Re: Blue legged hermits alone? - 7/14/08   7/23/08
Thank you for the fast and helpful answer. My mistake, I have a two and a half gallon aquarium, not a one gallon. I have a hex tank that is at least 5 gallons that I could put them into, but I don't know if they would like water that deep.
<Depth really doesn't help much...but pile some live rock in there, and you've got some very happy crabs- and have begun down the path to a reef aquarium!>
The three Blue Legs are active and one molted a couple weeks ago.
<Sounds like they're healthy. Make sure you have a few extra shells for them to move in to as they grow, and that they get plenty of proteinaceous foods>
Thanks again!
<No problem! Benjamin>

Hermit Crab Shells 03/06/2008
Hi! Brian here with another question!
I picked up a few large hermit crabs from the LFS about a month ago. They seem to be happy munching away at the algae and scraping the gravel. They are pretty fun to watch (I know? usually crabs are the boring ones, right?
Hehe). I was absolutely surprised at how quick they moved and how well they climb some vertical rocks that I have! Here's my question, I hope you can help. I'm looking for shells for these guys. They are quite big, I would say at least 3 inches long in shell. I can't find any for them to grow into! The fish store I bought them from told me they put the word out to look for some, and they did manage to get me 2, but I've got 4 crabs. All the one's I've seen locally are for the smaller hermits and I'm wary of just buying shells online because I don't know if they are lacquered and all that. Know any place I might be able to get some?
<<Ebay.com and the shop is called " The Hermit Crab Shack "..They sell a wide selection of shells that are suitable for use in the aquarium.. http://stores.ebay.com/The-Hermit-Crab-Shack >>
Did I say one question? Sorry, here's another one.
<<He he he he....there's always just one more...>>
I also just recently purchased a yellow tang. He's been picking at my live rocks, but is there anything else I can supplement his food with? Is it even
necessary? The LFS said they fed him Emerald Entrée and Ocean Nutrition Seaweed Select, but their holding tanks don't have live rocks. Should I grab some and offer them or is he going to be happy just picking at the rocks?
<<For sure. Offer a variety of algae based foods such as the above and Nori sheets>>
I've got a 125gal FOWLR with about 150lbs of live rock. There is algae growing on them, green, green hair, some type of reddish looking algae.
Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate are 0. In there with him are 1 4stripe damsel, 1 coral Hawkfish, 1 red barred goatfish, 1 Sargassum trigger.
<<Feeding as above, and i am sure it will get its correct diet and fill each day>>
Thanks a lot for the website and amazing book (Conscientious Marine Aquarist)!
<<Thanks for the questions, hope this helps. A Nixon>>

Marine hermit crabs? ID, care  – 08/27/07
This past weekend I was in Cape Cod, MA. Some friends and I were in the ocean (just ankle deep), and we saw a bunch of tiny hermit crabs in the water. They are only the size of my thumb nail, maybe slightly larger.
Well of course we made the dumb decision to bring some home, and now I have 4 of them in a water bottle with salt water and sand and rocks in it. So far they are fine. I went to a pet store today and bought a bunch of stuff for them. But once I got home and did more research I am realizing to my horror that I don't think these are land hermit crabs like I was thinking. Can I keep them in captivity or will they die?? I bought a little plastic container and sand and a sponge for them, but I think they need to be fully submersed in salt water don't they?? Should I get a whole salt water aquarium system for them?? I'm not finding much info on how to care for Marine hermit crabs, and I'm afraid these cute little guys will be dead any day now!!!!!! Please help!!! Thanks.
Natasha (If you need a picture of them to identify I can send one later.)
<Hello Natasha. Identifying a hermit crab to species level is very difficult without a photo. But in the cooler parts of the North Atlantic then species of the genus Parugus are most common, both along the North American and European coasts. So I'm assuming you have one of those. They are indeed fully aquatic hermit crabs, though they are well able to tolerate exposure to air for some time, and will scuttle about in very shallow water even with half their bodies exposed. But for long term care you will need to set them up a "coldwater marine" aquarium. This is not difficult. Firstly, you'll need a tank around the 10 gallon mark. Then you'll need a filter. I'd recommend a simple air-powered box filter filled with ceramic media and a bit of filter wool. There's no need for carbon or anything else. The aquarium needs to be filled with artificial seawater -- that is, water with about 35 grammes of *marine aquarium salt mix* added per litre of water. Using a hydrometer you need to aim for a specific gravity of about 1.027 at 18 degrees C, the maximum safe temperature for these crabs. Try and keep them cooler if you can. I have a little program called 'Brack Calc' on my web page ( http://homepage.mac.com/nmonks/ ) that lets you relate the required salinity (35 g/l) with whatever temperature you have and the specific gravity you can directly measure. Beyond this, keeping hermit crabs is easy as they are quite hardy and adaptable. They are omnivores, mostly feeding on algae, organic detritus, and carrion. In the aquarium almost anything will be accepted, from algae pellets to raw seafood. Don't overfeed them though. Apart from the fact these animals don't need extra light and don't like warmth, in terms of basic care they are otherwise similar to tropical marine hermit crabs. Hope this helps, Neale>

