Snail and Hermit Crab Question!

[Devilishturtles]

I recently picked up 4 turbo snails and 2 very small hermit crabs for my 29 gal tank. My Q is, how many snails and hermit crabs can I keep/would be neccesary for the tank? I'd like to get more!

All I plan on stocking the tank with, is a pair of Ocellaris Clowns. I want some cool inverts and such.

Also, do the hermits need bigger shells to move into? Like regular land hermit crabs?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Atari]

It really depends on how much food there is for them.. I would stick with the 4 turbos for now, unless you have a lot of algae on the glass.

You could probably get another half dozen hermits if these are the dwarf variety we're talking about. Definitely get more shells.. and if there isn't enough algae then suppliment or they might start gettin ideas about the snails.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Well, besides the small fields of grass that are growing on my tank glass... Haha. The snails are really small, about the size of my fingernail each.

Same with the hermits, about the size of my fingernail. Does the LFS sell hermit shells? Or could any work? I used to have land hermits long time ago, all I have is huge shells. I don't think the type matters, does it?

How big can the hermits get? Even the dwarf kind? These things are TINY right now!

Thanks!

 

[Atari]

If they are dwarf hermits then they generally prefer Cerith snail shells, but will probably accept anything around the same size or a little bigger than what they have at the time. You might want to replace your small snails with larger ones for this reason.

When I buy hermits I usually ask the LFS to give me some extra shells. You could ask yours or just go to a craft shop and pick up a bagfull of assorted ones.

 

[ClamKnuckle]

You could ask yours or just go to a craft shop and pick up a bagfull of assorted ones.

I got mine from a craft store, Walmart has them too...just make sure they aren't painted or have that shinney clear coat on them. My hermits are in and out of the ones i got all the time.

 

[Devilishturtles]

I got mine from a craft store, Walmart has them too...just make sure they aren't painted or have that shinney clear coat on them. My hermits are in and out of the ones i got all the time.

Cool, thanks alot. I picked up 7 of the blue-legged hermits (gosh, they are really small..) and 2 astrea snails, which are added to the 4 turbo snails I already had.

I asked the guy at the lfs if I could have some of the empty shells, and he just sorta shrugged and said he didn't know. But he gave me I think 2 (wow, two, thanks alot) empties.

I have some shells that I found in the ocean a while back that are just sitting around. I can use those, right?

Thanks alot.

 

[bound_for_obx]

I asked for a few empty shells when I got my hermits it turned out that most of them were occupied!

 

[fireman26m]

Just boil any store bought shells or shells from the ocean first.

 

[Devilishturtles]

I asked for a few empty shells when I got my hermits it turned out that most of them were occupied!

I think this was the case with me! He said he threw in a "couple", and I think most were occupied! Right on!