hermit crab

[Scuba]

My other half decided to gt me two invert for the tank, one is a small horeshoe crab about inch and a half long. The other is a hermit crab, I do not know what kind, he is about 1/2 inch long, looks like it has black legs with white bands on them, any help on what try it is?

[Craig Manoukian]

Oooops! Those don't quite sound reef safe!

The horshoe crab will makwe an absolute mess of your DSB by over sifting, They get quite large as well, not a good choice.

The generally accepted reef safe hermits are the Blue, Red, and Scarlet Legged crabs. The crab with the black and white markings doesn't sound like iy fits that group.

If it were me I'd exchange them at the LFS. God Bless your wife for such a nice gesture. You can offer to her to check in here before the next time she gets the urge to be an aqutic Mrs. Claus, eh?

[Scuba]

This is the best photo of it I have.

[karlas]

ya i would consider getting rid of the horseshoe they will dig n dig n dig. also when you go to the jersey shore you can see them quite often and there you can see them a foot maby a foot and a half across and at least 2 ft long they get pretty big. also the feed on crabs and marine worms i dont think they munch corals

[Scuba]

I have found out what I have, it is a Black and White Hermit Crab. Calcinus seurati: This Hawaiian hermit crab has black and white bands on its legs. On average its length is .6 inches. A great reef hermit and very active at cleaning. One of the most popular reef hermits, because of its efficiency, beauty and hardiness. These guys will eat diatom, hair and detritus. Recommend 1 per 2 gallons, 1 to 1 for major algae outbreaks. I found it on Premium Aquatics web page.

[Craig Manoukian]

Way cool Scuba! Thanks and good detective work. Will keep my eye out for them at my LFS. They are called Hawaiian Zebra Hermits in the trade.

[Scuba]

My LFS sells them as common Hermit crabs.

[Gresham]

Your LFS is getting a good deal then, or they're supplier is clueless. *Zebra's fetch a better price wholesale then a blue legs, scarlets and the likes. *They actually are almost as exspensive as the Electric Blue Neon or Halloween Hermits but far less then a staghorn. *Your list is INCREDIBLY short there Craig, and limitted to the caribbean. *I have about 5 others to add to it(when I have more time). *Blue legs are known to attack other hermits for shells as well as snails for theirs. *Scarlets are cool, they're fairly docile. *Some great hermits come out of Mexico, Hawaii and the S. Pacific. *I'll post common names/latin names this weekend when In have more time this weekend.

[Craig Manoukian]

Thanks Gresh, always lloking to broaden my horizons, even the crabby ones!

[Gresham]

Craig, your one of the coolest reefers I've met man, hats off to you. *You not only can give rock solid advice, you can take it too. *

From Mexico:

the Staghorn Hermit - *Manucomplanus varians - A left clawed white hermit with red eyes and a fire coral shell that filter feeds- best if no other shells are around (so he won't jump his fire coral shell (janaria mirabilis) for the normal ones) and theres plenty of un-obstucted sand bed for him to move around. *Don't worry about his hsell attacking other corals, its extremelly unpotent.

Mexican Red Hermit - Calcinus Californiensis - Another left clawed hermit (larger left claw) that is dark *red with some lighter red/black outlines *- a VERY good algea feeder - attacks caulerpa with a gusto if you've got a problem with it and loves hair algae as well.

the Red Tipped Hermit or Dwarf Mexican Hermit - Clibanarius sp - loves cyanobacteria!!!


From the Caribbean:

the Blue Leg hermit - Clibanarius tricolor - An equal clawed hermit - An average hermit when it comes to grazing algae - known to attack other hermits and snails for their shells (more so then others)

the Scarlet Hermit - Paguristes cadenati - An excellent aglae grazer and very mellow to other hermits and snails

the Red Hermit - Calcinus tibicen - not to be confused with the bright red Scarlet Hermit, this one is a deep dark red and a Left clawed hermit

the Little big Claw Hermit aka Polka-dotted Hermit - Phimochirus operculatus - a very aggressive feeder and not to common in the trade - Great looking hermit!!

From Hawaii:

the Zebra Hermit - Calcinus seurati - mentioned above

the Electric Orange Hermit - Calcinus spp. (probably a color morph of the seurati but I'm not sure)- mentioned above

From the South Pacific:

More Blue leg TYPE hermits (dfferent colors) - several differnet Clibanarius spp. - Same as mentioned above - not to common in the trade

More Calcinus spp. hermits, including but not limitted to:

the Electic Blue Neon Hermit - Calcinus elegans - Marshal Islands/Australia/PNG
the Left Clawed Hermit - Calcinus laevimanus - Indo Pacific
Calcinus gaimardii - Indo Pacific
Calcinus latens - From Australia