ID this crab pls

[Rurouni Kenshin]

pls id for me i know its not a zebra hermit. its striped and has a silverish color to it. thanks!

[rshimek]

Hi,

I need an image or a specimen.... :D

[Rurouni Kenshin]

i put a attachment because i dunno how to attach it so it shows.

[Rurouni Kenshin]

.

[rshimek]

Hi,

Sorry, but I can't see enough of the crab to be able get started. Hermit crabs are very difficult to identify, there are a lot of species (including many scientifically undescribed species) and the characters used to taxonomically differentiate them are often hard to see (or are hidden in the shell). The upshot is that I probably won't be able to identify it even if the image shows the crab clearly. Sorry. :(

[Rurouni Kenshin]

Oh man let me try to get another one!

[Rurouni Kenshin]

Ok heres another pic i think its the same.

[Rurouni Kenshin]

my main question is are they reef safe? they are still small.

[gtrestoration]

If the last pic you posted shows one sitting and eating one of your corals then I might say it's not reef safe.

Sorry...

Steve U

[Rurouni Kenshin]

Darn! well that pic isnt mine......... but i have seen mine fiddle with some softies

[Rurouni Kenshin]

guess i'll throw em in my fuge.........

[gtrestoration]

I always put a few hermits in a newly setup tank while it is going through it's cycles. But once I start putting corals in, the crabs go back to the LFS. I don't even want them in the fuge eating the pods, nor do I want to have to feed them.

Steve U

[Rurouni Kenshin]

true............

[rshimek]

Hi,

The one in the image looks like it may be a species in the genus Dardanus, but I definitely would not bet any money on that. I generally consider all hermits as not being "reef-safe."

[Splotto]

Originally posted by rshimek
Hi,

The one in the image looks like it may be a species in the genus Dardanus, but I definitely would not bet any money on that. I generally consider all hermits as not being "reef-safe."

Dr. Ron:

How about in a refuge? My seeding kit from IPSF had about 5 hermits and they are now living in my refuge.

Is that an issue?

Splotto

[Rurouni Kenshin]

Thank- You very Much Dr. Ron and the others that helped me.

[romunov]

Well, if they don't do any harm - they should be ok? "Reef safe" means they will eat anything that might grow in your DSB or LR - which is not always a good thing.

[Machiavelli]

Originally posted by Splotto
Dr. Ron:

How about in a refuge? My seeding kit from IPSF had about 5 hermits and they are now living in my refuge.

Is that an issue?

Splotto

Putting hermits in a fuge seems to work against the purpose of it. A refugium is supposed to be a "refuge" from predatory and opportunistic animals.

I wouldnt worry too much about getting a species name. In general, most hermits are all the same--clumsy and opportunistic. I wouldnt say they are reef-dangerous per se. However, as with (it sure seems) all larger crustaceans (crabs, shrimp, hermits), you run a constant risk that they might take advantage of some other food source, such as a coral.
As far as cleaning, they may look busy, but they dont seem to contribute signifigantly to the cleaning in my tank, so they dont have much use in that respect. I just keep mine because they are a goofy and constantly moving addition to the tank.

[rshimek]

Hi,

Mach's answer is pretty good. In general, hermit crabs are "picky" micropredators and scavengers, meaning that they pick their food off or from the substrate. They will eat most small animals they can catch. This includes juveniles of just about anything that could reproduce in a reef tank.

[Splotto]

Originally posted by rshimek
Hi,

Mach's answer is pretty good. In general, hermit crabs are "picky" micropredators and scavengers, meaning that they pick their food off or from the substrate. They will eat most small animals they can catch. This includes juveniles of just about anything that could reproduce in a reef tank.

Ron:

Thanks. I assumed (and we know what they say about that) that since they were selling it as part of the DSB seeder kit.

I am so confused. :-)

So should I remove the hermits from my refuge? Ar 5 or so hemits ok for a DSB in a bigger main tank?

Spotto