Hermit Crabs

[Keng Yew, Leong]

I went to the beach and collected 11 hermit crabs.I found them on the sand about 9 meters away from the sea.That area there isn't that wet,just moist.Do you think those crabs can be placed into the aquarium or are they land hermit crabs.

[chufa]

Not necessarily land crabs, most hermits are found on intertidal regions and spend time in and out of water. What do they look like? Do you have a pic?

 

BTW, nice sig :x

[Keng Yew, Leong]

I dont have a pic. But I know that they do go in and out of water frequently.I keep them in a shallow aquarium with rocks which they can climb on , sand and saltwater.

[ajroahkni]

Awesome, a tidal pool nano. Maybe try to put in some sea mat zoos and a wavemaker.

 

Just don't sh!t in it anymore:P

[Christopher Marks]

It's kind of hard to say if they're bother the fish or corals though...without seeing a photo to ID them. If they're scarlet, or blue leggers, then they'd of course be fine...

[BustytheSnowMaam]

I have a common striped hermit, Clibanarius Vittatus, that came from a beach (after a week in a ziploc bag!). He has brown/beige stripes, won't win any beauty contests, but is fun to watch. He is about 4 1/2 to 5 inches in size. Everyone told me he would probably be risky with corals, but he has never touched anything. The only problem is that he is so darn big he constantly climbs over everything. I imagine that would irritate more sensitive corals. I feed him algae wafers from Wal-Mart and a sliver of fresh fish from time to time. I do have my tank arranged so he can come up out of the water. He does come to the top of the live rock that sticks out of the water to sleep in the "sun" for awhile sometimes.

 

Tasha

[Crakeur]

tash, I want to see pictures of the tidepool tank. It sounds cool.

[Keng Yew, Leong]

I think it's to risky to put them in my tank.I will dare not try.I think I will leave them in my tidepool tank.Why does your crab eat meat.I've went around searching for hermit crabs and they say that hermit crabs eat fruits.

[tinyreef]

i believe all hermits are omnivores. ??? i can't think of one that isn't, altho that doesn't mean there isn't one. or that some may not be strictly carnivores.

[BustytheSnowMaam]

Keng Yew,

 

Most hermits, at least the species I own, are omnivores. I have talked to others on the internet who own striped hermits like mine and they say theirs eats some fruit. I once e-mailed a guy who does research on striped hermits at the U of Michigan. He said to offer them lettuce. I did that and no one touched it. Mine cleans algae from the glass of the tank, eats Shrimp Pellets and algae wafers, and eats fresh fish if we're having it for supper. They're scavengers who will also eat dead/dying things.

 

Crakeur, I don't really have a tidepool tank (though it's a neat idea)- I just have a tall chunk of LR that jets out a bit above the water. The crab climbs up there from time to time and sleeps in the "sun" of the lights for awhile (oh to be a crab). If I ever get a digital camera I will post a pic of my tank.

Tasha

[reiple]

These hermit crabs living near seashores are residents who spend time out of water. They are not real reef inhabitants but somehow one of the many I picked up adapted to reef life. The rest did find any way to get out of the tank (found some actually in our garden and pond). Better to avoid them (since they are not real reef dwellers. why punish them). I've returned them to seashore since then.