y'know, I have hermits and have not lost a single snail...

[Sk8r]

I have mostly scarlets, a few micro black hermits, and some odd little guys, one with one bigger claw and white joints [in my lighting] another with whiteish joints. But my snails still thrive, and these guys, while they've experimented with some new shells I put in, have persistently traded back to their own very small shells. No great ambition in this lot.

But I thought I would say---I have about 10-15 hermits and about as many snails, [trochus, one fat turbo, astraea types, some dove snails and a lone cerith] and after about 7 months running, no predation.

The hermits have carefully cleaned dead tissue on a maze brain that had a rock incident, but the healthy tissue is doing quite well, has developed a good edge, and there's a good chance it will recover. I couldn't have done what these little surgeons have done.

Just a kind word for hermits, who often catch flak. I'm particularly fond of the scarlets, the largest of which actually develop a mild taste for bubble algae. No great use at it, but as habits go, it's not bad.

[LobsterOfJustice]

Agreed - I have strictly scarlets, and have never lost any snails to them.

[eshook]

I have a mixed bunch of hermits and they kill each other and the snails. They do a great job on cleaning the tank though.

Next time only small hermits...

[techreef]

i love my mini blue legs, and have 1 unidentified green leg w/ white stripe and 3 tan legged w/ alternating white/black eyestalks and antennae that are equally docile. Ordered 10 zebra hermies from IPSF - big mistake. They hulked into large snail predators. Took the lot of em to the LFS and heard "those are the biggest zebra hermits i've ever seen!"

[eshook]

Yeah I have some red / purple that are huge and hunt everything. If they get any bigger I'm going to take them out.

[sunfish11]

I have over 100 hermits of different sizes and types and I haven't had a problem with snail killings either.

Lisa

[rustybucket145]

I have some scarlets, blue leggs and a few un-identified. I also have a variety of snails..... No problems here at all. Been going for several years like that. I occasionally have an overturned snail that can't right itself that becomes hermit food but hey... that's what they are there for right? To keep the tank clean of dead/decaying matter.

Simply put, I wouldn't even consider having a reef tank without hermits. That's how beneficial I see them to the reef tank.

[tkeracer619]

I think most hermits get a bad rap because they are way over stocked for the tank. You dont need a million hermits or there wont be anything for them to eat, they are scavengers and will turn to preditors if it is required for survival.

A few hermits and a bunch of snails works well IMO.

I'm slowly adding cleanupcrew to my new setup. I added 206 snails of varied species and one emerald crab to complement the ~30 hermits that are over a year old. One of those hermits is larger than a silver dollar but doesn't seem to mind the snails at all.

[xtm]

I was thinking about this the other night. I have like 10 Astrea snails and 10 hermits and they haven't killed each other for like 2 years now. I think the hermit killing snails is pretty rare, and maybe more common in a small tank (nano)

[SDguy]

It's totally species specific IME. I have a large electric blue hermit (blue striped legs) that doesn't touch snails. I once had an unidentified brown/grey hermit that would actively hunt down snails.

[rmw4547]

Mine kill snails and eachother. some have bothered my SPS and they go right in the sump.
You should be looking at your tank enough to know whos bad and whos good. But they are great cleaners and thats why I still keep them. same goes for emeralds of my six 3 now live in the sump.

[LobsterOfJustice]

Originally posted by tkeracer619
I think most hermits get a bad rap because they are way over stocked for the tank. You dont need a million hermits or there wont be anything for them to eat, they are scavengers and will turn to preditors if it is required for survival.

I agree. They have to eat something. I have never had more than 5-7 or so in a 75g or 90g.

[LobsterOfJustice]

Double