I'll show you mine if you show me yours (hermits that is)

[jhull]

I have recently purchased some "reef safe" hermits. I have taken some photos and would like to get opinions on them. I'll start off with the ones I've had the longest without issues so far.


Zebra - So far no issues, they seem to be better algae grazers than blue legs. I've been told that they may cause issues when they get larger.
http://i20.*******.com/2qjfv3t.jpg

Unknown (red stripe) - I only have one of these. He seems to be nocturnal, and has left all my corals alone.
http://i20.*******.com/23k9oqv.jpg

Unknown (fuzzy white) - He is one of the most proficient hermits I've seen at eating algae.
http://i23.*******.com/116m7ad.jpg

These next are new to me:

Green Leg - They seem to be OK. I have seen them eat green hair algae.
http://i24.*******.com/i4r6nl.jpg

Halloween - So far they seem OK. They prefer to scavenge food.
http://i24.*******.com/33n945f.jpg

Unknown (left handed) - Algae eater from what I've seen.
http://i24.*******.com/mtbdya.jpg

Unknown (white stripe) - I only have one of these guys. Came in with a shipment of blue legs.
http://i21.*******.com/15qyiph.jpg

I would love to hear experiences and pictures of hermits would be great too.

[ionredline0260]

My electric blue
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-9/826985/102_7665.JPG

[tanker]

All I have are common scarlets. :(
Have never bothered anything. coral, snails, cuce, ect.

[fishytime1]

I will play.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o19/fishytime/IMGP0910.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o19/fishytime/IMGP0787.jpg
Not a hermit , I know, but its crabby.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o19/fishytime/IMGP0786.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o19/fishytime/IMGP0547.jpg

[ClayWagner]

Crazy freakin hermits...

[mindsgoneawol]

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa170/Mindsgoneawol/DSC_0021.jpg

i have 5 of these in a 10 gallon by themselves .. for the moment anyway. going in a bigger tank hopefully soon. this pic is before i put some live rock in for them

[ACBlinky]

jhull - those are amazing photos! You've got a great collection there. I adore hermits, I think they're the teenage hoodlums of the reef world. There's nothing like watching five or ten hermits get together to play King of the Castle (read: climbing to the top of a rock, then throwing each other off said rock).

The last hermit you listed will grow fairly large AFAIK. I had one that grew to about 1" or so, but then he was killed by a mantis. The zebra (aka Hawaiian left-handed hermit) will get fairly large as well - not like an electric blue, but I've seen them the size of a big marble or so.

Here's a picture of my electric blue - he was sold shortly after this was taken, to someone with a large tank who wanted a BIG hermit :D
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a21/ACBlinky/Misc/EB_hand.jpg

This is one of my favourite hermit pics - a lazy, lazy little scarlet that sat still SO long (at least 10 hours) that a stalk of Xenia attached to its shell. It worked its way free soon after I took the picture, but it sure was funny while it lasted!
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a21/ACBlinky/Misc/stuck_crab.jpg

Two zebras - one a little lazier than the other:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a21/ACBlinky/Misc/hermits.jpg

[Ritten]

Those are great pictures. I had a halloween that got way to big for my taste. He knocked over everything. He was cute though. That second to the last hermit looks like a spider. I don't like him. I really like the first photo - a zebra I think. I agree, great collection and fun pictures.

[SSalty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10919172#post10919172 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ionredline0260
My electric blue
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-9/826985/102_7665.JPG
Looks like your electric blue already got a hold of a snail shell.

[reef2]

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g94/jjrome123/Picture004.jpg

[melev]

Here are a couple from my nano.
http://melevsreef.com/pics/07/08/electric_blue_0818.jpg

I don't know where this guy came from, nor what kind he is. I found him in the back of my reef, and thought he was cute.
http://melevsreef.com/pics/07/09/hermit1.jpg

http://melevsreef.com/pics/07/09/hermit_macro.jpg

[jasondon]

Quick question about your guys's hermits. I have a couple blue leg crabs in my 20G (soon will be moved to my 60 being built), and my hermits dont seem to last real long. The latest couple I have seem good, although they will be active for a couple days, then hide for a couple (molt I suspect). Have not had any last more than a couple months. Lord knows there is enough alae for them to eat, am I doing something wrong?? Is this normal?

[melev]

Invertebrates don't do well if the water quality is poor. I've had hermits for well over a year, if not longer. The one I just posted has been in my reef for who knows how long, and I discovered it one day while cleaning behind the rockwork. It was moved to the Nano where I could enjoy seeing it.

