Will all hermit crabs eat snails?

[msudawgs56]

Are there any hermit crabs i can get that wont eat snails? I want a good mixture cleaner crew but would hate to buy a hermit prone to eating snails.


Thanks

[sassyfishy]

My scarlet hermits have never touched any of my snails. Still, I make sure I have extra shells lying around for them just in case the urge strikes. ;o)

[PoukieBear]

Crabs are all opportunistic feeders. They will eat snails, but more likely they will kill them for a new home. Your LFS should be able to give you a handfull of emty shells for them to take over once they outgrow the ones that they are in.

Blue leg hermits tend to be more aggressive than the Red legs.

[mejiggery]

yep i'll second that they all may kill snails but red legs seem less likely. provided new homes are available for them.

[trueperc]

I've never seen a hermit accaully kill a healthy snail crusing around for its shell, but if a snail has fallen over and not able to right himself then yes, but you would almost want that wouldn't you ? I part of the food chain.

[slowECUdiver]

just do what i did: buy small hermits. i have 4 cruising around my tank with a dozen snails and no snails have fallen victims to the hermits. FWIW, i went with the zebra hermits (black and white legs) as they were the smallest ones at my LFS and haven't bothered anyone yet, but i made sure to have extra shells for molting season.

[msudawgs56]

Great info..i appreciate the help!

[reverendmaynard]

I second the zebra hermits. They stay pretty small, and IME, won't even hurt each other. I have seen them fight a little from time to time, but I've had 6 for about 6 weeks and they're all still alive.

[MarkD40]

Something eats my snails. I have 10 hermits and a really large coral banded shrimp. Probably the CB but it wouldn't hold up in court.

[jacksonsmom25]

do hermits need a substrate of sand or could I have a couple in a Bare bottom tank?

[Alaskan Reefer]

Crabs eat snails. All crabs eat snails. You don't need crabs. Hermits are especially fond of ceriths snails (shell shape fits them well), which stinks because ceriths are the best all around snail (eat detritus, stir sand, eat algae, eat old food). I had about 100 hermits in my 75 5 years ago. I'm down to about a 15 now in my 125 after transferring over. I won't be replacing them. They don't do anything snails can't do, and snails won't dine on your other livestock. Basically hermits eat old food, snails, and dead fish. Red legs are the tamest, IME, and will sometimes also eat hair algae -- so if an exception is to be made that's a good choice.

Can you tell I don't like snail assassins, errrr hermit crabs? :)