Hermit crab or turbo snail??

+1

I just watch one my hermits immediately kill a newly bought snail within a minute of me finishing acclimating and releasing a bag of them yesterday.

 

Ha just make sure you have plenty... of shells just laying around.

 

Watch out for the Red Leg hermit. I have ONE and now have over a dozen empty Mexican Turbos! He now lives in the largest of the turbo shells. Learned my lesson :-[

 

To be honest, it rarely comes down to killing a snail for its shell. Hermits, like most crabs, are opportunistic omnivores, and certain species are worse than others. Unfortunately, most hermits quickly develop a taste for snail meat, and snails are easy prey.

FWIW, the most docile species IME is the scarlet reef hermit (Pauristes cadenati), which is a bright red crab with bright yellow eyestalks. I haven't seen one eat a healthy snail yet, even tho most other hermits LOVE escargot.

Keeping hermits well fed and lightly stocked should help, altho we rarely feed our scarlets.

 

Here's something we put together a long time ago that might help a little.

Choosing a Clean up Crew.

 

Ohhhhh. it needs some updates. Well get on it directly.

 

Thread is from 2009.

 

What the heck! Who's the culprit!!! Wasn't me. LOL!

 

VINNY!! Your the MAN!!!