Red & Blue Legged hermits...right?

[SouthBayPhoto]

I just thought I'd post up a couple pics of the two hermits I have just to make sure they are what I was told they were when I bought them. They are VERY small. Less than a thumbnail, I'd presume, so don't let the pics or their shells fool ya. Hehehe...

If they are something else, please let me know as I'd like to know what's in my tank, but this is what I was told when I bought them. I was wondering at first if the red legged one was a scarlet hermit because I only saw red before. However, since he's finally now in the open and moves around and I can take pics, I see he has some white on him, so I'm guessing he's a red legged.

Love the coloration of the blue-legged one. Kinda like a bright pale blue with spots. Pretty cool!

Blue Legged:






Red Legged:

[Reefland]

It's hard to tell exactly what they are (other than those generic distinguishments) but they do appear to be normal crabs often bought for aquarium cleanup crews. If that was helpful at all.

[SouthBayPhoto]

Well, I guess that's better than a "Wholly crap! :eek3: Get those out of your tank NOOOOWWWW!!!!" type response.

Well, the good thing is, I only have two, so they shouldn't reek too much havoc.

[TimH07]

i have about 18 of those electric blue hermit crabs, they destroyed my hair algae in 3 or 4 days not a trace left

[Poseidon]

HOLY CRAP GET THOSE OUT!!!! ;)

I personally do not trust ANY crabs at all, so I would really take them out, and just use an assortment of snails.

[SouthBayPhoto]

Well...I look at it this way...I'm going to let them have their fun in the 46 until the 90 is ready. Once the 90 is ready, then I'll probably find out if a LFS will take them and then turn them into them. No sense in any needless deaths going on.

There are many people that mention they don't like crabs. (and not just the personal kind either! ) I was actually hesitant to get them initially, but, of course, the LFS said that I needed them along with the snails. Of course all this info was stated PRIOR to me finding this great wealth of info...sooooo, I know better now.

At least I have pics of the entire tank in case they kill everything off before the 90 is ready.

[Ratpack]

I agree with Poseidon, I wouldn't put them in the new tank. I have a few hermits in my current tank and they do well at eating left overs and cleaning up. Unfortunately they think my snails are leftovers. I have to keep replenishing snails every few months as the crabs kill and eat them for their shells. But if you do move them, you may be OK since it will only be two in a 90g tank.

[Poseidon]

I have ONE blue leg hermit in my tank, he must have came in on a coral or liverock addition. Everytime I see him I get mad.... Cause I never have time to grab him when I see him.

[charlie]

I agree with Poseidon, I wouldn't put them in the new tank. I have a few hermits in my current tank and they do well at eating left overs and cleaning up. Unfortunately they think my snails are leftovers. I have to keep replenishing snails every few months as the crabs kill and eat them for their shells. But if you do move them, you may be OK since it will only be two in a 90g tank.

I have ONE blue leg hermit in my tank, he must have came in on a coral or liverock addition. Everytime I see him I get mad.... Cause I never have time to grab him when I see him.

Crab killers

I can see where you guys are coming from tho, I just got 100 of the micro blue legs from Reeftopia, and those guys are scared of the snails!!!! So far anyways!!!

[Poseidon]

Charlie, they will gang up and lynch a snail, then move on. I wouldn't say it if I hadn't SEEN it with my own eyes...

[charlie]

Yeah, I know Mike, but life goes on. I haven't seen any attack any corals or anything else, so I just kinda live with it.
I will say one thing tho, it is a hoot to watch them try to get around on the BB with the flow that I have.

[SouthBayPhoto]

LOL...I can just see them flying across the bottom of the tank now.

Actually, my blue one has never bothered with any of the Astraea snails. However, the other night when I was taking these photos, the red one was pickin' at the shell of one of them. I didn't want to take a chance (whether he was just pickin' the stuff off the shell or was workin' on killin' the snail), so I moved him away from the snail. Since then I haven't seen him go after any of them.....YET.

[Samper]

I perfonally feel a mix of crabs and snails is the best option but I'm slowly joining the anti crab movement. I've seen them time and time again with upgraded armor..... I didn't put any hermits in the 180 gallon and my snail population is doing rather well. A few months back I put a mixed crew in my 75 and have mostly crabs left.

[TimH07]

what do the hermits eat? particularly the "electric blue" ones.
as stated before, they did an amazing job eating every drop of hair algae i had in a matter of 4 days, but now that that is gone......

[charlie]

what do the hermits eat? particularly the "electric blue" ones.
as stated before, they did an amazing job eating every drop of hair algae i had in a matter of 4 days, but now that that is gone......

Detritus, dead snails, dead fish, just about anything they like!!!

[SouthBayPhoto]

I haven't fed them anything special. They just cruise around the tank or sit on the LR and eat all day. So far, so good.