Blue Leg Hermits

[M-pire]

What do ya'll think of these guys? I noticed how much TBS seems to stress using them and a lot of people recommend them. I'm sure they are excelent cleaners, but for me they just seem to be killers. The few blue legs I have tend to go after my Nassarius snails.

Are blue legs prefered to scarlet legs?

[gcvt]

In my experience, both are good cleaners, but blue legs are just more aggressive. I'm down to all scarlets at this point in my main tank....and I had to replace some astrea snails that were murdered by the blue legs - turbo snails too. Having extra shells laying around seems to help, but only my scarlets used them; the blues preferred to kill for their new homes. That's not to say scarlets won't kill as well, but they've been pretty well behaved in my tanks so far. Some people prefer to go with snails and conchs only because of problems with hermits.

[M-pire]

Originally posted by gcvt
Having extra shells laying around seems to help, but only my scarlets used them; the blues preferred to kill for their new homes.

This has been my experience as well. I have shells all over the tank, but it is only the scarlets that use them. I have even seen some of my blue legs switch to a larger shell, and then kill one of my nassarius snails and move into its shell, even though it was smaller than the original.


Originally posted by gcvt
Some people prefer to go with snails and conchs only because of problems with hermits.

Now there's an idea! I may give that a try.

Thanks! :)

[mogurnda]

I've not had a problem with the blue legs. As far as new shells, they seem to prefer cerith shells, or those of a similar size. I have been very successful using the shell mixes that Premium Aquatics sells. When my peps murdered a batch of new nassarius snails, the blue legs also liked those.

I wish I could remember the source, but I seem to recall reading that blue legs prefer new shells, while scarlets like them broken in.