How did I find this site? Was it luck? Need advice on Hermit Crabs. I'm not stupid, but I sure am ignorant.
We All Started Somewhere; A worried newcomer and his hermits/tank  – 05/08/07
<Ferrari I apologize in advance I took a little longer to get back to you, but I placed this query aside because I wanted to ensure it got special attention and that you got pointed in a positive and correct direction..., good luck to you and your animals.>
I have been reading for about 2 hours...
<Addicted yet?>
Now, I realize my ignorance,
<That’s okay…the first step is admitting it, and on the plus you are here to correct your mistakes I presume. That’s all we can ask.>
but I will listen to your advice and return the 4 hermit crabs to the bay.
<Okay, hold off my friend.  Once you collect animals form their natural habitat and place them into artificial quarters, it would not be ethical to return them, though I understand your heart/logic is in the right place.  You see returning them would put the wild-population at risk, you could introduce non-native behaviors and/or pathogens, which could severely destabilize the natural ecosystem. Unfortunately if you can’t provide the right environment to these critters or know someone who can…..the only option is humane euthanization.>
Here is my total life experience with Aquariums.
<Okay…we all started somewhere.>
Last week-- Knew nothing about Aquariums.
3 days ago I found two 20 gallon tanks at a thrift shop.
2 days ago I retrieved 4 Hermit crabs and 10 gallons of water from bay and set up one tank.
<Okay the first mistake is the impulse collection. It is important to research the needs and have the set-up in place before collecting or purchasing animals (also check your local laws). The next mistake, in my experience/opinion…is the use of sea water vs. synthetic. See here; http://www.wetwebmedia.com/seawater.htm. Also you can’t set-up an aquarium and introduce livestock in the same day, you must establish the biological filtration in the aquarium and let it go through a nitrogen cycle. See here; http://www.wetwebmedia.com/estbiofiltmar.htm .>
Yesterday I added some nice looking shells for them to try on and fed the hermit crabs Tetra Crab Cake food pellets.
<What would be most helpful in outlining a diet for these hermits is if you could identify where they came from or even better what species they are. Having said that I would try adding some variety to their diet. Look into frozen and freeze-dried aquarium foods, krill, squid, Mysis, mussels, notice that all of these items are of a marine origin not terrestrial or freshwater based (I’ll make an exception for our friends over at P.E. Mysis which are freshwater based…but that’s a special circumstance).>
Last night I took a big step and bought a 55 Gallon tank kit from Wal-Mart, along with an extra Aquatech 30-60 Filter just to be sure.  
<I see you have been bitten by the bug! Also look into more appropriate marine filtration on WWM. In particular I would recommend you look into live rock and I URGE you to seek out and purchase a quality protein skimmer. A nice Aqua-C hang on model would be appropriate for this set-up.>
Taped a really nice looking reef background to the tank.  Washed then added 50 lbs of Wal-Mart beige colored river rock.
<You may want to look into live rock or at least (marine-based_ porous/calcareous lime rock.>
Next, treated 50 gallons of water with (Jungle) start-right water conditioner
<This is good though there are some other brands of conditioners which I prefer. Tap is okay in certain areas though not ideal…..look into other sources of freshwater, including RODI water. Many local fish stores sell it a reasonable price of you can not purchase a unit yourself.>
(5 gallons at a time) while mixing in a bag of Instant ocean to the 50 gallons of (tap) water.  Specific Gravity now of 1.021
<Will need to be higher for inverts (your hermits); http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/arthropoda/crabs/hermitcrabs.htm .>
I bought rocks and ledges.   
<Do you by chance; know what they are made of? I’m trying to see if they will be invert safe, many rocks contain lots of heavy metals which can prove fatal to your hermits.>
Nice new home for four hermit crabs.  
<It does sounds like you are trying, do not be so harsh on yourself. Though I would slow down slightly and read a little more before you get your feet wet…pun intended.>
The real issue--->The water is not crystal clear,
<This is expected with such freshly mixed sea-water and a new aquarium. How did you clean the rocks/sand used prior to putting them in the tank. As you will read in the cycling link I placed above…you will see that it might be some time before this aquarium is suitable for livestock.>
so I bought new florescent bulbs 18,000 Kelvin ($20.00 for each bulb). Still I can not see the background reef.  The two filters have been running for 14 hours now.  Not cloudy water, just appears to be normal salt water.
<Mmm…likely still debris settling, are you testing the water chemistry yet? http://www.wetwebmedia.com/watrqualmar.htm ; if not I would begin doing so, this will be a very important aspect in your new hobby.>
I realize now that my issues are many, but really I would like to solve the issue of lighting the background before I tackle the other more pressing issues.
<They are vaguely related. I also encourage you to keep reading not only on WWM but text books as well. Pick up a copy of Mike Paletta's ‘New Marine Aquarium” and then move on to something like Bob’s CMA.>
So, I guess I should have just asked about the lighting issue, but I wanted to give you something to talk about when you wetwebmedia guys get together this morning.
<I’ve actually only met 4 crew-members total, Bob included and we do not poke fun at the mishap at livestocks….sometimes we do laugh at the situations folks get in….but that’s not meant maliciously it’s mostly to keep from crying.>
I do not want to replace the standard hoods and the Fluorescents with a Glass top and HO fluorescents unless I really have to.  
<If you only plan on keeping the hermits, what you have (NO fluorescents) is fine.>
I have an almost totally empty tank. what a starting place, huh?
<Do not feel alone, this is everyone's starting place….and others have made far worse mistakes than you.>
I am thinking of pulling out the Beige colored aquarium gravel and finding something reflective (perhaps White Crushed Coral),
<The latter would be better, though I would even look into something finer. Read this too; http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marsubstr.htm .>
and even stronger lighting.  Or is there a simpler solution?
<The lighting is not an issue at the moment, see all of the above.>
Seems like the lighting issue can run into the hundreds of dollars for a small 55 gallon tank,
<Yes if your aim is to keep photosynthetic organisms…which you aren’t at the moment. What you need to focus on is filtration equipment and the nitrogen cycle of your new tank(s)
I must be doing something wrong.
<We all did in the beginning do not stress, chin up my friend.>
Thank you in advance,
<Of course, feel free to email me back should you seek clarification.>
Ferrari
<Adam.>

