Are my hermit crabs doomed?

[ravenlot]

I'm a newb when it comes to salt water aquariums. I read many articles on nano reef keeping before I decided to dive into the hobby but that didn't stop me from making a mistake :*(

 

Last week I started my first 10g nano. I bought LS, LR, genuine salt water, and a skimmer to convert my former freshwater plant tank into a nano reef. Though I'm experienced with cycling periods of freshwater aquariums and did read about cycling for nano reefs, I nonetheless accepted (to some degree) my LFS advise that I could add fish and corals almost immediately. It seemed to make sense to me since I was buying LR, LS, and real sea water.

 

Though I didn't go so far as to buy fish and corals, the clerk's advice was enough to convince me to buy 5 hermit crabs. Tell me, are my hermit crabs doomed?

[homerparrot]

not positive, I am new at this game, but as far as I understand some cycling will take place, and this will cause a spike in your ammonia nitrite and nitrate levels. Could be a problem sensative inverts?

 

good luck, let us know what happens

 

tf

[sukeband]

Although not an expert, I read countless theards saying "Tank crashed! heater stuck on! or electricity went out! or Water went up to 100 degress, Ammonia throught the roof. etc.

 

The words at the end of these posts always say "everything died except for the hermits."

 

guess they're some type of mutants.

 

I dont think you'll lose any.

[Scoot]

You most likely wont lose your hermits. Hermits are really hardy and they dont care what type of water they are in as long as its saltwater. (dont go testing this on some poor 99cent bluelegged hermit, they are living creatures)

[cookiemn]

ravenlot,

you should also think about getting a good marine test kit and test your tank on a regular basis for the next 4-6 weeks. I also set up a 10 gallon and put fish and soft corals in within a week. I do not advise doing this, but I was running an experiment to see if it could be done. Just in case my tank crashes, I have a 60 gallon that I could put the fish into. Good luck with your nano!

[bri7795]

Even new tanks will all you mentioned still need some time to cycle. If you add real sea water or water from an established reef, the time may not be as long, but it will still cycle. Unless your LR is really devoid of life, there is a good chance that you will have some "Die-off" from the move from the LFS to your tank.

 

Hermits are very hardy and may be okay, but for now do not add anything else ESPECIALLY dorals. Do the following:

 

1. Get all your LS, LR and water in the tank and aquascaped.

2. Buy good test kits for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.

3. Monitor water.

4. Only add anything else when ammonia and nitirite are about 0. Nitrate should read very low or 0 as well.

5. Once cycle is done. add 1 fish a month.

6. Add corals once corraline algea starts to spread. 1 per month

[SDMike]

Originally posted by Scoot

You most likely wont lose your hermits. Hermits are really hardy and they dont care what type of water they are in as long as its saltwater. (dont go testing this on some poor 99cent bluelegged hermit, they are living creatures)

 

I can vouch for the fact that you CAN kill hermits without meaning to. I had about 10 of the poor guys in my 29 when I added my LR straight from the box to the tank.

 

The water turned to sewage, everything that was in there died before I figured out I'd better change out all the water.

 

Now that I've got the LR mostly cleaned up and back into the tank, I think I may try some more of the little guys. THIS time I'm not planning on adding any uncured LR to the system...

 

Mike

[Bio Hazard]

flames welcome... my buddy just set up a 26g bow...i think it has about 70lbs of LR (seriously). I told him not too, but he added 10lbs crushed coral 20lbs of LS. put in 2 clowns 10 hermits a wrasse and a blenny. everything is still alive a week later. with ammonia @0 and nitrite @0...I'm left scratching my head. took me a month to cycle. He says the amount of LR added was the trick but IMO i think he only has about 6gal of water in that 26? but his reef looks awesome! his forum post name is DonJuan...Any input from u guys???

[quandary_23]

Keep your head up, your snails and hermits will be fine. They survive in places were most do not. They are tiny and rumage through the dead debris on your live rock anyway, being so small and close to where the cycling takes place leads to the conclusion that they can except high levels of nitrites, nitrates, ammonia.

 

This is not common, but I have read and heard of people adding fish to there tank during the cycling process in order to promote algae growth, particularly the blue or yellow tail damsel fish because of their hardiness.

 

Adding corals wasn't a good idea, if you monitor your water daily and watch for spikes you could do water changes but this well only delay the whole process. Take them back if you can, ask the lfs to hold them or give you credit till your tank cycles.

 

Take care.

[MillerLite]

What kind of quality live rock and live sand did you start with? Lower quality, longer cycling time, better chance that hermits might not make it. I had added some fully cured rock and some live sand from another established tank and my tank cycled in little over a week (ammonia=0 & nitrite=0). If you can get ahold of some either from LFS or possibly someone you know, you can vastly decrease cycle time and have a better chance of saving hermits. I would wait for a couple months before adding any corals.

[ravenlot]

Well, it's been almost two weeks and no problems yet. The hermit crabs seem to be active.

 

Diatoms have started to appear slightly on the glass and gravel and some other sort of algae has started to appear on the glass (like very tiny grass). I think that's a good sign that everything's proceeding nicely.

 

I haven't bought tests for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate yet. Perhaps I should. I haven't done so because of my experience with fresh water systems. With those systems, I've tended to overanalyze the tests. They just make me more anxious to stock the system with habitants. I think I'll just wait a few weeks, then either buy some tests at that point or have my LFS test the water.

 

Is that safe to do?

[keljim's]

Yes, it's safe...just remember to do a partial water change, about 25% every week or two. I bought tests because I was anxiuos when I started, but I don't even use 'em. As long as you started with good LR and LS, you're probably fine. RELAX and enjoy!