Anyone have experience with either of these two hermits?

[Anonymous]

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... pCatId=624

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... CatId=1474

I pretty much think the pom pom crab is about the coolest thing I ever saw, but I'm worried about it using the anemone's to sting my other peaceful hermits. Who's had a crab like either of the two, good, bad, experiences wanted.

 

[Anonymous]

id stay away from Dardanus spp. in a reef..it states it isnt reef compatable..I think Tanggirl has had pom pom crabs...i think i posted a question awhile back on these guys...might wanna check with her...

 

[tazdevil]

Froma what I have heard on this site and others, Dardanus spp. hermits could earn the name "reef tank destruction/tear down crew".

Boxing crabs aren't quite that harmful, not totally harmless either. They defend themselves by attaching two small anemones to their pinchers, and waving them at anything threatening. If you don't have two small anemones handy, I assume they might use whatever looks like an anemone, so might be some minor trouble.

 

[Anonymous]

oh i assumed they came with the anemone.

also thanks for pointing that out about the other crab. i hadn't really done my reading on it yet *hangs head*

 

[rBeOeBf]

I picked up a pom pom crab about 2 weeks ago. Everything I had read and heard about them told me they would be a peaceful reef inhabitant, and watching him for the last 2 weeks tells me the same. Mine came with the 2 anemones, and it only uses them for defense. The anemones are really small, maybe a quarter of an inch across. He'll hold them out in a defensive posture whenever my coral banded shrimp starts picking at him, or if one of my clowns swoops down too close to take a look at him. Interesting character to watch.

-Bob

 

[rBeOeBf]

*double post*

 

[Anonymous]

rBeOeBf, cool, that's what i wanted to hear. thx!

 

[Anonymous]

id be wary of it sticking those anemones where they dont belong..like against other corals...just by accident..you never know...they do sound interesting and i have thought to myself are they worth purchasing...please tell more...

 

[elpescado]

The anemone hermit is a destructive one. Not only the hermit itself, but the anemones it carries on its shell can sting corals. Keep it out of your reef. If you want a really cool larger hermit crab then try to locate a "staghorn" hermit. Sprung has a writeup on them in his "Invertebrates" book. Even though the shell consists of a species of hydroid they are harmless bottom dwellers. Mine never leaves the sand. Never crawls on the rocks, and I have never seen the hydroid spread to any of the live rock.
The PomPom crab is not a threat to anything unless it decides to set itself down on a coral with his anemones resting on the coral. It also would depend on the species of anemone it is carrying. The other risk is to the anemones he carries arround. If they touch a coral such as hydnophora then those poor anemones are probably doomed. None the less, the risk is minimal for such a cool animal.

 

[Anonymous]

what the real question on pom pom crabs should be is does those anemones get bigger? that would be my worry...