Hermit crabs trapped in a moray eel cave – 04/26/07
Hello, Thank you for your web site.
<I’m glad you like the site>
I recently installed a PVC pipe cave under the substrate for my snowflake eel, and 2 of my hermit crabs have fallen in and they can't get out!
<Happens.>
I do not want to stick my hand in there and fish them out <me neither>, and I am worried that they will either starve, or be eaten. Any thoughts on how to keep them out?
<First get them out if they cannot get out by themselves. They can climb on some materials, but fail with others. In such cases I put something tank safe in the moray eel cave, e.g. a long piece of air hose, a long cable wrap, whatever seems appropriate to you and is chemically inert in marine water. The hermits can use them as a kind of ladder and climb out. It will take them a while. Most seem to learn their lesson and stay out. I left the ladder items in some of my caves and cut them to the right length to make them barely visible.>
Thank you, Gordon. <Cheers, Marco.>

Shell-less Hermit Crab – 04/22/07
Hi,
<Hi Amanda, Mich here.>
We have a 60 gallon tank with a variety of fish and 2 hermit crabs. The tank is doing great. My husband was doing our 10% water change and after he was done he saw something strange. He noticed what looked like a crab without a shell, so he checked on the 2 shells and both were occupied by their crabs. We decided that the 2 crabs we had, had mated so we ran to the pet store and bought some shells, however this crab is quite large to be a baby, and we have never seen it before today.
<It is always a good idea to have a selection of extra shells, slightly larger than the ones the crabs currently live in available for the crabs to relocate to as they grow.  Most likely this crab hitchhiked it's way into your system.>
I was wondering if you could shed some light on how this crab could have survived with out a shell and why we haven't seen it before today.
<The crab could survive if there are no predators, but the other crabs in your system are a threat.  Hopefully the crab will find a new home from one of the shells you provided.>
Thanks
Amanda

Question Re: Pagurus samuelis sys. mostly  3/23/07
Hello,
I find myself in possession of what I identified to be a Pagurus samuelis hermit crab.
<An intertidal animal from N. America's west coast: http://www.rosario.wwc.edu/inverts/Arthropoda/Crustacea/Malacostraca/Eumalacostraca/Eucarida/
Decapoda/Anomura/Family_Paguridae/Pagurus_samuelis.html>
Unable to return this little fellow back to the ocean, I want to replicate a
habitat as best possible.
<Okay>
When I was given the hermit, it was in a small container with some beach sand and water, where the water was cloudy and the hermit was very sluggish.
I immediately made some fresh instant ocean
<Proper nouns, companies, their products, are capitalized>
in another small container, and added a few shrimp pellets. Within an hour the hermit was lively again and was scrambling around the container & eating the pellets.
<Good>
Wanting to create a more permanent/stable environment, I would like to know how to create a habitat to keep my hermit happy. Is an all pellet diet sufficient?
<Can be>
If not, what else is recommended?
<Please see below>
While the hermit seems to enjoy clear water, how often should the water be changed? Although he always crawls to the bottom when I see him, is this type of hermit able to live 100% underwater?
<No, not well or long>
I've heard of live rocks and the sort, are these necessary?
<A good idea for a few reasons>
Can I just treat the hermit like any ocean hermit, or must I make his setup different since the hermit is tidal instead?
<Needs to "get out"
And how would/could I replicate this in a cost-effective way?
<All posted: Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/arthropoda/crabs/hermitcrabs.htm
and the linked files above>
If things work out, and I fly back out to CA sometime, what is a recommended means of transport?
<Likely a small bag with a few drops of ambient/system water, sealed and tied (to prevent crushing)>
(wouldn't want to check or expose to x-rays :-D) Also, how long can I expect this species to live?
<Days to a few years>
thanks so much & kudos to such an informative site!
- J Lee
<Please use it. Bob Fenner>

Clibanarius tricolor biotype  1/14/07
Hello Robert,
<Neale>
I can probably rustle up a few pictures. There are also some useful   sources on Wikipedia, which we used in my book (which I finally have   a preview copy of, by the way). So there's other options, too.
<Have the ones you sent along, thanks. Will post with credit to you>
Since you're a marine guy, perhaps you'll know whether the blue-leg hermit sold in the UK (Clibanarius tricolor) is the same as the one in the US. I've mentioned it in the article because it does well down to SG 1.010. I assume it's a rocky shore or estuarine species that gets collected as a cheap reef critter. But I don't know anything specific about its ecology. Can you enlighten?
<I do think this is the same animal/species... and yes to its euryhaline tolerance>
Cheers, Neale
<BobF, out in HI... trying to catch up!>

Orphaned crabs   10/4/06
Dear WWM crew,
<Tanja>
Acquaintances of mine have recently bought their first saltwater aquarium. As it turns out, the crabs they bought like to breakfast on the fish.
<Very common>
I was handed the three crabs in a small water tank, and now I have no idea what species they are and what they need. I have spent hours searching the internet and your site for similar pictures: They are dark green, with thin light yellow stripes running down their legs vertically. The tops of their claws (is that what you call them?) are yellow also and both claws are the same size. They are about one inch long (including their hermit shell).
<Oh, at least their anomurans... Hermits in this case>
I called a local pet store and was told that they need a complete saltwater aquarium set of at least 20 gallons with filters and every other equipment fish would need as well. Is that true, or is there a way of keeping these kinds of hermit crabs on their own on a less pricy level?
<Is so>
Thank you so very much in advance for your help!
Tanja D.
<Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/arthropoda/crabs/hermitcrabs.htm
and the linked files above. RMF>

