Gobies vs. Hermits

[CluelessInNY]

I just added two tiny blue-legged hermits to my tank. It's just now that I thought about the goby and the hermits living in peace. I know...newbs ain't none too bright!
My goby won't try to eat the crab will he?

 

[melosu58]

Mine have not eaten them. Mine co exist OK. You`ll be OK.

 

[Hollywood]

I have had both and nothing happened. They should be fine. But I'm no expert.

 

[CluelessInNY]

PHEW! Thanks guys. Now to hope the crabs don't try to destroy the snails!

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

The small blue legged ones are pretty docile. I wouldn't expect it to take down a snail. HOWEVER... if a snail gets onto its back and can't flip itself over, that's another story.

I used to break things up when I saw my big Super Tongan Nassarius smothering a snail... over there with my long handled tweezers trying to separate the two waring parties. Now, I just shrug my shoulders and figure that's that much longer that the big snail won't have to eat. It's just the natural cycle of things. (It happened just last night, to be exact!)

 

[tamra&steven]

your crabs and snails and goby will be fine together mine are great. just dont get big turbo snails if you plan to keep corals. they knock the corals over, it a pain.

 

[roka64]

Make sure you have a few larger shells for the hermits to move into once they grow. The size of the shell isn't a huge issue, but the size of the hole should be a little bigger than the on they are currently in. You can get cheap empty shells as a craft store like Ben Franklin's.

 

[CluelessInNY]

Thanks for the advice Scott. I had a few shells from the Caribbean (which included a few empty crab shells) and I boiled them up, dropped them into the tank about two weeks ago. I hope they don't attack the snails, but these crabs are still quite tiny, so I think the shells I have in there should work for a while.
I love the crabs BTW! They are so great to watch

 

[cmor1701d]

Good luck with them. I hope they don't go after your snails. I got rid of my hermits (went to the sump).

 

[melosu58]

PHEW! Thanks guys. Now to hope the crabs don't try to destroy the snails!

Now that`s a horse of a different color. Maybe if you do what the others say as far as the extra shells you might be OK.