Hermit and snail question

[VT rules]

If I have 15 or 20 hermits in my tank do I need to have some extra shells laying around for them? Do they need to be different sizes? Also, do the snails leave their shells as they get bigger?

As the members of my cleanup crew die off how will I find and remove them since there are quite a few and they are nestled in the rock, etc? If I don't locate the dead members will they cause ammonia problems or will they get eaten by something else first?

[sssnake]

As hermit crabs grow bigger they outgrow their shells, so yes you should have extra bigger shells (scattered around in your tank).

Snails do not leave their shells.....the shell is part of the animal (snail). As the snail grows so does the shell.

Chances are that the dead crew members will be eaten by something in your tank. If you are able to take them out great . If not I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[Powderbluetang]

I always provide larger shells for the hermits to grow bigger and exchange shells, if you don't they will go after the snails and kill them for their shells! When a snail or hermit dies I leave it in the aquarium it gets recycle pretty fast by the others, they become a food source!

[Bruce]

Well now i only have a few hermits left. lol it was weird i always had plenty of shells for them...but they just loved to kill eachother rofl...

[VT rules]

Originally Posted by Powderbluetang

When a snail or hermit dies I leave it in the aquarium it gets recycle pretty fast by the others, they become a food source!

How about a peppermint shrimp, would you leave that in the aquarium after it has died to serve as a food source or scoop it out? I have just discovered one of my new peppermint shrimp is belly up . My first death in the new tank, I must say it is somewhat disturbing!
Any ideas what would have killed the shrimp? He lasted 3 days, the others are doing fine. My water levels seem to be okay, only my PH is a little low (7..

[APC]

I have had several Astrea Snails get "Shell Jacked". They fall on thier backs, and then the hermits pounce on them, eat them, and take over there shells. All 6 of my hermits now live in snail shells actually :-)

[APC]

On the peppermint shrimp...Are you sure it died, or did it just molt. When they molt, they literally step out of there exoskeleton. The exo looks just like a dead shrimp. A couple of days later your actual shrip shows up...a little bigger then before (upto 25%) but perfectly happy. When they do molt, they tend to hide for a day or two while thier exo-skeleton hardens up...as they are more vulnerable during the first few days post molt (Think soft shell crab at your local restaurant...its the same thing)

[Bruce]

Originally Posted by VT rules

How about a peppermint shrimp, would you leave that in the aquarium after it has died to serve as a food source or scoop it out? I have just discovered one of my new peppermint shrimp is belly up . My first death in the new tank, I must say it is somewhat disturbing!
Any ideas what would have killed the shrimp? He lasted 3 days, the others are doing fine. My water levels seem to be okay, only my PH is a little low (7..

I would definatly get a pH buffer. Shrimps are very picky when it comes to things like that.

[sssnake]

Sorry for the bad news VT.

I would leave it be. Let nature take its course. I wouldn't worry about a spike in your water given the size of your tank, and, looking at your "clean-up gang", there shouldn't be much left soon.

[VT rules]

Well so much for the peppermint shrimp, the cleaner shrimp finally came out from his hiding place and drug him off. Apparently, he smelled the death in the water! At least he's doing his job and cleaning............

I just put some PH8.2 in the tank, hopefully that will bring it up.