Evil blue leg hermit crabs

[Mattc123]

I have a hermit problem. Last time I checked I had about 10 blue legs in my tank for the past 4 months with no problem. Everyone was happy when I came back from college on Easter but when I came back for the summer this past Sunday (a week later) bad things happened in between. I came back to my huge emerald crab ripped to shreds in the front of the tank. I have an absolutely monstrous blue leg and I think he may have killed it fighting over cat scratch pellets. Lately though that monster and the next biggest one, which isn't THAT big, have been taking smaller ones and straddling them like they're trying to steal their shells but they're obviously way too big. Is there a reason they're doing this or are they just trying to kill each other??

 

[James M]

Provide shells and they could be killing off on another for food

 

[Mattc123]

Provide shells and they could be killing off on another for food

I have made sure to put an over abundance of shells in and I throw in those cat scratch pellets they go crazy for every few days to keep the ones that don't eat fed.

 

[Jon Fishman]

I have heard people say hermits murder snails like crazy..... I've never run into issues personally, but based on personal preference, I'm going all Emerald, Porcelain, and Decorator (the latter having their own issues I'm willing to accept)

I just think those look cooler..... but I have probably 15 hermits or more..... no idea really!

 

[BestMomEver]

Hermits and snails typically don’t do well together for long. I think the hermits grow faster and go on the search for bigger homes. As much as I like hermits, I typically don’t buy them anymore. I have snails and a few mithrax crabs.

 

[Lollipop]

I have a hermit problem. Last time I checked I had about 10 blue legs in my tank for the past 4 months with no problem. Everyone was happy when I came back from college on Easter but when I came back for the summer this past Sunday (a week later) bad things happened in between. I came back to my huge emerald crab ripped to shreds in the front of the tank. I have an absolutely monstrous blue leg and I think he may have killed it fighting over cat scratch pellets. Lately though that monster and the next biggest one, which isn't THAT big, have been taking smaller ones and straddling them like they're trying to steal their shells but they're obviously way too big. Is there a reason they're doing this or are they just trying to kill each other??

i have one like that. it seems that they do not allow another one unless the same equivalent size. the one killing killed all the same crabs i have added. it is NOT for the shell or food. just because,