[rkelman]

Here's one of my Halloween's.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a329/rkelman/Aquarium%20Pics/mini-IMG_0843.jpg

[jhull]

Love those Pics Keep them coming

Tanker - I have some Scarlets I agree they were Very delicate with corals. Unfortunatly they seem to get bullied by the more active ones. Here's a pic of one of mine before I gave him away.
http://i23.*******.com/30kzkns.jpg

mindsgoneawol - Do you know the name of those?

ACBlinky - Thanks, still learning how the camera works.

reef2 - Great pic, do you know what its called? I have one but would like to get more.

jasondon - Check you water, when I started out I was using a swing arm hydrometer. It was way out and as a result my SG was at 1.019 not 1.025 like the meter said. I lost many inverts. I now use a refractometer.


rkelman - That looks different then my halloween, namely mine is even handed. Are there two kinds or did I miss identify mine?

[risika67]

I'll have to take a few pictures of mine.

As far as hermits lasting long, I've had one for almost 3 years. He is the biggest in my tank - took a turbo snail and killed it for his shell which he now parades all over the tank...

[GeckoPSU]

Heres my standard Scarlet
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l217/GeckoPSU/IMG_1222_3.jpg

[reef2]

jhull- i have no idea what kind he is. i bought a couple dozen blue legs at the store one time and he was in the bag. he is cool looking though. he looks just like the one u posted but instead of black he is blue.

[rkelman]

I don't know Jhull he was labeled "Halloween Hermit" at BA but you know how they are... I have about 6 of them and they are great.

[ionredline0260]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10920021#post10920021 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SSalty
Looks like your electric blue already got a hold of a snail shell.
He came in that shell. I have him in a 10G crab only tank.

[jasondon]

Thanks guys. I have just recently got a refractometer, my swing arm was not accurate enough. I do water changes weekly but I do find it somewhat difficult with the 20G. My 60 will be much better (hopefully) keeping things stable in that I will have a sump&fuge, and bigger tank.

Thanks again!

[jhull]

Jasondon - Yeah, a larger water volume will help with stability. Auto top off would help with that aswell. I run a ten gallon tank with an top off and have had no issues with crabs. I do need to supplement their scavenging with sinking food as there is not enough forage for them.

[SDguy]

My hermits...only the blue one is still with me....
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p5/SDreefguy/Hermits.jpg

[happyface888]

That blue ones got a pimped out spike shell.

[SDguy]

Yeah, he knows, and flaunts it :D

[blaze98]

cool hermits, they all look great

[gary faulkner]

I like the looks of the Electric Blue, how are they in reefs?
How large do they get and will they knock over things?

TIA

[risika67]

All my hermits have behaved themselve in my reef. My largest has brown legs and I am not sure which kind he is. I love my blue legs though. They seem to do the best job!

[specrn5]

My red hermit, about the size of a tennis ball.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b349/hoyj4111/hermit.jpg

[sixspeed]

Where do you guys get these exotic types of hermits i have never seen half of these.

[jasondon]

Thanks jhull. What type of sinking food do you feed them? Do they actually find it, you would think it would just get lost (filter) or eaten by another critter in the tank.

[mindsgoneawol]

i hand feed mine lace fish. going to get other stuff to try. (squid and such) my hermits will tank fish bits right out of my hand. its pretty neat.

[jhull]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10926063#post10926063 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jasondon
Thanks jhull. What type of sinking food do you feed them? Do they actually find it, you would think it would just get lost (filter) or eaten by another critter in the tank.

I use Formula 1 pellets and finely chopped krill. I feed in the same spot every time. The crabs come running to that spot when I feed. I turn my power heads off so the food doesent move around, otherwise the fish will take it all.

[jhull]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10925974#post10925974 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sixspeed
Where do you guys get these exotic types of hermits i have never seen half of these.

I have purchased all mine from my LFS. Other then the Blue Legs, they are only available sparatically. Some of them are included in orders for blue legs accidentally.

[Nicholas89]

Heres my blue leg, (yeah..i only have blue legs and scarlets around here it seems) But, I named him Bruno.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v353/Nickwillie33/20.jpg

[dyvaeh]

This is Big Blue (electric blue hermit crab from LIveAquaria.com). We've had him since Fall of 2003. He recently started harrassing the snails, so we put him in the fuge and we were going to give him to someone in our local reef club, but he died days before we were able to hand him over. He was HUGE and I actually cried when my husband told me he had died.

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb145/mmandd/2007-9-14007cropped.jpg

[jhull]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10930319#post10930319 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dyvaeh
This is Big Blue (electric blue hermit crab from LIveAquaria.com). We've had him since Fall of 2003. He recently started harrassing the snails, so we put him in the fuge and we were going to give him to someone in our local reef club, but he died days before we were able to hand him over. He was HUGE and I actually cried when my husband told me he had died.



Looks like he was a brute, how big was he.