how useful are hermit crabs

[pairenoid]

so i might be missing one or two, im not even sure how. One of them i saw leave his shell to enter a new one, but i came back a day later and both shells are empty and hes missing :-(

i had 5, since day 1 of finished cycle. I have snails and shrimp also. Would i eventually have to replace my hermit crabs if im down to 2? they honestly do a lot of work, eat all day and night

my cuc looks like this
5 hermit crabs(possible 3 now)
2 super nass snails
1 tiger conch
2 nerite
1 peppermint
i also have a tiger pistol but im not sure if hes considered CUC. I feel like there is just the perfect amount of cleaning right now, not too dirty but dirty enough to notice. But also enough to know my cuc is getting food. I just heard one or two times that hermit crabs are literally useless, as in you can just be good with snails, any truth to that? what does a hermit crab do that makes him useful compared to other cuc

 

[Psychocircus91]

Many reefers have no crabs at all. All of that "clean up crew" still adds to your bioload. If you want more crabs, get them, but if not then no worries

 

[daney90]

Nice thread. Im actually wondering how useful they are too. I only have 1 scarlet hermit crab in my 55 and maybe about ~25 snails.

 

[Psychocircus91]

Look at it this way.
Crabs eat left over food. That food would have turned to waste.
Crabs poop out that food. So it's still turned to waste.

 

[Crystal A]

It's all about import and export in saltwater. The nutrients you put in you have to take out. A crab dosent export it out it just "recycles it". Pwc are a saltwater tanks best friend.

 

[Psychocircus91]

well put Crystal.

 

[Crystal A]

Thanks you to.

 

[ktomminello]

IMO, if you are in the middle of a hair or bubble algae crisis they do an excellent job of plowing through algae, but so do some snails and other inverts- this is directly pertaining to dwarf and often shell less sifter and rock dwelling hermits. Normal hermits will put a dent in surface debris and left over food, but they have a funky bioload, and do require time outside of the water, so they are more novelty than work horse, a better choice would be a serpent or brittlestar or cleaner shrimp or nassarius snails, but as far as having them as a clean up crew member, well, they are and they are cute and absolutely hilarious to watch.... It's all about preference.