughter enjoys seeing them. The tank is for us to enjoy together so if I have to spend an additional $100 or so a year in replacing eaten CUC it is more then worth it for the enjoyment we both get in the tank.
Plus let's be real. Going to the LFS for more CUC is a great excuse to come home with a new coral. The wife already expects the bags for the CUC so she wont question you. Gotta play the game fellas....
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