Should I get rid of my hermit crabs??

[vietcu]

I am getting a frogspawn, and hammer corals this weekend at a frag swap. I read that I shouldn't have hermit in with these types of corals because the crab will irritate their skin. So should I try to sell them and get snails? I have about 20+ of them in my 40g, provided my CBS hasn't eaten most of them already.

 

[lando]

I have several hermits (scarlet and blue-leg) with a wide variety of LPS corals and have had no issues. Not to say that reef hermits do not irritate corals at times by crawling in them...but hey...my lovely wife even irritates me at times but I sure as heck am not going to get rid of her either!!

 

[MsBeanCtr]

FWIW-I have frogspawn and hammer corals both and my hermit crabs don't bother either of them.....now it's a completely different story with my clams and hermit crabs....evil little monsters.

 

[Ziggy953]

Your frogspawn will be just fine. I've had hermits in with mine for almost 3 years now.

 

[melosu58]

I have a frogspawn and a couple hammers with one as big as a volleyball and never had any problem with my hermits. JME

 

[cmor1701d]

Just to chime in from the "I Hate Hermits" club. Putm them in a sump or get rid of them. They are all evil and will kill each other and snails (JMHO)

 

[lando]

Too funny...there certainly are two different camps when it comes to hermits. I agree that hermits can be the bandets of the tank. No doubt they "compete" against other hermits and snails for a home. However, I have never had an issue with reef hermits causing issues with sensile inverts. About once a year I find myself replenishing my clean-up crew...both crabs and snails. I still find it amazing the response my scarlet reef hermits get from guests. They love them...I have beautiful fish and an abundance or various corals but people still seem to be struck by the crabs...It actuall becomes a game to find as many as they can. The more you look the more you see. Personally, I find them entertaining as well.

 

[vietcu]

Sell them or not, I'm losing about one every couple of days. So sooner or later they will all be gone, they keep getting eaten up when the molt or something. I have 4 snails in there and the crabs hasn't touch any of them yet, so maybe my next purchase will be just snails. I will leave the hermit in there for now though.