Hermit crabs?

[Sophie"s mom]

So I am building my CUC, and curious what others think about hermit crabs. Some swear by them while others say stay away. I do love the benefits of multiple snail species, and I am concerned about hermits becoming murderers. Some say it happens due to lack of feeding, while others say it is about shells, while others say hermits can just do it “because”. So what are y’al’s experiences on this subject?

 

[Narideth]

I have three tanks with hermits and snails in each. Astrea and nassarius, with blue legged hermits. I keep extra shells in all of my tanks, and I try to make sure some food reaches the bottom for the various critters I have that eat things there.

As far as I can tell, I haven't ever lost a snail to a hermit, but crabs are opportunistic feeders in general. I don't doubt that it happens but so far even with fully grown blue legged hermits in one of the tanks, none of them have 'donated' a shell. My hermits seem to prefer the longer spirals rather than the short squat shells of astrea even though I have both scattered around empty for potential housing.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I don't find they are murderers lol, they usually leave snails alone.

The problem with hermits is that they might go for corals. I saw them myself munching on a few corals in my tank. This is a much bigger concern than them killing snails.

 

[kevgib67]

I have both dwarf red and blue legged hermits with zero problems with snails or corals. I’ve scattered shells on the sandbed and a few have been utilized but most prefer cerith shells.

 

[exnisstech]

My blue legs that I see during the day spend most of their time killing all the cerith snails or just stuck together trying to kill each other. They don't seem to bother trochus and astrea snails. If I look at night I see quite a few more out grazing so I probably just have few troubles makers. I do have some that tend to hang out and rest on hard corals but I haven't noticed any damage.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

My blue legs that I see during the day spend most of their time killing all the cerith snails or just stuck together trying to kill each other. They don't seem to bother trochus and astrea snails. If I look at night I see quite a few more out grazing so I probably just have few troubles makers. I do have some that tend to hang out and rest on hard corals but I haven't noticed any damage.

Well, that alone would stop me from getting any then because I do love my little ceriths. Thank you for your input. I think at the end of the day, it is just a risk we decide to either take, or not.

 

[exnisstech]

Well, that alone would stop me from getting any then because I do love my little ceriths. Thank you for your input. I think at the end of the day, it is just a risk we decide to either take, or not.

I know I should probably toss extra shells in but they become a pain and get stuck in the hose when trying to vacuum.

 

[PeterErc]

The big claw hermits, blue knuckle, orange claw etc, are confirmed killers.

Blue leg IME are fine although their new home could be at the expense of another’s.

I am not sure the compete life cycle.

The smallest I have found are in dwarf Planaxis shells amongst the masses of snails.
Next size up is the dwarf Cerith shell.

From there it’s game on. Any shell, whelk, auger, stocky cerith etc. any shell of appropriate size for their body that makes them happy. I once had a blue leg in a feather duster tube. That was a funny to see.

So, as they grow they need bigger shells which is unfortunate for the snail. Flat out killers to hunt and kill, not in my experience. They may sacrifice a snail to the sun gods and find for whatever reason that it is not a good home.

Once again this is my experience, I have no scientific information to back my observations real or fancied