Hermit Crab
Scientific Name : Clibanarius spp.
Common Names : Dwarf Red Tip Hermit Crab
Care Level : Easy, good for saltwater beginners but take an hour or more and use a slow drip acclimation to get them used to your tank’s water parameters.
Life span : 2 – 4 years, maybe longer
Size : Up to 1 inch (3 cm)
pH : 8.1 – 8.4
Temperature : 72°F – 80°F (22°C – 27°C)
Specific Gravity : 1.022 – 1.025
Origin / Habitat : Mexico, the Caribbean
Temperament / Behavior : Very peaceful
Breeding / Mating / Reproduction : Difficult to breed them
Tank Size : 10 gallon minimum
Compatible Tank Mates : Even though they do have a protective shell, caution is advised if you plan on keeping them with some of the more aggressive marine invertebrates.
Diet / Fish Food : They will usually scavenge all over live rock and the sand substrate looking for algae and cyanobacteria (red slime algae). If you don’t have enough algae in your tank give them dried seaweed.
Tank Region : Mostly found on, in or around your live rock.
Gender : There are no definite ways to distinguish males from females.
Gallery Photos : Hermit Crab Photos
There are a lot of different types of Hermit Crabs available but some are better than others in a marine aquarium. If you are looking for something to add to your clean up crew, check out the blue-legged and red-legged varieties. They will scavenge all over your live rock and sand substrate looking for algae and detritus. It has been reported that the red leg hermit will eat cyanobacteria, which is red slime algae. If you have a relatively new tank you may want to supplement their diet with dried seaweed to prevent them from starving. You will also want to get some extra hermit crab shells of different sizes for them to move in to as they grow.
Take a little more time when acclimating them to your tank water to prevent pH shock. As with other invertebrates, use extreme caution when using medicine in a tank with hermit crabs. You risk wiping them out if you do use medicines.
