Where to get Red Leg hermits?

[Saltz Creep]

I'm looking for an online vendor who sells Red Leg hermits. IMO opinion they are far better algae eaters than any other hermit. Here's a pic from Melev's page.

http://melevsreef.com/id/redleg_hermit.jpg


BTW, I'm not looking for Dwarf Mexican Redtip or Scarlet Reefs.

[Carman34L]

www.liveaquaria.com

[Saltz Creep]

Thanks, but Liveaquaria sells mexican red tip and scarlet reef.

The Red Leg I am looking for is very different from the two I mentioned above. As you can see in the photo it is dark red-brown and has light tipped claws with one claw being larger than the other which it uses as a door to it's shell. I caught a wild one off Dry Tortugas, FL, but I have yet to see another since. Then I stumbled upon Melev's photo.

[Saltz Creep]

I did a little research and the crab I'm looking for is called the Orange Claw hermit (Calcinus tibicen) although sometimes called the Red Leg hermit, it is totally unrelated to Mexican Dwarf Redtip (Clibinarius diguetti) or the Scarlet Reef (Paguristes cadenati).

Orange Claw hermit is found in the Carribean and western tropical Atlantic. Although not abundant it has been found around Key West which is why I was able to collect one at Dry Tortugas. Unfortunately I've yet to find a commercial supplier.

[masson]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4377733367&category=66788

[Saltz Creep]

Thanks masson, but that's not it. Same genus, though.

[masson]

Close but no cigar ehh :)

http://www.azcoralco.com/browse_item_details.asp/Item_ID/793
No genus but this isnt the scarlet.

[Saltz Creep]

Thanks. I emailed them for the taxonomic name. It will probably turn out to be a Clibinarius diguetti considering Arizona's proximity to Mexico.

[MDboyz]

Check out this reefcentral hobby, he just sets up his site to sell cleaner crews. Pretty good price and healthy livestocks.

http://aquaticisland.com/index.php?main_page=index

[jasper24]

Saltz, thanks for the post. I just bought some red leg hermits from my LFS here in Atlanta and when I got them home I almost freaked out. The are larger than my blue leg and other red leg hermits and they have this huge right claw. They do appear to be good scavengers.

[Saltz Creep]

Originally posted by masson
Close but no cigar ehh :)

http://www.azcoralco.com/browse_item_details.asp/Item_ID/793
No genus but this isnt the scarlet.

Just got a reply from them. Clibanarius.
Mexican Red Leg (Dwarf Red Tip).:(

[Saltz Creep]

Originally posted by jasper24
Saltz, thanks for the post. I just bought some red leg hermits from my LFS here in Atlanta and when I got them home I almost freaked out. The are larger than my blue leg and other red leg hermits and they have this huge right claw. They do appear to be good scavengers.
Give me your LFS's phone number :D

[jasper24]

Marine Fish Marietta Georgia 770-321-8404.

[Saltz Creep]

Originally posted by jasper24
Marine Fish Marietta Georgia 770-321-8404.

No luck.

[Saltz Creep]

I called a LFS in the Dallas/Ft Worth area today.

Me: Do you carry saltwater hermits?
LFS: Yes we do.
Me: What kind do you have?
LFS: The regular kind.
Me: Are they Blue-Legs, Red-Legs, or what?
LFS: I never really noticed what color their legs were.
Me: (Hanging up).

[masson]

haha what a noob