Primarily Noctournal Hermit Crabs

[Opcn]

I was looking at my setup today and noticed that as soon as I shut off the lights the hermit crabs just stopped scooting around, I have redtipped dwarfs right now, are there any hermits that are highly active at night, so that I have something to watch when these fellows slow down?

 

[Navarre]

I have found my redlegs to be more active afterdark than they are when the lights are on.

 

[Opcn]

Can you get a species name for me? Are red legged hermits the same as scarlet hermits http/www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Di....cfm?pCatId=620?

 

[Navarre]

yep

 

[Riley]

Im not quite sure about scarlet hermits, but I don't think it would be that unusual. I have dwarf blue leg hermits and Dwarf zebra hermits and I usually see them ripping around at night time.

 

[Tiggs]

I was looking at my setup today and noticed that as soon as I shut off the lights the hermit crabs just stopped scooting around, I have redtipped dwarfs right now, are there any hermits that are highly active at night, so that I have something to watch when these fellows slow down?

are you sure its not an instinctive reaction to a sudden light change? try looking 30 mins after dark- you may find them hard at work again- mine work twice as hard at night and tend to come down of the reef to do it...rarley seen on the sand in the day but clean it at night double time!

 

[Opcn]

It wasn't exactly sudden, they just slowwed down didn't retract int there shells either. I thought that it was just going to be short lived too, but then I watched them for 15 minutes then I came back two hours later and they were still in the same places, then I came back again 4 hours later (~2 AM) and they had only moved a few inches.

 

[petey Z]

hey everyone, sry to get alittle off topic, i didnt want to start another New Topic, but i was wondering what clean up crew should i get for my 38 gal reef tank?

i was thinking like
blue legged crabs
scarlet hermit
snails

is this good

how much of each?

thanks

 

[Navarre]

try not to mix blue and red hermits. the blues are very aggressive and usually kill off the reds unless the reds are far larger. the blues also tend to kill snails for shells if you dont supply lots of spares for them.

 

[petey Z]

yea i heard that the blues tend to kill snails for shells, and i plan of getting plenty of extra shells
anyone know how many i should get ?

 

[Tiggs]

yea i heard that the blues tend to kill snails for shells, and i plan of getting plenty of extra shells
anyone know how many i should get ?

my tank was littered with shells and the blues still kill the snails - most have gone to the LFS.......lots of reds and they are cool.

 

[petey Z]

not sure if this is a stupid question

but

i was reading that when u have a sump with live sand and live rock, you should use snails or crabs to get rid of detritus accumulation

is this true, should u put them in the sump.?

 

[Opcn]

But of course, if you can get something in there to suck up the waste before it breaks down you can lock up some of it in animal growth rather than just as waste.

 

[petey Z]

wait so u are supose to ?

 

[Opcn]

yes, you want a cleanup crew to eat detritus wher ever it may be