blue banded hermit

[alrmc4]

is it possible for my blue banded hermit crab to be eating the coralline algae off of my rocks or just an over active imagination?

 

[loganj]

Possible? Yes. The only two hermits that I know of that are "reef safe" are the scarlet and the blue leg. I'm not familiar with a blue banded hermit though. I have read that some hermits will eat coraline though.
Logan J

 

[Guest]

The Blue Banded Hermit according to the book I have, says it is an excellent addition to the reef aquarium. Doesn't say what kind of algae it eats but it says it does well at keeping excessive growths of algae under control. It says it should be kept in small groups and plenty of shells for molting and choosing a new house. It also says that the average lifespan in an aquarium is 2 years. Sorry I couldn't give you a specific on the coralline, but it is not usually the meal for hermits.
Do you have an Urchin in the tank? They will eat it as it is their main diet.

 

[loganj]

I really need to get one of those books.
LoganJ J

 

[alrmc4]

thanks much guys. he is pretty big and just went through a molt since he shucked his old body he has been eating non stop. and I noticed some of the spots on my rock that he spent the most time on the coralline looks chipped. Thats a real shame about the 2 year life span. I did not know that i try to not keep things that do well for the long term because i feel horrible when they die...lor