PDA

View Full Version : Belief in Blue Legs in Reef????


Sohal Tang Tim
10/25/2009, 12:22 PM
I stopped buying crabs for the reef a few years back....
I must admit I miss seeing the little buggers in the tank....they are so cool.

I would appreciate some feedback from others on the subject of wether
you do or do not use them in your reef any longer and your experience with them.....

Thanks alot,

Tim

Acronic
10/25/2009, 01:08 PM
I have about 20 scarlets, three blue legs and two left handed hermits in my 75. Ive never had a problem with the scarlets or the blues but thoes darn left handed hermits cause trouble. Always stealing food from corals and perched in my SPS colonies. They climb up the SPS and get stuck in them, everyday i have to take one out. grrrrrr

Ehaze
10/25/2009, 01:12 PM
I have about 50 dwarf blue lets, and about 10 sally lightfoots in my SPS 75, 4 pep shrimp, long spine black urchin. nothing bothers my corals.

I wish they would kill my zoas, I think I paid over 500$ in (rare slow growing, ALL LIES, all zoa/pally grow too damn fast!!) zoa/pally frags, and now I can't stand them...

D2838
10/25/2009, 01:19 PM
I've had mostly bad luck with blues eating coral, not much trouble with the the scarlets though. Most of the experts I've read such as Fenner and Calfo usually state reefer beware with any hermit.

Zire
10/25/2009, 01:38 PM
I have one black/blue legged hermit, I finally made the decision today to throw him in the sump. After dealing with him crawling all over corals, sometimes knocking them over and killing a turbo snail for its shell over the last two months I've decided it isn't worth the trouble. So, no more hermit crabs for me.

Peter Eichler
10/25/2009, 01:47 PM
The Cortez red leg hermits are model citizens in my experience, and I've been keeping them in reefs since they became available in the hobby. Blue legs are a little more rowdy but typically harmless. In general I think hermits get blamed for a lot of snail deaths and things in general that they have nothing to do with.

echo29
10/25/2009, 01:55 PM
I have both blue legged and scarlet in my 72 gallon reef for the past four years and never a problem.

Saltyllama
10/25/2009, 02:01 PM
I've got 15 or so blue legged in my 90. Never had an issue. Emeralds are trouble makers though.

Chihuahua6
10/25/2009, 02:07 PM
I haven't had hermits for a couple of years now. I feel that they really don't benefit the tank in any way.

luther1200
10/25/2009, 02:08 PM
I have about 5 Scarlets in my 65. They don't bother anything. But I don't know if I am going to replace them when there time comes. I used to have about 20+ of all different types. I never really had a problem with them, but I still don't think I am going to get more.

luther1200
10/25/2009, 02:13 PM
I have about 5 Scarlets in my 65. They don't bother anything. But I don't know if I am going to replace them when there time comes. I used to have about 20+ of all different types. I never really had a problem with them, but I still don't think I am going to get more.

dwculp
10/25/2009, 02:16 PM
I used to keep 20-30 mini blue legs in my 40 gallon breeder, I loved their activity. I only had minor problems with them such as occasionally killing a snail for its shell. My next reef tank will have mini blue-legs hermits.

lordofthereef
10/25/2009, 03:54 PM
I ahve seen blue legs, red legs, brown legs, you name it go after my snails. They won't all do it, some of them are cool. Now I just pluck the "mean" ones out and toss them in the fuge.

mcarroll
10/25/2009, 04:03 PM
:thumbdown:

They are cool, no doubt, but in a reef supposedly dedicated to corals (YMMV here) I think their net effect is bad.

If any, I would add one or two per 30 gal and they'd be (regularly returned and replenished) as small as I could get them.


Personally, I'd rather have Cerith snails.

-Matt

EllieSuz
10/25/2009, 04:33 PM
I think the Scarlets are much less aggressive than the Blue Legged. They bicker amongst themselves but don't bother corals, other inverts or fish in any way.

Acronic
10/25/2009, 04:54 PM
The Cortez red leg hermits are model citizens in my experience, and I've been keeping them in reefs since they became available in the hobby. Blue legs are a little more rowdy but typically harmless. In general I think hermits get blamed for a lot of snail deaths and things in general that they have nothing to do with.


Thank you for posting this, I thought i had scarlets but in fact they are Cortez red legs. Very nice hermit never had any troubles. Learn something new every day!