Hermit Crab Questions

[as40]

Hello all!

Couple quick questions. Read about the Blue-Legged Hermit Crab, want to get some, but need some advice.

1. Read a brief description of them (http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=23&pCatId=623) where it said they may kill/eat your snails to get their shells. Those suckers aren't cheap enough that I'm going to want to replace them all the time because they get eaten by the crabs. Do I need to worry about this, or can I place empty shells around the tank for them in hopes that they will go for those instead?

2. I know they're part of the clean up crew, that they eat some algea and waste material, etc. I don't have any fish in my tank now, I'm still "curing" my LR. So other than the snail poop and brown fuzzy algea growing on the sand/rocks, there isn't a whole lot else I imagine for them to eat, other than the snails. Do I need to provide anything for them, and if so, what?

Thanks in advance.

 

[mogurnda]

1. Others mileage varies, but I haven't had a problem. I have had the same 10 astreas and 6 ceriths for 2 years with a pile of blue legs and scarlets, and there have been no unexplained losses. I also have been adding cerith shells on occasion, which seems to keep the blue legs happy. On the other hand, my peppermint shrimp have assaulted and eaten quite a few molluscs. They seem to prefer the ones on the sandbed, like nassarius and little clams.

2. There will probably be a good bit of algae and debris on your live rock for them to eat. My hermits literally jump off the rocks onto the sandbed when frozen food goes into the tank, so it probably would hurt to put in a little food that will sink to the bottom.

 

[Raki]

At last count I have 51 blue legged hermit crabs I tossed in a hand full of those decortave (Color Fast) shells I got at the craft store being winter I had to go with what I could find. Well I don't know it hermits can see color or not but those little buggers went nuts for the "fancy" shells and now I have little blue shells and pink shells and green shells ect walking all over my tank it's hysterical.