I need an algae eater that my crabs don't identify as "dinner"

[Max]

Corn, do you have empty shells for your hermits? Lots of times they will kill off snails/ each other to get a new home if none are available. Just a thought but, it migh help your problem if you got a few spares. Lots of hermits really aren't suitable for reef tanks so you might have to evict a few of your trouble makers. Kinda hard to tell 'em apart when they are 1/8 inch long ain't it ?
HTH
Chris

 

[Raki]

I have an urchin in my 5 gallon he eats everything that grows on the glass and rocks and there is no way the hermits can "have at him"

 

[Max]

I'm almost to the point of taking my hermits all out. Most of them really are more trouble than they are worth. Don't a lot of urchins eat coraline .
chris

 

[benjen]

Don't a lot of urchins eat coraline .

Yes. That's why they aren't more popular in reefs. They also eat acrylic tanks by accident.

Another trick is to simply put some rock that goes right up to the glass, so that snails don't have to cross sand. My turbo never touches sand if it's got any other choice.

I've never had any problems with the 9 scarlet hermits in my 45, but I think they get more vicous with species and population density. Scarlets are the least aggressive.