Dirty Little Rotten Hermits

[sen5241b]

My wife picked up $35 worth of snails the other day and not 48 hours later I look down at one of me new Cerith snails and see little blue hermit crab legs coming out of the shell. :frustrat:

Anyone seen hermits kills snails so fast?

 

[dixiegirl21191]

My hermits try to all the time. I distract them with another food source like frozen mysis and they go running for it.

 

[sen5241b]

My hermits try to all the time. I distract them with another food source like frozen mysis and they go running for it.

Hey dixiegirl, my hermits wait till I leave the room then go for the escargot.

 

[dankolle]

I had the same problem, hermits killed off all of my snails. i just got a new shipment, and not 20 minutes after putting the snails in the hermits were trying to pry them out of their shells. There is plenty of food for them, they just like the taste of snail. So into the sump they went!

 

[RockStacker]

I have been placing empty shells in my tank that range in size from just the same sizes as the current hermit shells and progressively larger than what they have.
The hermits typically will ignore a live target if an empty shell is already free for the taking.
Empty shells lying on the tank floor may seem unsightly, but is better than having your snails killed off by the hermits.

The hermits are also funny to watch when they are too indecisive about what shell to get. They would hop in and out of several shells trying to get the "perfect" fit.

 

[Smitty]

Wow, that's crazy...I've placed each and every one of my crabs in the sump/fuge because I'm tired of their crabby ways.

 

[yote]

That's why we separate the hermits and snails at the store.

 

[jesse]

this has never happened to me......come to think of it i am missing a couple of snails. i just thought it was their time since i have had them for about 9 months now.

 

[cvcdrk]

This is why I refuse to get hermits. Not only are they constantly looking to kill snails but you have to give them larger shells all the time. They're more trouble than they're worth imo.

I have lots of snails and an emerald crab. I plan to get a Reef-safe Red Starfish soon and a few more small snails here and there as I see the need for them but my CUC is pretty set now.

 

[shaneypips]

This has happened to me several times. Well, not me, personally - my shell is still attached!

Anyone know how quickly/frequently hermit crabs reproduce? I'd be worried of running out of shells for them all.

 

[Kelz88]

I dont think they do, not in an aquarium

 

[Bifferwine]

They normally do not reproduce in our systems.

 

[jesse]

come to think of it how fast do they grow because i have had mine for a while now and not once have they changed shells. they seem the same size too. yes there are shells around but they are never used.