Help out a newbie?

I've got a couple questions that I'd really appreciate your help on everyone...
First, one of my hermit crabs caught one of my astrea snails and ate it (along with some help from the peppermint shrimp). Does that indicate anything wrong if the crabs are going after the snails, when it seems like they should still have plenty of other food in the tank (algae, detrius etc)?

Second, my nitrates have been fine for a few months, then all my brown algae went away, I got a ton of green algae and now my nitrates have gone up to the 60 - 80 ppm range, I've done a couple 10% water changes (once a week for the past couple weeks) and it drops a little, but is back up in a couple days. Don't think I'm doing anything different, so I'm wondering what's going on. Could the algae change have something to do with it? Any other thoughts?

 

Unfortunately most hermits have shell envy and will try and take out what ever they can for a better shell. I would try to buy some shells and place a few in your tank. This seems to help curb the snail attacks.
Also if a snail has been struggling to right itself, crabs will gather as the snail is soon to die.

You nitrates could be a number of things. Algae will consume Nitrates and give you a lower reading. Now with the algae gone you need something else to consume or remove the Nitrates.
Your Wet dry filter could be producing nitrates if not cleaned regularly.
You could be over feeding you fish? (something I'm really good at)

Jason

 

Yeah I wonder about how much you are feeding too.

The wet/dry may be playing a part - but I wouldn't clean it all at once. Do you have a filter pad in the drip tray?

 

I do have a filter pad on the drip tray. I wasn't sure how often that needed to be changed. It hasn't been changed for 3 or 4 months now.
As for the feeding, I've thought about overfeeding, but don't think I'm feeding them any more that I have been. I don't measure food specifically, but have been generally using the same amount. In fact, because of Christmas and New Years recently, I've probably ended up feeding them less with being away from home more.
Any suggestions besides the filter pad (maybe) that I should do to the wet dry? I could take out some of the bio balls perhaps?

 

Can you be more specific about the feeding? How much? How many times a day?

I would change the filter pad and up the amount of water you change.

Are you using tap water?

You could remove the bio balls slowly over time, but I think there may be more at work here.

 

Matt, I feed twice a day - a pinch or so of flake food in the morning and then an 1/8 if a cube of formula 1. I do use treated tap water and have tested it on numerous occasions for nitrates and have found levels at almost 0 and have been fine with the water prior to the last couple weeks, so I don't think it's my water, but I'm not ruling that out if you think there is potential there - just doesn't seem to match up.

 

Forgot...
Jason, I've heard of crabs going for new shells too, but don't think that's the case as this guy left the shell and I do have several other larger shells in the tank. It is possible that the snail did get to where he couldn't right himself, this was a "the snail was fine when I went to bed, got up the next morning and the crab was almost finished with his midnight snack"

 

well, in my opinion it's most likely that the snails was dead or dying and that the hermit was just cleaning up.

 

That's not a lot of food.
What kind of test kit are you using? Have you taken water to the LFS to compare to your findings?

 

I currently have around 25-50 red and blue legged hermits in my 72. they will regularly go after snails and each other for that matter. Read there used to be more... The bigger ones tend to go after the Turbos. I think it's for the shells. A couple of the red legged guys have moved into shells that I thought were ornamental. I'd make sure they have extra larger homes lying around.