too many hermit crabs

[shramj]

My 34 gallon Red Sea Max tank finished cycling and I added a cleaning crew. The lfs told me to get 20 hermit crabs and they changed me for 20 but I actually got alot more then 20, they also gave me one of the emerald crabs for free and the 3 nassarius snails. I appreciate them giving me stuff for free but I think I have way too much for my cleaning crew, they pretty much took out any visable algae in 2 days. I am concerned they are going to starve so I want to bring some back to the lfs this weekend. What do you think is an ideal number to have for my tank? It is 34g with 52 pounds of rock and 30 pounds of sand.


38 blue-legged hermits, (I think I will only keep about 8-10?)
3 scarlett hermits
2 emerald crabs
3 turbos
2 trochus
3 nassarius

[Amazon4]

I also think that's a lot of snails.

I have 6 blue legs in a 46 and could use a few more. The rest of the CUC is 12 cerith, 2 turbo's, 12 astrea, and 2 emeralds.

We feed them some Crab Cuisine every other day or so. Everyone is doing fine and keeping the place clean.

I'd agree that 8 - 10 is appropriate. Make sure you have some empty shells for them to upgrade to. Otherwise, they'll attack and kill your snails for their shells.

[capn_hylinur]

snails and hermits eventually run into problems. The hermits eventually kill the snails for their shells. Most people eventually get rid of their hermits and invest in more snails.

Emeralds are great----don't harm anything but really control alot of difficult algae

[shramj]

I do have alot of extra shells for them. I think I will keep 8-10 blue hermits. I will just add snails as I see needed. I think I will get some of that crab food, I am worried they have nothing to eat right now, they destroyed the algae already.

[alan214]

20 Hermits in a tank that size would be good. I'd trade the other 20 or so for more snails.

[Reefmack]

I think I have 6 nassarius in my RSM, and they do a great job of working the sand. I rarely see one till my moonlights come on & then they creep out from the sand. I don't think that 3 nassarius is too many. I only have 4 or 5 hermits (one is an electric blue legged one), and one emerald crab hitch hiker, plus 4 turbos. They all do a great cleanup job. I would think that 20+ hermits is a bit too much though, especially if you want the snails to remain. With that many hermits they might run out of food & go after things you don't want them going after. Better keep a ton of empty shells in there!

[sublime-1]

I have a 90 and have 3 big turbo's, black turbos, and about a 8 or 9 hermits.

I'd like to double up on mine.

ha ha, I like these little guys

[alan214]

Originally posted by sublime-1
I have a 90 and have 3 big turbo's, black turbos, and about a 8 or 9 hermits.

I'd like to double up on mine.

ha ha, I like these little guys

I like them, too because they really do a lot to keep my sand clean. They also keep me honest when I accidentally overfeed. Those little guys don't miss anything!

[shramj]

I like mine alot also, I am just worried I do not have enough stuff for them to feed on.

[alan214]

Originally posted by shramj
I like mine alot also, I am just worried I do not have enough stuff for them to feed on.

You'd be surprised how little they need to eat and what they do eat. A little extra flake food every now and then will keep them happy.

[shramj]

Alan, I got some basic food from my fish tank and I sprinkled a little of that in the tank. I hope that will keep them happy until I can unload or trade a few to the lfs I bought them from. I don't even care if they don't give me anything in trade for them since they did give me 1 free emerald, over 20 free hermit crabs, and 3 free nassarius snails. I will pick up a couple Astraea snails when I go there. I should have my chiller on Thursday so then I can also get a fire shrimp.

[Drix]

3 turbos? I've got one turbo the size of a golfball and he solo's my 20G with no probelms at all...