I feed my crabs snails often

[GoLowDrew]

I have two hermit crabs. One blue leg, and one black and white leg.

I recently got 4 replacement snails that are size of a dime, and they are twice the size of the crabs.

Now I lost two more snails, and I found the crabs eating them.

Questions:

1. I've lost a set of snails before. Should I even replace them as part of the cleaning crew? I never really have not had them, so I don't know if they really do help or not. I don't want to buy them for crab food.

2. I know snails are not so smart. One two cases, they fell over, and the crabs get to them because snails have no way to trun them back. Are they "smart snails?"

In a total of two years, I've lost 6. Or is this normal?

 

[Pandora]

1. I would check how your water is doing first off. Snails are inverts that are pretty sensitive to sudden changes. How are you acclimating them when you first get them? People do get 'refresher' cleaner crew kits, but most snails should be able to live a few years in a healthy tank. There are cases where hermits will be aggressive and pull them out of their shells, however... some people don't keep hermits in the reef tank, for that reason.

2. There is no such thing as a "smart" snail in the way that you mean. They've got a simple nervous system; they can "learn" some simple things, like food response behavior, but all the ones I know of have difficulty when overturned if there are aggressive predators in the tank.

In 2 years, I'd say 6 is a bit much.

 

[a4twenty]

crabs are allways a bit hit and miss. the black and white one sounds like a dwarf zebra hermit and is actually a herbivore. the blue legs are omnivores and if they get hungry enough they will go after snails. if your lucky enough not to have any algae for them to munch on you need to give them a little dried seaweed, they'll scavenge for the rest

the real problem with crabs is that their home doesn't grow with them. they see the snail with his shiny new shell and decide that it might make a nice new home. to prevent this i keep about 40 - 50 various sized empty shells in a corner of the tank. when they want a new shell they just go shopping. when a snail dies keep his shell, and your LFS will sell you their empties ( like 5 for a buck )

but to answer your questions snails are a great part of your cleaning crew, if anything you might want to go without the crabs. it sounds like you have astraea ( they can't right themselves ) , which are fine and they don't fall that often. i keep mexican turbo's, banded trochus and astraea for keeping the glass and rock clean. i also have some nassarius and cerith because they'll eat anything. the nassarius are cool to watch at feeding time.

i have a dozen crabs and loads of snails and have no problems. i'm sure a snail or two has meet an evil end, but that's nature.

 

[ONEMANBAND]

I dumped 100 snails in my 90 and a few months later lucky to have 50 alive. the hermits get them, they fall and die cuz the cant flip over, or my coral banded shrimp feels like some fine dining.