Purpose of Hermit Crab

[reefme]

What is the roles of Hermit Crab beside eating left over food?

[jorjef]

My top ten list of what Hermit crabs can do for you.

1- Kill your snails.
2- Tromp all over your corals.
3- Knock frags over.
4- Kill each other.
5- Great for throwing into your sump.
6- Steal food from your LPS corals.
7- Just generally creeping out the wife.
8- Ensure your ailing corals will die.
9- Rip small softies from their rock.
10- Great toys for cats.

[reefme]

Can I put them in the overflow box?

[Leah]

You can have little races with them.... I have built a little race track and often take a few out at a time and see who makes it to the finish line first... and the one that wins gets to live.... and then has a chance at becoming the champion.

[jorjef]

Originally Posted by reefme

Can I put them in the overflow box?

Sounds like a stellar idea Unless you're serious.

[reefme]

My tank is 30" tall so foods left over are trap inside my overflow so that is why i asked is it OK to put one in there.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by reefme

My tank is 30" tall so foods left over are trap inside my overflow so that is why i asked is it OK to put one in there.

Not if there's any chance it can get into your plumbing. Could get messy...

[reefwars]

i like to stick little pieces of tape to their feet and watch them freak out:P oh wait thats cats....nvm just go with the top ten list seems to be fair:P


ps......crab taste delicious

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by jorjef

My top ten list of what Hermit crabs can do for you.

1- Kill your snails.
2- Tromp all over your corals.
3- Knock frags over.
4- Kill each other.
5- Great for throwing into your sump.
6- Steal food from your LPS corals.
7- Just generally creeping out the wife.
8- Ensure your ailing corals will die.
9- Rip small softies from their rock.
10- Great toys for cats.

Not the best info for someone inquiring. Sure, funny, but I think this person is looking for quality info.


I use hermits. They are scavengers.

Anyone who does not properly mount frags in their tank to prevent falling is at fault.. not the hermits.

If a fish dies in your tank... give it a couple days and its gone. I do not plan to remove all my rocks to remove a dead and burried fish. Hermits make a quick meal of it.

They pick up food from the sand bed and some will help with algaes.

Avoid the zebra legs as they are the ones that do most of the coral climbing.

I would not be without. Ever. I could care less if I lose a couple to fighting. In most cases they fight over shells, and if a reefer takes that into account and provides "extra" shells for the growing hermits to utilize then you can reduce the crab fights. For $1.50 each... get them.

[jorjef]

Originally Posted by paddyob

Not the best info for someone inquiring. Sure, funny, but I think this person is looking for quality info.

Take 7 and 10 out and the rest is accurate from my own experience. I will never ever advise anyone get Hermits. Their only upside in my opinion other than eating dead fish is they are easy to get rid of. I have no tolerance for a $1.50 crab irritating a $80.00 coral