Hermit Crab Or Snails?

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ChiTownRomeo

Aquarium Advice Freak
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Jun 26, 2012
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I have a 55 gallon saltwater tank and I have about 20 blue legged hermits. I have over 30 empty shells behind the live rock for them. they are attacking my Ceriths and Bumble bee snails. I have even witnessed a big hermit eating a smaller one. they walk all over my corals and I'm to the point they have to go. I was thinking about just bumble bee snails and sand sifting starfish for my cuc. Hermits are wrecking havoc!! Are hermits really that important? :thanks:
 
Hermits aren't a requirement- if you don't like them, then get rid of them. You could get additional snails or something else to replace them.
 
Hermits aren't a requirement- if you don't like them, then get rid of them. You could get additional snails or something else to replace them.

Just might do that. My LFS said they were important to have cause they eat every algae...
 
There are all kinds of snails that eat different types of algae. Here's an article on snails I found:


Here's my snail info that I gathered over time:
Nassarius Snails - Nassarius spp. They mostly stay in the sand, but will sometimes make short trips up the glass. They are mainly detritus eaters and do an excellent job cleaning and shifting the sand. These are also some of the most hardy snails available. They can flip themselves upright very easily. They are fun to watch as they come bursting out of the sand bed at feeding time.

Onyx Nassarius -Ilyanassa spp. (Black Mud Snail, Black Nassarius Snail ) snails are very good at keeping sand beds completely clean of algae as well as other organics. They may occasionally strip a sand bed of enough nutrients that there will be none left to support copepod or amphipod populations. If you keep dragonets (e.g. Mandarins) that rely on healthy populations of copepods and amphipods do not get these. They are also a cooler water species and may not last that long in higer temp tanks like reef tanks.

Cerith Snails-Cerithium spp. (Cortez) - Good algae and detritus eaters that forage rock, glass, and sand. Some can pick themselves up and some cant.

Cerith Snails (White)- Good algae and detritus eaters that seem to stay in the sand more than the cortez, but can be found on the rock and glass. Once again, some can pick themselves up and others cant. These are good sand bed snails.

Fighting Conch Snails - These guys are all about the sand bed and are very cool to watch. They usually dont get flipped over, but if they do, they can kick around and turn themselves back upright.They very hardy too.

Astrea Snails -Astraea tecta: Most common of all saltwater tank snails. They are excellent algae eaters and will forage all over the rock, sand, and glass. These guys fall very easily, can not right themselves, and then die. 1 per 6 gal.

Margarita Snail - Margarites pupillus. (Stomatella Limpet Snail, Pearl Snail, Little Margarite Snail, Pearly Topped Snail ) Another snail to add to the algae eating aresnal. Will cruise around on the rock and glass.

Fighting Conchs - Strombus gibberulus. Little vacuum cleaners. One per 2 sq. ft. of sand. They'll eat diatoms and, sometimes, cyano. Get one per 2 sq. feet of tank is what was recommened to me. They tend to disappear behind the rocks for a few days then come back around to the front again. They usually dont get flipped over, but if they do, they can kick around and turn themselves back upright.They very hardy too.

Nerite Snails - Nerita spp. Mostly a rock and glass snail that are all about the algae. They may crawl above the water line of your tank as they often become exposed in the wild during low tide. Mine usually end up in the sump where they can get above the water line and come back down when they want to.

Turbo Snails : They are big and clumsy. They'll knock over or move anything that isn't glued/nailed down. Actually I had one knock a coral frag that was glued to a a plug right off the plug. But, they will attack hair algea. Mine are now escargot size and I moved them to the sump because they were always knocking corals off the rock and plugs they were attached to.

Banded Trochus - Trochus spp. (Tiger Trochus Snail, Banded Trochus Snail, Black and White Snail, Spiral-Top Snail ) Algae eating machines. Ideal size, won't knock over corals/rock, and can move very fast. Will also eat hair algae. 1 per 3 gal.

Stomatella Snails : Will breed in your tank! You will only need to get 4 or 5. They're great algae eaters and stay very small.
 
There are all kinds of snails that eat different types of algae. Here's an article on snails I found:


Here's my snail info that I gathered over time:
Nassarius Snails - Nassarius spp. They mostly stay in the sand, but will sometimes make short trips up the glass. They are mainly detritus eaters and do an excellent job cleaning and shifting the sand. These are also some of the most hardy snails available. They can flip themselves upright very easily. They are fun to watch as they come bursting out of the sand bed at feeding time.

