Really add 1 hermit crab per gallon???

[Dcozine]

I have seen several different sources indicate a tank should be stocked with 1 hermit crab per gallon. I have a 125-gallon display tank - 125 hermit crabs seems like overkill. Wouldn't they cover every surface? I could see 25 or 30, perhaps. Should I really be targeting 125?

I would also like to have a variety on my cleanup crew - emerald crabs, various shrimp, starfish, etc. Does the 1 hermit per gallon take into account other inverts?

Please help me understand the recommendation and instances where it may or may not apply, and what other considerations I should take into account when figuring out my overall target hermit crab population.

Thanks!

 

[Saltyreef]

Some say, you dont even need hermit crabs.
I would only add a few. Even 10 in a 50+ gallon tank is overpopulated IMO.

 

[Peter_in_the_city]

Whatever works for your tank is what you should go for. If you're looking for a great starting point. I'd go to reefcleaners.org and buy a package that is close to your tank size. It looks like they package about 30-ish hermits in their 120 gallon kits.

 

[danzig]

In my opinion, all vendors are going to say you need more clean up crew than you really need. Do independent research

 

[IKD]

That doesn’t make sense to me either. The hermits stay on a surface so I would think your surface area (floor, rocks) is more important than gallons of water in the tank.

 

[Saltyreef]

Whatever works for your tank is what you should go for. If you're looking for a great starting point. I'd go to reefcleaners.org and buy a package that is close to your tank size. It looks like they package about 30-ish hermits in their 120 gallon kits.

Reefcleaners didnt recommend any hermits for my custom clean up crew package.

I think unless youre trying to eradicate something specific theyre not needed to a great extent.

 

[Dcozine]

Thanks all, these responses all validate my intuition. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something obvious to experienced folks that newbies like myself wouldn't think to consider.

 

[Rmckoy]

I thought it was 1 crab and snail per 10 gal
Which makes a little more sense .

in my 230 I added 20 hermits but think I might have 10 left .
and 6 Mexican turbo snails

 

[Mooneyhan22]

I would recommend paying a little more and getting scarlet hermits if you do add them. They are the only well behaved ones I have ever had. All the other guys seem to only be after one thing... your snails.

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

I thought it was 1 crab and snail per 10 gal
Which makes a little more sense .

in my 230 I added 20 hermits but think I might have 10 left .
and 6 Mexican turbo snails

You have 6 snails in a 230? I have literally 30 in a biocube 32. Different varieties but they all do fine. No mexican turbos though. Just nassarius, astrea, ans cerith

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

I would recommend paying a little more and getting scarlet hermits if you do add them. They are the only well behaved ones I have ever had. All the other guys seem to only be after one thing... your snails.

Zebra hermits are too. I hate the blue legs though they eat everyone

 

[Rmckoy]

You have 6 snails in a 230? I have literally 30 in a biocube 32. Different varieties but they all do fine. No mexican turbos though. Just nassarius, astrea, ans cerith

The Mexican turbos I have are the size of crab apples .
Roughly 1.5” dia

 

[Fishingandreefing]

NO!!!!!!! And don’t even add any hermit crabs either. I wish I did my research or someone told me, hermit crabs will kill all your snails. Get a couple of sifting start, couple conch, maybe 25 of nassarius snails, 15 trocus and 10 turbos, you’re set!

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

The Mexican turbos I have are the size of crab apples .
Roughly 1.5” dia

Jesus lol.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Jesus lol.

That’s nothing. Mine is 2” and I have seen larger.

 

[LegendaryCG]

Well while I do think the recommended cuc packages are usually sized a little big, a lot of new tanks struggle with algae and the difference between having a succesful reef or quitting in frustration can just be having enough cuc to get you past the uglies.

 

[Rmckoy]

That’s nothing. Mine is 2” and I have seen larger.

I was told they get roughly the size of a large crab apple

 

[vncvr1982]

NO!!!!!!! And don’t even add any hermit crabs either. I wish I did my research or someone told me, hermit crabs will kill all your snails. Get a couple of sifting start, couple conch, maybe 25 of nassarius snails, 15 trocus and 10 turbos, you’re set!

Did you offer an assortment of empty shells for your hermits to move into? If you don’t they will kill your snails for their shells. If you have empty shells in the tank they will opt for those and leave your snails alone.

 

[Rmckoy]

Did you offer an assortment of empty shells for your hermits to move into? If you don’t they will kill your snails for their shells. If you have empty shells in the tank they will opt for those and leave your snails alone.

If the snail is close .
Hermits are ruthless and will kill just to try their shell on .

 

[sbreefco]

You can't really use "x" number of crabs per gallon as different crabs eat different things and get to different sizes, plus every tank is different.
It's 100% true that most clean up crews are oversized, I can't speak for anyone else, but for us, this is because most of the time when people reach out to buy a clean up crew is because they have a problem and need more "help" then they would had they started with a crew.
I always suggest reaching out to your supplier, tell them what you're looking for, they should be glad to help you get exactly what your looking for.