Alkalinity and hermit crabs... I'll say! Not even trying to read   8/23/06
Greetings,
I recently have had a horrible experience losing about 40 scarlet hermit crabs on two separate occasions.  The hermits were added just after cycling the tank.
<This could do it>
  The symptoms before loss was extremely unusual -- complete stillness for a period of time, and then crawling out of their shells with no apparent signs of distress,
<! Crawling out of shells, stillness are apparent signs...>
climbing around (usually upward) for a time, and eventually dying without ever going back into their shells.  The first time I had a huge loss I found out that my water had an unexplained nitrite spike.  (Unexplained because there was no ammonia spike before that -- I had been testing daily).
<...>
  I believe that the new saltwater I'd been mixing up is the problem (as it tested at .5 in ammonia upon mixing), and changed salt mixes.  But a few days later I had a second die-off.  After testing my water quality, the ONLY thing wrong with the tank is that the alkalinity was outrageous.
<Also toxic...>
Like someone who didn't know better, I'd been trying to combat my continuously dropping ph by adding buffer about every other day.
<How?>
I'm told that this caused me to have a high alkalinity.  Is this fatal to hermits?
<... yes>
I also lost my peppermint shrimp on the second occasion I lost a bunch of hermits, but the ghost shrimp in the tank were not affected.  Do the symptoms I mention re the hermits sound familiar?
<Oh yes... as you would know had you followed directions before writing us and read what is already posted...>
I'm told it is extremely rare for them to leave their shells.
I have stopped using buffer and am still battling a low pH, which remains about 7.9 to 8 no matter what time of the day I test (morning and night).  
My substrate is aragonite ("live") from Petco.  Right after doing water changes without buffer to decrease the alkalinity, the few crabs I have
remaining got more active and are doing fine, despite the lower pH.  Did I read on here that new substrate can affect pH in a negative way?
Thanks for your help!
Emilie
<Have just skipped down. Please start reading here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/hermitdisfaqs.htm
and the linked files above... "But wait, there's more!"... Keep reading re the other issues you have questions re above... the search tool, indices... BobF>

SW source, LFS?   8/12/06
Hi,
I Was Wondering If Aquarium's Will Sell Salt Water For My Sea Hermit Crabs?
-April
<Many do... or the means for you to make your own. Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/seawater.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Hermit Crabs/Systems   8/11/06
Hi
<Hello April>
I brought home 2 hermit crabs from out of the ocean in Ocean City, Md.
I also have 4 land hermit crabs already.
Do the ones I found in the ocean have to be kept in salt water?
<Yes>
If they don't, can I eventually put them in with the land crabs?
<No>
Do the ones in the ocean eat the same food as well?
<All crabs are scavengers and will eat most anything.>
Thank you,
<You're welcome.  In future queries, please do a grammar/punctuation check so we do not have to do it.  Just do not have time to edit.  Thank you,
James (Salty Dog)>
-April

Quick question about my hermit crabs behavior 01-26-06
  I tried finding the answer to my question all over your site and the web but came up short so you're my last option.  I have a 50 gallon salt water reef aquarium and recently (about 2 weeks ago) introduced 5 hermit crabs to the tank.  Not sure on the species?  However about a week ago I noticed that the crabs had produced some sort of whitish colored substance around some of the food that I feed the fish, that ends up on the bed of the aquarium.  Afterwards I saw that on top of this whitish matter a aggregation of pink matter began forming on the top.  Is this some sort of harmful substance that might kill off my fish, coral, and anemone?  Is the pink matter bacteria consuming the food locked within?  Thank you for your help.
<Don't be too hard on your hermits. This is not their fault, it is yours... What you are witnessing is a bacterial break-down of excess food. You will want to cut back your feeding or target feed your fish better to eliminate this problem. Travis>   
  Sincerely
  F. Sokhansanj

Coldwater Hermit Crabs in a tropical arrangement? 10/31/05
Hello WWM Crew,
I have a 25 gallon SW tank. Currently the tank is set at 78 degrees. I was wondering if a coldwater hermit crab species could live in my tank. I live in Monterey, California where there are many local tidepools that are occupied by many hermit crabs. I've looked online and the hermit crab species is Pagurus samuelis. I figured that since they are tide pool dwelling animals they are acclimated to frequent changes in their habitat, 
<Good point>
such as temperature, so they may be able to be ok at 78 degrees. What is your opinion? Thanks, Taylor.
<Might adjust... if tried/introduced during the warmer time of the year... but don't think these will live well or long kept in a tropical setting. Bob Fenner> 

