Should I be afraid???

Should I be afraid of this little bugger?? i bought 2 a while ago thinking they were red legged hermits, one didn't make it but this one did. I threw him in the sump but he kept finding a way over to the pump section. so I brought him into the main tank, he has been fine but when i got home I noticed him sitting right in the middle of my coral, threw the jacket off and moved him off it, i don't see any damage to the coral, just a few minutes ago i noticed him slowly moving back to the coral. Do you think hes just investigation it? or do you think he'll do harm to it?? i hate to throw him in the sump and keep picking him out of the pump chamber.

 

Nice way to take a pick..

All the crabs I looked at on line all say reef safe.

I say no worries, but I nknow some here like to stay away from crabs in the coral tanks.


Good luck

 

Looks like a blue hermit crab. Should be no harm as he is a scavenger. He will kill snails as he gets larger to move in their shell if you don't have extras in the tank for him to move up to.

 

I would just watch it. See if he is actually eating anything. My crabs will hang out in/on my corals every now and again, but never acually cause any damage. Heck, even my skunk shrimp likes to perch on corals ever so often.

 

I haven't heard of any hermit crabs that aren't reef, doesn't mean there aren't any, but sometimes my hermits will crawls onto my corals, my pineapple and monti. They just seem to be investigating, I wouldn't worry about it too much

 

Should be fine... IMO...

 

Even if you have extra shells. If they want a shell they will take it!! I can't keep snails in my tank just for that reason!

I agree with everyone though. It seems to be a harmless hermie and shouldn't cause any problems.

 

when i started i had some red legged H crabs and one was about the size of a quarter he would pick at the foot of my anemone they had to go. i have never seen anything like that cense. i keep blues.never any problems with them and my corals