hermit ceabs from the sound

[jaymo]

why can't we put hermit crabs from the sound in our tanks ? I tryed to check older posts but they don,t tell you why just not to do it . some insight would be welcome

 

[Avi]

I'd say that on of the major reasons why is that they are not tropical like the ones that you get at fish stores. Presumably, your reef is a tropical reef and so the water's kept at a much higher temperature than the ones that you catch on LI Sound need for a normal life period. Also, I'd wonder if the ones you'd catch over in the Sound are going to be reef-safe. If it's for a FO, then that issue obviously wouldn't be critical.

 

[e.muehlbauer]

The small fast moving hermits are reef safe and very entertaining in a tank, but you shouldn't take them because you are effectively killing them. I have never seen one last more than a month in a reef tank. Its a shame because they are so fast and active that their antics make them much more fun to watch than the usual blue-legged and scarlet hermits. The large flat-clawed hermit is definitely not reef safe, and it will drive you crazy as it clonks around your tank, banging into everything.

 

[Paul B]

I have a few of them from a year ago but not in my reef. I keep them in an unheated local animal tank with snails, crabs and a few tropical fish I collect here in the summer.
These guys are local from the Sound as is my avitar. I took the picture of that in the Sound at night while SCUBA diving

 

[e.muehlbauer]

They will definitely do OK in a cold tank...