Mystery Hermit Crab Help - 10/20/2005
Hello.  Your website has the most in-depth info anywhere on the web!  
<Hefty accusation there, Mary!  I'm glad you find the site useful.  Sabrina with you today.>
You are all to be congratulated on your time, effort and expertise!  
<Thank you very, very much for these kind words....>
I'll try to watch my language.
<Ahh, good.>
That said....  I, like others, ended up bringing home a couple of hermit crabs by mistake from Dauphin Island.
<Uhh, yikes.  Please, please folks - if you pick up trinkets at the beach, make sure the animals that used them are done with them!>
They had survived more than 2 weeks in a tied plastic bag with other empty shells; traveling from southern Alabama up to and through the Smoky Mountains (all of those elevation and temperature changes, whew!) and finally to northern Kentucky.  So I figured the very least that I owed them was my very best efforts to help them live.  I knew absolutely nothing about them and had trouble at first figuring out that they are NOT the hermit crabs that you can readily find info for on the web and that so many kids keep as pets.  I haven't been able to exactly identify them, but here is a link to a picture of them:  http://www.touchthesea.org/hermitcrablv2.jpg
<This is an aquatic or semi-aquatic animal, to be sure.  Not just a land hermit, as you correctly guessed.>
I set up a mini (10 gal) salt water aquarium with:  Aragonite Reef Sand, other shells that I brought home (some of which may be suitable future homes for them), salt water made with dechlorinated tap water and Instant Ocean Sea Salt, mixed appropriately, and a thermometer.
<Heater?  Filtration?  Testing supplies?  Food?>
Yesterday, I thought they were goners.  After setting this 'system' up and putting them in, I gave them some food choices that I had tried previously like commercial pellets, leaf lettuce, "Sea Weed Salad, Green Marine Algae" and covered the whole sha-bang with a towel and left them undisturbed overnight.
<I would try offering small bits of thawed frozen raw human-consumption shrimp....  and remove in a few tens of minutes if left untouched.>
(In Kentucky, I think 'sha-bang'  is a noun, LOL)  
<Can double as a verb in Kansas, spelled 'shebang'.>
And, alas, they seem to be very happy crabs this morning !!
SO, I will go ahead and install a water pump and filtering system, the information for which I can get from your FAQs.  
<Great.>
But, FINALLY, here is my question.... I have yet to see them attempt to eat anything that I have offered and I am stumped.  
<These opportunistic dudes prefer meatier fare....  Try shrimp, krill, even bits of human-consumption fish.>
Today, they seem to be filtering the water through their mouths and maybe eating the algae that came in the sand??.  
<They'll pick through it some, sure.>
But that won't last very long, will it?  
<No.>
What else can I offer them to eat?  
<As above.>
Do they maybe just need more time to acclimate to their surrounding?
<Perhaps.>
Minerals?
<Regular water changes with saltwater of the correct salinity using a quality salt mix will help with this.  You may wish to start testing, maintaining calcium and alkalinity.>
If this is successful, I think I just might invest in a new hobby.  I currently am husband to a 40 gal FW aquarium that has been very successful over the years.   
<Must've been tough to get THAT marriage license!>
A Marine tank would be too cool !  I had always been intimidated by the science of one, but no longer, thanks to all of the efforts y'all put into this web site.
<Glad we could be of service.>
('y'all' is definitely a noun in KY !)  
<That's one I could never get the hang of.>
I look forward to some suggestions on food, minerals, etc.  Keep up the great work, so many of us appreciate it.
<And again, thank you very much for these kind words.  It means a great deal to see comments like these.>
Mary Robben
<Wishing you well,  -Sabrina>

Drum noise and marine hermit crabs  09/13/2005
Hi Helper Guys!
    My grandson has a huge drum set in his small bedroom, and a ten gallon aquarium 2 feet away, on a stand.  He had about 20 fish that quickly died, and our local pet store fish expert said it could've been heart attacks from the extremely loud noise from the drum set.  I had the water checked a few times a week at the pet store, and it was usually fine. Once it barely registered bad so I did a water exchange until it registered good. They were regularly fed, too.  There are still 2 sucker fish in the aquarium that are alive, but the pet store said they are very hardy and have thicker skin.
    Anyway, now he wants to put marine hermit crabs in the aquarium, and we were wondering if the same thing will happen to the crabs when he plays his loud drums.  Thanks so much for your help. The pet store said the crab's shells would protect them from the noise, but I'm not sure
that they really knew the answer, and so I wanted an expert's opinion. <Vibrations will and do cause undo stress on aquatic animals.  James (Salty Dog)>
                                                Coreen Bousfield

