Meet Desmond

[mng777777]

I bought a few blue legs a couple of weeks ago and got this guy by mistake. I didn't notice till I got them home and started to acclimate. I almost threw him out but I liked him so I figured I would let him stay and just keep a close watch on him. So far he has been pretty focused on algae and doesn't seem the least bit interested in the snails even the astreas sporting the same shell as him. Just thought you might like to see him posing for some pics.

 

[dustin_P74]

there is a reason he is sporting an astreas shell. he isnt focused on the snails now because he doesnt need a new shell. and btw all hermits will go after other hermits or snails when its time to upgrade shells

 

[daugherty]

they will kill other snails but they are good cleaners so if you can handle having to buy more snails every so often then keep them. i have them and i have one large one in my sump.

 

[Ashlee]

I know I'm a newb, but what is it

 

[daugherty]

it is a large hermit crab

 

[d2mini]

Hello, Desmond. Nice to meet you. :)

 

[mng777777]

I know the risk with the hermits, but I like crabs too much. It's a weakness. I enjoy watching them more than most fish. I grabbed a whole bunch of dried empty shells at the LFS and scattered them out of sight on my substrate and I am hoping this will encourage the crabs to play nice. Desmond has stayed on the front face of my LR for over 2 weeks so I can keep an eye on him and so far I am not concerned about it, but we'll see how things go down the road. I think that at this point he has the biggest shell in the reef aside from the turbos and I threw about 7 empty turbos in there so he has no reason to go after a living one with the nice selection I have provided him, not to mention that the two turbos I have are both mammoth sized turbos. I don't think he could even if he wanted to...

 

[NotiReef]

i think sometimes those guys kill the snails for sport :scratchch hmmm...maybe thats why my snails have been jumping outta the tank..grr who knows?
But it is fun to watch those hermits..they are interesting critters!!

 

[daugherty]

oh yes i had one take out a huge turbo that was bigger than a 50 cent peice

 

[mng777777]

I don't want to lose any of my creatures but I don't know if I would be too heart broken if he did get one of my turbos. If I had known about the little brown trail they leave everywhere they go I might have reconsidered the turbos altogether.

 

[yote]

Hermits are kinda cool.But mine always wanted to spend the days sleeping in my corals,which is a no go with me.

 

[Alexander]

yep they are kinda like lazy cats, that are extremely mean. dont wanna be bothered and hang out and sleep. Though i did have one in my 80 gal that ran so damn fast i could not believe it. pretty sure he is dead now

 

[Bifferwine]

I have a giant hermit crab named Claude. You'll be surprised at how fast they grow! Mine lives in a turbo shell that's the size of a plum.