killer crabs

[Smonkey15]

i have 12 blue legged hermit crabs and 12 astrea snails in my tank. one by one the crabs are starting to attack and eat the snails. is this because they dont have enough food, want the shell, or are just aggressive? i know i will need some bigger shells but i have only had them for a few days and figure they could go a week or two without bigger shells to move into. whats the deal?

 

[reefrunner69]

They see the shell...they want the shell....they take the shell...

 

[William]

They see the shell...they want the shell....they take the shell...

LMAO.


But yeah, you've never seen the Discovery Channel specials or anything?

Hermit crabs, if wanting a bigger shell, will rip whatever is in the shell it wants out, and take the shell.

 

[scuba_steve]

but if there are enough mty shells they should take the less agressive route right??

 

[William]

With your question, I refer you back to reefrunners post

They see the shell...they want the shell....they take the shell...

 

[RogerMcAllen]

As long as there is a superior empy shell, they have no need to go after a snail.

 

[two11devan]

I have to disagree with that last post....I dumped about 7 empty shells in my tank for that reason, and have had one of my snails killed and had its shell repo'd. A day or two later, i found that same hermit all cozy in its brand new shell, going after another one of my snails....I had to take matters into my own hands (i am down a hermit now )Just last night I found one of my hermits inside one of the empty shells I put in there. Its soo funny to watch because the shell is huge and it was on its side when he got in it and because it was soo tall, he couldn't move b/c his legs wouldn't reach the sand. I had to tip him over a little bit to help him out. Its still funny to watch b/c all you can see is this shell moving, you can't see him b/c the shell covers him. Not a dull moment in this tank!

 

[scuba_steve]

were the shells ya added the same size at least as the one that he stole??

 

[reefrunner69]

As long as there is a superior empy shell, they have no need to go after a snail.

Tell that to the hermit crab

 

[scuba_steve]

lol well if their turbos who cares what a waste of an animal if ya ask me heheh just makes me wonder how they made it in the wild ?!?! yea i know they ive only in rock structures but still any animal that cant right itself is just asking to give up its shell

 

[Guest]

any animal that cant right itself is just asking to give up its shell

LMAO

I feel exactly the same way, so, when I see it happen, I flip a coin. Heads? you live, Tails? you die. Hmmm You feel lucky? I know the snails don't like this, but hmm they have to go through this in the wild, so I say let it be in my (their) tank....

 

[scuba_steve]

me to but do they ever die heheheh ive had my jaw fish burry and then unburry and they still alive dont get it

 

[two11devan]

were the shells ya added the same size at least as the one that he stole??

No, they were a little bigger, but there was a good variety of them, and one of them just took and empty one last night....I wish I could watch this!

I have had two of my astrias die from not being able to right themselves...I tip em over when ever I see them (i payed for em!)but I guess I didn't catch these two quick enough. I went the longest time with them not falling over once, and in the past mont, they all have decided to tip over at one time or another!

 

[scuba_steve]

it really not much to watch the ones ive seen just pull both shells together and whammm its done not like he walks around nude looking ya know heheheh

 

[two11devan]

Ahhhh, I figured them for exhibitionist's

 

[pm64971]

So what combination of snail and crab actually works. If the snails can't defend themselves, and hermit crabs take the shell just to try them out, then is a different kind of crab going to solve the problem?

 

[BillyZ]

So what combination of snail and crab actually works

The kind where the snail's shell is too small for the hermit to even care about the snails shell.

 

[ReefLady]

is this because they dont have enough food, want the shell, or are just aggressive?

Yes.



Okay, IME, blue-legs are very aggressive. They will kill for shells, for food, and just because. We always provide tons of empty shells for the hermits (living near the beach, we have access). Blues *always* still kill the snails.

 

[roblikesfish]

I duct taped tooth picks to my Snails.. they use them to fend off the Hermits..


However the hermits have adapted to doing drive bys on the snails cribs .

Its a mess in there..

This One hermit that I thought died and I laughed at him for dying. Actull, hey molted then he came back few days later.. in a Snails shell. Climb up on a rock and waved me over to my tank.. I stared at him in dis-belief that he was alive.

He just fliped me off turned around and crawed back down the rock ..


I Hate him.

 

[reefrunner69]

I duct taped tooth picks to my Snails.. they use them to fend off the Hermits..


However the hermits have adapted to doing drive bys on the snails cribs .

Its a mess in there..

This One hermit that I thought died and I laughed at him for dying. Actull, hey molted then he came back few days later.. in a Snails shell. Climb up on a rock and waved me over to my tank.. I stared at him in dis-belief that he was alive.

He just fliped me off turned around and crawed back down the rock ..


I Hate him.