Hermit Crab Attacking Snails/Other Hermits

[Jeebs]

I have a hermit crab that has gotten quite aggressive the past couple of days. He seems to be actively seeking out everything with a shell - including other hermits, turbo snails and conch snails. Using the search function it seems that crab v snail wars can happen at random but this thing won't quit. Is this a sign that it is in need of a larger shell? Should I throw a few in there just for good measure?

Thanks!

[BigGimp77]

This is defiantly not uncommon. Throwing some larger shells in the tank may help the situation, but it's not guarantee. This is why some people don't stock hermit crabs in their tank.

[SushiGirl]

Definitely add some shells & also make sure it's getting something to eat besides its tankmates. You'd probably eat your roommate if you were starving LOL.

[jpsnaps]

I had this problem with blue legged hermits. They went around killing all my snails regardless of leaving a pile of shells in the tank. I got tired of replacing snails so I got rid of all the hermits. Snails do a better job anyways. I may try a scarlet since I read they are very peaceful, but they do get large.

So yes, leave a bunch of extra shells for him to change in to and hope he stops.

[dwd5813]

pretty much par for the course, ime. i bought a dozen blue legs and they were all relatively small when i got them. i also had a bunch of ceriths that i collected and over time i noticed that many of my ceriths had 'donated' their shells. you can try leaving spare shells around but there's no guarantee it'll be those shells that interest the hermit.

[dkanka]

The best way to deal with hermit crabs is take a hammer and smash em. Me and my friend call them murdercrabs due to their slaughter of my snails. Needless to say, I no longer have any in my tank.

[stevie-o]

get some seaweed paper roll it up, and rubber band it to some rubble rock just in case they are not getting enough to scrounge on

[Sk8r]

I've never lost a snail to a crab. I do keep extra shells in the tank---but I have never seen this behavior in crom-many years of reefkeeping. Not that I doubt it happened. I think sometimes a 'wrong' species of crab gets into the system. Pick scarlet hermits: no mistaken id with those, and they're pretty well-behaved.

[SushiGirl]

I've never lost a snail to a crab.

I suspect I lost one in the last 10 years to a crab, but I wasn't home for a week so I have no proof. Never lost any others to crabs, though. I keep the crabs fed. I can't imagine putting something alive that requires food into my tank and then not feeding it...

[daddy2kids]

I have hermit crabs as part of my clean up crew, CUC. I really don't want to have to feed them. Sounds like what I am hearing is that blue hermit crabs seem to peacefully take care of themselves (not require specific food and don't murder snails and smaller hermits) as long as they are smaller. This seems to be a common theme on a lot of threads, but I don't see specific suggestions on when they cross over. Any thoughts on when a blue hermit crab becomes not so reef-safe? I assume half-inch blue hermits are safe; that's what I buy and see lots of web sites selling. Are they still ok at 3/4ths of an inch? One inch? An inch and a quarter?

How about crimson hermits and red hermits? Are these the same thing or are there red legged hermits that are different from crimson legged? Reading a bunch of posts, it seems like that are fairly safe no matter how large they get. Is that everyone's experience?

[Virtuoso]

I have hermit crabs as part of my clean up crew, CUC. I really don't want to have to feed them. Sounds like what I am hearing is that blue hermit crabs seem to peacefully take care of themselves (not require specific food and don't murder snails and smaller hermits) as long as they are smaller. This seems to be a common theme on a lot of threads, but I don't see specific suggestions on when they cross over. Any thoughts on when a blue hermit crab becomes not so reef-safe? I assume half-inch blue hermits are safe; that's what I buy and see lots of web sites selling. Are they still ok at 3/4ths of an inch? One inch? An inch and a quarter?

How about crimson hermits and red hermits? Are these the same thing or are there red legged hermits that are different from crimson legged? Reading a bunch of posts, it seems like that are fairly safe no matter how large they get. Is that everyone's experience?

Sk8r suggests Scarlet Hermits, which on LiveAquaria's site are the only hermit crabs named "X REEF Hermits". With those two facts, I will be sticking to the Scarlet Reef Hermits when I order my CUC.

[Jeebs]

As a followup, I lost at least 1 snail to a crab. I know this because I witnessed the battle first hand. By the time I decided to intervene it was to late. There was some pretty decent tissue damage to this snails foot. Another snail died a few days later but did not have the same physical damage the first had and I did not see it happen so I cannot attribute it to the crab in question. The crab was on the snail starting to pick at it but thats it.

I put in a few larger shells the next day - one right next to this hyper-aggressive crab. In no more than 30 seconds it switched shells. Life since has been peaceful in Jeeb's aquarium.

[jeff@zina.com]

I don't have issues with hermits, but I also keep spare shells in the tank and tend to drop in some extra pellet food now and then for them.

Jeff

[Tank Time]

The best way to deal with hermit crabs is take a hammer and smash em. Me and my friend call them murdercrabs due to their slaughter of my snails. Needless to say, I no longer have any in my tank.

Yes thats the best way to deal with a crab! The ones that I have that from when I started reside in my sump. Never again in my display.