Jumping' In With All Ten Feet:  From Land Hermits To Marine - 01/17/2005
Howdy!
<Ahoy, thar!>
I've just spent two hours reading your site and can't find an answer to my question, so I guess I'm an oddball (well, I know I'm an oddball, apparently I'm a unique oddball!)
<Ahh, we're ALL unique oddballs.  No worries.>
I keep quite a few land hermit crabs as pets-last count was 43 in five species-
<Err, and I thought *I* had a few too many, with 14 of 4 species.... <grin> >
and I spotted some tiny blue legs yesterday.  I'd love to get a couple, but I can't seem to find much in the way of info on keeping just crabs.
<Lots of folks do so, in "nano" reef aquaria that are simply too small to comfortably house fish.  Mostly, though, the knowledge required is the same as for any marine system.  I know I've tried to post some info on a couple of hermit forums, but it has been largely disregarded....  Sigh.>
Are they only kept as cleaners, or are they ever kept by themselves?
<Either way.  To be honest, bluelegs aren't the friendliest cleaner.  Lots of folks like them.  I prefer the scarlet reef hermits - much less vicious, IMO/IME.>
If I can keep them alone, how much tank space would I need for two blue legs, say, 1/8" (yes, I'm fully aware that they will grow and I will need to upgrade later)
<Oi.  I wouldn't dare do just two, or you'll end up eventually with just one.  With your experience in land hermits, I'm sure you're familiar with "shell fights" - bluelegs take these to the next level....  Gladiators fighting to the death were never so aggressive as these critters can be.  Again, just my experience, but they tend to tear each other apart if they don't have MORE than enough shells and lots of distractions.>
I'm trying to get an idea of what would be required before I take any home! Thank you SO much for your time and your willingness to help raw newbies!
<Ahh, some very basics....  To be honest, I would strongly urge you to aim for a tank of 20 gallons or more.  A smaller tank will be MUCH harder to keep stable....  really, I can't tell you how much easier a 20 is than a 10.  Please, please, take that into consideration.  Now, if all you want are hermits, this is going to be pretty easy.  I would urge you to use "live rock" in the tank - most often, we recommend 1-2 pounds of rock per gallon, but you can skimp on this and add a few pounds at a time (just make sure it is "cured" before adding, read through the articles and FAQs on live rock for more info).  You'll need a quality marine salt.  "Doc Wellfish" or other salts marketed for freshwater aquaria simply won't cut it.  A hygrometer is of great importance - keep the water at a specific gravity at 1.024-ish.  I would like to recommend that you invest in a decent skimmer, but with the cost of such an item, I just don't think it would be worth it for your applications.  For substrate, you would probably do best to have less than one inch of sand, preferably aragonite.  Crushed coral will do, but sand, IMO, is a much better substrate.  Also, the bluelegs will not dig into the substrate to molt like the land hermits do.  Nor will other small, semi-peaceful hermits.... or any marine hermits that I know of.  There is really a LOT of information to soak up before you take on this endeavor - but you are most definitely capable - I would urge you to read the following article:  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nemoproart.htm  - this article is geared to would-be "Nemo" keepers, but nearly all of it applies to your project, as well.  I especially like the list of equipment needed, but would like to stress NOT to use an incandescent light fixture, which can overheat such a small tank.  Also, I would urge you to visit our forum at http://www.wetwebfotos.com/talk and ask questions and gather information there, as well.  You will find me there as "vintage_fish".>
Also, just a couple comments about your land crab pages: You have almost everything down pat, especially with sending people on to hermit-crabs. COM or landhermitcrabs.com. However, land crabs tend to do best in groups, and they need their water dechlorinated; also, they are very sensitive to metals and need high humidity, so wire cages don't work very well.
<Agreed wholeheartedly on all of the above.  Please understand that much of that area of our site is rather outdated.  Perhaps someone will get around to placing an up-to-date article there, some time soon....>
Again, thank you so much for your time and attention!
<And thank you for your interest in what is most certainly a very extensive and exciting hobby!  Please do read that article, to kinda get a feel for what you need to know and do, and make use of our forums - and if you have any further questions, PLEASE feel free to write in again!  We're here for this very reason.
Sarah
<Wishing you and your future bluelegs well,  -Sabrina>
Hermit Crab Habitat
Hi, <Hello Grandma Bonnie> My grandson has gotten a marine hermit crab from Florida. We do not have a saltwater fishtank, but I got a big plastic Tupperware container and I
filled it with saltwater made from Instant Ocean salt and I used Start Right to remove all chlorine and such. I made it about an inch deeper than his head when he walks around. We put three more shells in there for him, a couple fancy oyster or clam shells, some painted coral, a dead sea sponge, a lava rock, and a (bird) cuttlebone for calcium, that we weighed down with the lava rock. I figured we would feed him once a day in another smaller container (with water) for an hour or so till he gets done eating, then put him back in his other living container to help keep it clean. And maybe change the water in his living container once a week or two weeks. Would this be sufficient? <I think so, hermits are very hardy creatures.> Or I was wondering if he needed an air tube in the water for oxygen or not? <It isn't necessary, provided there is just the crab.>There are no fish with him. Just him alone and we had him
for one day and he switched shells already. I heard this may be common. I'm mainly asking about the air tube, I don't want to suffocate him, or if you
see anything else we might be doing wrong.  <You should be fine.  James (Salty Dog)> Thank you,  His Grandma Bonnie

Scarlet Hermit Crabs
Hi CREW,
<Hello Debi> 
I understand Scarlet Hermits need to go looking for a new shell as they grow.
<Correct> 
So how many empty shells should I provide and where is it best to place them to assure happy hunting? Is it ok to get shells from a shell shop as long as I boil the empties before putting them in the tank? 
<Four or five empty shells should be enough. Choose various sizes that are slightly larger than the home he is in. I believe shells from a shell shop would be OK. You want to pick shells that are similar in shape to the one he is in now. I would not use any if they were sprayed with a clear coat or anything like that. James (Salty Dog)>

Help - a killer in my tank - hermit crabs MIA
Dear Crew
<Peter>
I have been reading your site for some time tonight, but ... ... who has been eating my small blue legged hermit crabs?
<Ooooh, I do so love a mystery!>
I shone a light in the tank late last night and saw only two  2-3" long, dead straight, spaghetti like feelers. After a few seconds in the light the feelers slowly spiraled away into the rock.
<Mmmm, maybe the polychaete worm butler "did it?"...>
Is this fascinating or nasty and should I dump that piece of rock?<Hello Peter.  Do not dump the rock.  The worms are probably innocent.  Your hermits are probably in a rock crevice eating trapped food particles>  James (Salty Dog)
<Oh... I see our new Crewmember James has answered your query...>
I need help with this one.  I am new to the hobby, and did not realize what goes on after the lights go out.
Thanks a lot.
Peter Hosier
<I agree with Salty... let some time go by... and if you can, continue to monitor that worm, other possible hitchhiker predators and consider baiting, removing them. Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/polychaecompfaqs.htm
Bob Fenner>

