Add hermitcrabs to tank with Melanurus wrasse?

Chrille26 · May 23, 2020

Hi! I have a juvenile Melanurus wrasse in my tank and its about 3 inches right now. It lives with lots of Trochus snails, a couple of Emerald crabs and a cleaner shrimp, and this far I have not seen any interest in them from the wrasse.
But Im considering adding three or so Scarlet hermits and Im just looking for experiences from others. I know it usually comes down to the individual but is it common that they target inverts added after them to the tank?
Is there any way of increasing the survivalrate of the hermits by maybe adding them after the wrasse have burried itself for the night or something?
Thanks for any experiences and tips!

HB AL · May 23, 2020

Yes I would add them at night. Also most of the hermits will figure out if a fish is a potential predator and they will hide out when the lights are on, some don’t and become a meal for the predators. The other night I woke at 3 am to go to work so I flashed a light in the tank and counted 15 hermits, none of which I see when the lights are on. Mine have a lot of rocks to hide in so that’s why they haven’t been wiped out by my triggers or coris wrasse.

Chrille26 · May 24, 2020

Thanks for your reply, and wow that is a nice tank you got! I will give it a try and add the hermits after lights out and hope they dont become a expensive meal for my wrasse.
When you mention it I actually had two small hermits hitchhike in on my liverock and I have only seen them when looking with red light in the middle of the night!