[bongobrian]

Does anyone else out there have problems keeping both snails and crabs in the same tank? I currently have 3 emerald crabs and 1 sally lightfoot. I have seen both types of crabs eating snails a couple different times. My snail population is close to non-existant now, I have empty snail shells all over. I'm wondering if the snails are dying first and then the crabs are eating them, or if the crabs are just attacking the snails right off the bat. On the flip side of the coin, I have some huge, bad A$$ crabs that you don't wanna mess with! lol I'm wondering if I should even bother buying more snails, or just get more crabs instead. Will the crabs start fighting?

[naser]

well ive seen my hermits eat the snails then take there shells.

[eses]

I've had various crabs kill and eat my snails. I removed the crabs as they weren't doing as much work as the snails. My brittle stars try to eat my snails as well; I think it has to do with not target feeding them and keeping them overfed. If you let them go on their own they will go after any available food source.

[mrok12]

I have also had my crabs attack snails. I have been told it is for their shell. One way to alleviate this is to have extre shells in the tank. That way they can change when they want to. Blue legged hermits also tend to be more aggressive than the scarlet ones.

MROK12

[bongobrian]

Thanks guys- I don't have any hermit crabs, again, they are emeralds and sally lightfoots. I know the crabs are getting tons of food! they are getting big and fat I give them some caulerpa every couple days, and they go around the tank and each algea off the rocks. I still have a feeling that they are killing the snails instead of the snails dying on their own.