Hermit Crab Genocide?
Dear WWM,
    I always start my emails with a thank you for all you're doing.  So, once again, thanks!
<Welcome>
As I am about to discuss the health (or lack thereof) of my hermit crabs, keep in mind that all my fish are doing fine, and that Am, trites are at 0, trates are minimal, SG and pH are fine.
<Okay>
Anyway.  My 2-month-old 30-gal SW aquarium cycled beautifully with Live Rock, two weeks after which I added two paired clowns.  Two weeks thereafter I added a royal Gramma (who had a bit of an adventure getting into the tank, jumped out of the transition container and onto my carpet), but after a few days in hiding, he's now king of the tank, not at all shy, and gets along with my clowns.  I decided to add some sand sifters... my LFS recommended I get 5 red-legged hermit crabs.  They assured me these guys were very hardy and did not need to be QT'ed or acclimated.  The crabs did fine at first.  They were all very active, constantly going through my sand and climbing through my LR.  A while later, my LFS recommended I add Calcium and Alkalinity to my tank to make it suitable for corals.  Well, ever since I added these two components, my hermits have slowed down considerably.  They don't move around any more.
<Good observation>
  I thought they were dead, but when I look closely, their little "antennae" (or whatever they have between their eyes) still move around.  However, one of the crabs, I found this morning, sprawled out on the sand, out of his shell.  I'm not sure how much of a body they have besides the red legs that we see when they're in their shells, but this guy did not have much of anything left besides his legs.  
<There is not much to these anomurans>
When I tried taking him out of the tank, his legs separated from each other!  
<Uhh, dead>
I'm baffled as to what happened to him.  It almost looks like the rest of his body was eaten.  Is this guy's decision to crawl out of shell in any way related to the deterioration in activity of the other crabs?
<Not likely... very likely due to the alkaline reserve and calcium addition/s>
Is it possible these guys' health was anyway going downhill and coincided with me adding the two components?  Or is their health downturn directly resulting from the chemicals?
<The latter>
I liked these guys, too. :(
Your responses are, as always, greatly appreciated.
Paul Ghica
<Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/hermitdisfaqs.htm
and on to the Related FAQs (linked, above, in blue). Bob Fenner>

Re: Hermit Crab Genocide?
Thank you for your responses, Bob!
<Welcome>
I decided to discontinue my Alkalinity and Calcium treatment of my tank for the sake of my hermits.
<A good idea>
Now, the story below comes with a twisted development.  I thought one of my 5 crabs died.  I saw his shell-less body sprawled out on the floor of the aquarium.  The same thing happened to another one of my hermits.  
Body on the floor.  Within two days, it was broken apart, presumably eaten.  That should leave me with 3 hermits, right?  However, I just counted 4 crabs crawling along today.
<Hee heee! I smell a molt>
  All 4 that I saw were pretty big, so that rules out the possibility of a baby.  Two of them were still pretty motionless, except for their little antennae moving around... now, the other two have gotten simply huge, have seemingly almost outgrown their shells, and are quite active, climbing anything they possibly can.
I'm starting to think that those were not crabs I saw on the floor, but just their molts (is that what they're called when they "shed"?).
<Yep>
My apologies in advance for any poor terminology I may use.  I still don't know where to find the elusive 5th crab, or his shell.  Is there anyway to make my tank reef-ready (my LFS insists I must add Alkalinity and Calcium in order to do so) without further endangering my hermits?  It seems their health and activity is directly related to my adding the chemicals.
<Best to not add anything at this point.>
Now, of the four I currently see inside in the tank, is there a correlation between the fact that two are bigger and active, two are still small and inactive, and that there are two molts on the floor?
<Likely the larger ones are growing faster... do make some assortment of shells available for their use>
If there might be some link, which two are most likely to have recently shed?  The active ones, or the inactive ones?
<The active>
The reason I ask is because if the active ones are the ones whose molts are on the ground, perhaps I can look forward to the others molting and becoming bigger and active.  If the inactive ones are the ones whose molts are on the ground, I'll  presumably need to do something before my two remaining active crabs meet the same comatose fate.
<Yes, they all will molt... every few months... slower with age, larger size>
Thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge.
Paul Ghica
<Glad to share. Bob Fenner>

Vacation Crab Bonanza
Hi,<Hi, MikeD here> I have a purple pincher hermit crab and my niece found some hermit crabs on the beach she wants me to have. I had mentioned to her that I wanted another one to keep my purple claw company. The thing is that she found these in the salt water. I don't want to break her heart, but I have no idea how to take care of these. I don't know anything about them. Do I keep them in the water all the time and if they are ok not to keep in the water then, are they ok to put in the same tank as my purple claw one<Unfortunately, no, these are marine vs. the apparently land species that you have>. I am still learning how to take care of
the one I got. I need to know all the basics of taking care of the salt water ones<"all of the basics" is probably a lot more than you're prepared to deal with at the moment.>. There is like 30 of them that she's giving me<Yep, that's more than you're prepared to deal with!>. How do I take care of these...are they any different then the one I have?<In appearance, no, in requirements they might as well be Martian crabs> If I have to keep them in water the whole time, then are they ok with fresh water<NO!> or should I get the same water salt to put in the water? Do they need the calcium powder and how cold should the water be? Any information on the ones from the beach water is helpful.<My honest suggestion is to call your local pet shops that handle marine fish and see if they'll help you out. Although crabs are less demanding than fish, you'd still need an established marine aquarium that's been up and running for at least 6 weeks, and frankly, you just don't have the time, no matter how willing. The type crabs your niece has brought back are actually much sought after by intelligent salt water shop owners as they are likely larger than the type they can often purchase through normal channels.>>

Hermit Crabs
We went to Shinnecock Canal on Long Island, and my son wanted to bring home some hermit crabs. << I'm not a big advocate of bringing things home from the beach.  Sometimes they are more difficult to care for than we expect. >> We have about 30 of them (they are pretty small) in a 1 gallon fish bowl with a little gravel and the salt water we brought them home in mixed with a little fresh water. << That is a lot of crabs in a little bowl, I would be sure and change water often. >> But how are we supposed to take care of them...environment...food...shells? << The best thing for them is rock and algae.  I wouldn't worry about shells yet, I'd worry about keeping them alive in such a small tank.  Actually, I'd look at getting a bigger tank.  Otherwise you are stuck trying to keep the temperature the same, and the water clean.  As for food, I would think they would eat Nori, which is seaweed you can buy at most oriental food markets. >>   Even though we found them in saltwater will they live in fresh water?  << They may, but far better to replicate their environment the best you can.  Also, with such a small bowl mixing up saltwater would be easy.  You can do a 50% water change and that is only 1/2 gallon. >>   I would appreciate all they info you can give me.  Thanks,  Jenn. << Hope that helps. >>
<<  Adam Blundell  >>