Onyx Nassarius -Ilyanassa spp. (Black Mud Snail, Black Nassarius Snail ) snails are very good at keeping sand beds completely clean of algae as well as other organics. They may occasionally strip a sand bed of enough nutrients that there will be none left to support copepod or amphipod populations. If you keep dragonets (e.g. Mandarins) that rely on healthy populations of copepods and amphipods do not get these. They are also a cooler water species and may not last that long in higer temp tanks like reef tanks.

Cerith Snails-Cerithium spp. (Cortez) - Good algae and detritus eaters that forage rock, glass, and sand. Some can pick themselves up and some cant.

Cerith Snails (White)- Good algae and detritus eaters that seem to stay in the sand more than the cortez, but can be found on the rock and glass. Once again, some can pick themselves up and others cant. These are good sand bed snails.

Fighting Conch Snails - These guys are all about the sand bed and are very cool to watch. They usually dont get flipped over, but if they do, they can kick around and turn themselves back upright.They very hardy too.

Astrea Snails -Astraea tecta: Most common of all saltwater tank snails. They are excellent algae eaters and will forage all over the rock, sand, and glass. These guys fall very easily, can not right themselves, and then die. 1 per 6 gal.

Margarita Snail - Margarites pupillus. (Stomatella Limpet Snail, Pearl Snail, Little Margarite Snail, Pearly Topped Snail ) Another snail to add to the algae eating aresnal. Will cruise around on the rock and glass.

Fighting Conchs - Strombus gibberulus. Little vacuum cleaners. One per 2 sq. ft. of sand. They'll eat diatoms and, sometimes, cyano. Get one per 2 sq. feet of tank is what was recommened to me. They tend to disappear behind the rocks for a few days then come back around to the front again. They usually dont get flipped over, but if they do, they can kick around and turn themselves back upright.They very hardy too.

Nerite Snails - Nerita spp. Mostly a rock and glass snail that are all about the algae. They may crawl above the water line of your tank as they often become exposed in the wild during low tide. Mine usually end up in the sump where they can get above the water line and come back down when they want to.

Turbo Snails : They are big and clumsy. They'll knock over or move anything that isn't glued/nailed down. Actually I had one knock a coral frag that was glued to a a plug right off the plug. But, they will attack hair algea. Mine are now escargot size and I moved them to the sump because they were always knocking corals off the rock and plugs they were attached to.

Banded Trochus - Trochus spp. (Tiger Trochus Snail, Banded Trochus Snail, Black and White Snail, Spiral-Top Snail ) Algae eating machines. Ideal size, won't knock over corals/rock, and can move very fast. Will also eat hair algae. 1 per 3 gal.

Stomatella Snails : Will breed in your tank! You will only need to get 4 or 5. They're great algae eaters and stay very small.


Fighting Conch Snails and Nassarius it is!! Wondering would 2 be ok for a 55 gallon or just stick to 1? Also I read sand Sifting Starfish are too big for a 55. So might get some micro brittle starfish :)
 
ChiTownRomeo said:
Fighting Conch Snails and Nassarius it is!! Wondering would 2 be ok for a 55 gallon or just stick to 1? Also I read sand Sifting Starfish are too big for a 55. So might get some micro brittle starfish :)

Whether to get 1 or 2 conchs depends on how much actual sand you have exposed. It says 1 per 2 sq feet of sand. I have a good sized one and a smaller one in my 55g, but I'm moving the smaller one to my 30g once that tank gets more established so that it doesn't starve. And I have about 20 Nassarius in my 55g.
 
Whether to get 1 or 2 conchs depends on how much actual sand you have exposed. It says 1 per 2 sq feet of sand. I have a good sized one and a smaller one in my 55g, but I'm moving the smaller one to my 30g once that tank gets more established so that it doesn't starve. And I have about 20 Nassarius in my 55g.

Thanks ALOT!! Going to get 2 for my 55. Not worried about them starving. My Astrea snails make a huge mess!!
 
I have 1 fighting conch in my 72 gallon. He doesn't stop moving and constantly eats.
 
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