snails or hemits

[rick12]

planning a variety of soft and hard corals. would snails or hermits be better suited for the clean-up crew--

 

[simmons797]

I've always had great luck with snails. While I've never had hermits I've heard that they can kill snails or each other for shells.

 

[rick12]

i have both and i always keep extra shells in the tank and the hermits willing use them and leave the snails alone. it's quite interesting actually, i collect different colours of empty shells and then one day there's the new shells walking about.
i just wondering if the hermits will effect the corals

 

[IHOP]

I never have any issues with hermits and corals. I keep both.

 

[Sk8r]

both.
They can reach different things.
Hermits won't kill snails if they have a choice. They're too lazy about doing in things when there's more attractive food all over. They're scavengers, not hunters, and would much rather have a nice empty shell.

 

[alten78]

Agree with sk8r on getting both. After upgrading to a 75 I had the same fear from past experiences with blue legged hermits going after snails. After six months of only snails in the tank, it just wasn't clean enough so I went ahead and got a handful of scrarlett hermits, what a world of difference they really did make. I don't know if it was just bad luck (or lack of big empty shells)with the blue legged ones before, but I love my scarletts now

 

[henry hill]

I would also go with both. Snails are going to clean glass and hermitts are going to clean substrate.

 

[JENnKerry]

Despite what alot of people say about hermits, the bottom line is that they are outstanding scavengers and no tank should be without them.