Do crabs and snails need air?
Do regular or hermit crabs require air, or can they stay fully submerged in water all the time?
<There is more than one kind of hermit crab...some are mostly land based and need lots of air while some others are ocean dwellers that can do fine without air. The ones like pet stores sell in the little terrariums need air and will die if fully submerged all the time>
Snails?
<The same can be said for snails...>

Hermit crabs
hello there Robert, I would like to know If It is possible to keep cold water hermit crabs permanently in a tropical reef set up. I stay on the west coast of Scotland where I would be collecting my specimens.
I have a 50 gallon tank with various soft corals.
<Hmm, well, sometimes these cold water non-vertebrate animals will "make the switch" to a degree collected during the warm months of the year... And species that are intertidal are pretty eurythermal... About the only way to tell my friend is to collect and try some out. Bob Fenner>

Hermit crabs
hi there are a lot of hermit crabs just in the bay down from my house I was wondering if it would be alright to put them in my tank do some hermit crabs need air because these hermit crabs are always in the water when I see them but in shallow puddles because I wouldn't want to drown them or anything
<You are a good observer... many hermit crabs are much more amphibious than totally aquatic. Do provide a small area for these to crawl out of the water. Bob Fenner>

Crabs
Hello, back again! It's so nice to know that when I post a question, it will be answered! This service is highly needed today and I am delirious each time I get the chance to use it!. Also, that Steven, is FUNNY! When Robert was out he sure came up hilarious scenarios for his absence!
<Thank you for the compliment, but I think you meant Anthony. He was the one coming up with the truly hilarious reasons for Bob's absence. I was only moderately amusing.>
So I just wanted you to know, that although I may appear to be casual in my need for info, I appreciate it so much!! It makes this hobby so much more possible when you have almost instant answers! Now, to my question,..............hmmm, I forgot it! Oh yeah, last summer I went down to our local beach, (I live on Cape Cod) and collected about 20 little hermit crabs. They were taken from the small pools that form along the beach when the waves come in. Seeing that this water was always very warm, I figured they would do nicely in my reef tank. Oh contrary! It appeared they WERE settling in nicely for about the first 3 months. But then I noticed that their numbers were dwindling. I wasn't sure if they were hiding or what, but now, about 5 months later, I haven't seen a single one! All I have in my 55 g. tank is 3 dominos, 2 yellow tail blue damsels, 2 camel shrimp, and 1 coral shrimp. I don't think THEY would be eating them. Can you tell me why they would die off? Also, was it illegal to take them from the beach? I see little kids do this all the time, and I have not yet seen the "Crab Police" stop them at the gate! I really hate to pay 3 dollars a crab at my local shop when I can get them for free!
<As you discovered, these little guys are a temperate species and while the water was warm at the time, these crabs needed/were use to it getting cold and their numbers dwindled when it stayed hot. You would be better off buying the tropical variety from your LFS. I prefer the so called scarlet reef hermit crab.>Thanks guys! Pam
<You are welcome, Steven Pro.>

New Hermit Homes
I am new to saltwater tank keeping so please bare with my questions.
<You are welcome here>
I have a red legged hermit crab, he is very small, about a half an inch. I haveread on your site (which is awesome, I use it all the time) that I need to have a larger shell available for him to "move into". When should I have this new shell available for him and where can I find a suitable new shell?
Also, how much larger should the new shell be? Thanks for any help you can provide.
<A good idea to have a few "other" shells about for "up-sizing" all the time. To assure these are "marine safe" I suggest getting a few from your local fish store, or e-tailer... in an assortment of just barely larger on up to about twice the size your Hermit currently occupies. Bob Fenner>
Theresa

Snail & Hermit Crab waste
Hi Bob:
My tank finally cycled with a lot of algae bloom. Two days ago I added 10 Scarlet Reef Hermits 10 Turbo/Margarita Snails and 30 Red Leg/Left-Handed Hermits from FFExpress. They have done an excellent job cleaning but I noticed a lot of waste since I added them in the tank. Is this bad for the tank? And should I pull out some of the hermit crabs out?
<You neglect to mention how large your tank is. I would not use anymore than 1 hermit crab per 10 gallons. I use about 1 snail per 2-4 gallons depending on the tank, lights, etc.>
Thank You, Aram
<You are welcome. -Steven Pro>

Re: Snail & Hermit Crab waste
Hi Steve:
I have a 54 gallon corner tank. I guess I should pull out some of the crabs and snails. What do you think?
<Yes, I would remove all but two of each hermit crab. I would leave all the snails and if you need more algae eaters, get ten more Astrea, Cerith, or Nerites snails. I like to use a variety of snails as they all seem to prefer to eat different things. -Steven Pro>

Re: Snail & Hermit Crab waste
Thanks Steve, FFExpress should redo their Web Site about adding the correct amount of Invertebrates. ~Aram
<Nothing in particular about FFExpress, but all of these places are in the business of selling. I never assume any salesperson, selling anything, knows everything about their product or wants to be my friend. Pet stores are all businesses, too. Just approach them as you should any business, as an educated consumer. -Steven Pro>