Hermit Crab ID

[richardcharliesam]

What kind of hermit is this? I am leaning toward white spotted, but the antennae are throwing me off as they are banded. I checked the hermit site from the master id thread, but couldn't come up with anything.

 

 

Thanks in advance.

[scorpkeeper]

It sure looks like a Dardanus sp. to me...possibly D. lagopodes or D. sanguinocarpus.

 

The banded antennae are kinda odd for a Dardanus sp. as you mentioned. How large is it? It looks pretty small when compared to the Cerith shells.

 

One thing about Dardanus sp is they're destructive crabs...fish, coral, inverts...whatever they can get ahold of.

[ward827]

John at reefcleaners.org could probably help. W-

[SnackySmores]

http://www.recif.be/article/hermit.htm

 

Try that link it has some good pictures

[richardcharliesam]

It sure looks like a Dardanus sp. to me...possibly D. lagopodes or D. sanguinocarpus.

 

The banded antennae are kinda odd for a Dardanus sp. as you mentioned. How large is it? It looks pretty small when compared to the Cerith shells.

 

One thing about Dardanus sp is they're destructive crabs...fish, coral, inverts...whatever they can get ahold of.

 

 

Compared to my blue legs and red legs, he's huge, but for reference, the sand is fiji pink. So not that large. His claw tips are also rounded, I am not sure that the same general theory for crab claws applies to hermits as well.

 

I have not seen him bother anything. He just eats out of the sand all day. Not very timid like the other hermits when I approach the tank, just kind of hangs out and eats. He doesn't seem to mind when fish are near him, and from what I have seen, just passes over other snails to get to more sand.

 

 

John at reefcleaners.org could probably help. W-

 

Not a bad idea. I am not sure if this one came from him or an LFS.

 

http://www.recif.be/article/hermit.htm

 

Try that link it has some good pictures

 

I checked there already, unfortunately, nothing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Here is a cropped picture that might help with details.

 

 

[doppelganger]

when I first saw ur pic it reminded me of Petrochirus diogenes but those are massive... so unless it's huge... probably not it.

[richardcharliesam]

when I first saw ur pic it reminded me of Petrochirus diogenes but those are massive... so unless it's huge... probably not it.

 

He is deinitely bulkier than my regular hermits, looking at images I would say that it is definitely a possibility. I mean they have to be small first, right? Hopefully not because I don't want to have to take him out of the tank, but seeing how big they get, there is no way that I could accomidate him. I will see what John from reefcleaners comes back with.

[richardcharliesam]

John came back with Starry-eyed hermit. Judging by pics, it might very well be. Great crab, but might get way too big for my tank.

 

Thanks for all of the input.

[richardcharliesam]

Having thought about it again, I may now have an idea where my emerald crab went. I am not sure if this guy will bother fish, but I will keep him until he gets too big or I see him going after fish.