Salt Water Startup

[HN1]

Quite common. If you keep hermits, you need to have a variety of empty shells available in the tank for them.

[thincat]

Common, get extra shells from a hobby store...Ben Franklin, etc...

[jason1985]

That's the thing. When I got the hermits I picked up about 10 extra smallers shells... I didn't want them to move into bigger shells so they stay small

[CementShoes]

Originally Posted by jason1985

That's the thing. When I got the hermits I picked up about 10 extra smallers shells... I didn't want them to move into bigger shells so they stay small

Not to be rude but what sense does that make? Living organisms eat to live and grow BIGGER.



Maybe they seek out larger containers because they have grown bigger not because they want to grow bigger.

[jason1985]

Well this is the question I asked the guy when buying my hermits. HOW BIG CAN THESE GUYS GET?

He said as long as you don't put in bigger shells they will only grow to the size of the shell they currently live in. Give them bigger shells and they will grow to the size of the new shell.... I wasn't born yesterday but that is why I ask these types of questions.

[InfernoST]

Originally Posted by jason1985

Well this is the question I asked the guy when buying my hermits. HOW BIG CAN THESE GUYS GET?

He said as long as you don't put in bigger shells they will only grow to the size of the shell they currently live in. Give them bigger shells and they will grow to the size of the new shell.... I wasn't born yesterday but that is why I ask these types of questions.

This quite an interesting conversation, I thought our goal as aquarists was to provide a suitable healthy home so the specimens we keep can be happy, healthy and grow. If we are unable to provide a suitable environment for them then we shouldn't keep them. I look at it like this, would you've liked it if your parents raised you in a shoe box? I don't think so, I would reconsider. The members here are giving you sound advice, If i were you I would take it.

Good luck

[jason1985]

yes I agree with what you are saying, and I will take the advice they are giving me. This is why I ask these types of questions. I was miss lead by my Local shop.

The shoe box theary is good, and I don't care if these guys get bigger. I was just told that they can live in their original shell their whole life as long as we do not provide bigger shells. And this will cause them no harm.

But my original questions was concerning the snails. Is it normal that hermit crabs gang up on snails in order to take over their larger shell.

Now it's like oh look at the snail oooh ohhh nope its a hermit!

[InfernoST]

Originally Posted by jason1985

yes I agree with what you are saying, and I will take the advice they are giving me. This is why I ask these types of questions. I was miss lead by my Local shop.

The shoe box theary is good, and I don't care if these guys get bigger. I was just told that they can live in their original shell their whole life as long as we do not provide bigger shells. And this will cause them no harm.

But my original questions was concerning the snails. Is it normal that hermit crabs gang up on snails in order to take over their larger shell.

Now it's like oh look at the snail oooh ohhh nope its a hermit!

From what I understand if the hermit doesn't have enough food and or his shell is too small he can eat the snail and take the snails shell. If the hermit has enough to eat and has larger shells to take over the chances of him eating a snail are greatly reduced.

[jason1985]

I have my Fish on mysis shrimp and flake diet. I alternate every other day.

Is this good?

[severum mama]

Originally Posted by jason1985

my next purchases will be 1 or 2 shrimp gobies a maybe dwarf blue tang and pipefish

No such thing as a dwarf blue tang, and there is no tang that belongs in a 25 gallon tank. The pipefish probably isn't a good idea either. There are plenty of species of gobies that would work.

[jason1985]

then i guess i should be switching places where I buy my things. I was told that I could put a Dwarf Tang in my 25 gallon and by the time he is big enough my 180 gallon will be ready to transfer him into.

But like you said Dwarf Tangs do not excist!

[jason1985]

Well no more snails. the hermits had cleaned them all out.


I watched how they do it. 2 or 3 gang up on the snails, flip them around and just go at them until nothing is left. I have 7 empty shells + the ones I added myself and 2 others snail shells being used by hermits.

[thominil]

Ouch! Sorry to hear.

[severum mama]

Aw, that's too bad.

That is the reason HN1 and I don't have any hermits.

[jason1985]

Trial and error I guess. I have 15 hermits And had 10 snails....We'll see what I decide to do...

When you guys do your water change, how do you do it?

I did a pre mix water and salt in a 5 gallon bucket. So if I take 5 gallons out and replace it with the pre mixed 5 gallons in my bucket the salinity of the water should stay within the right level

[thominil]

That's pretty much what I do for PWCs.

[severum mama]

Originally Posted by jason1985

Trial and error I guess. I have 15 hermits And had 10 snails....We'll see what I decide to do...

When you guys do your water change, how do you do it?

I did a pre mix water and salt in a 5 gallon bucket. So if I take 5 gallons out and replace it with the pre mixed 5 gallons in my bucket the salinity of the water should stay within the right level

It should as long as you are topping off the tank with freshwater (hopefully RO/DI) to compensate for evaporation, and monitoring the salinity in there.

[HN1]

We premix to 1.025 - 1.026 in a Brute can. Then just drain and fill with the pumps off. Do you have a refractometer? We test the tank and the new water to be sure.

[jason1985]

yea that's what I do.. I do the top off with fresh water as it's a known fact that salt doesn't evaporate...

My Salinity test was a little high so I did a 5 gallon change and just added fresh water. This brought my salinity down where it should be.

[jason1985]

yes I have a refractometer and the water is testing at 1.024