Hermit Crab ID please

[VanIsleReefTherapy]

Hi folks,

I bought several dwarf blue leg hermits a while back. This one is not a dwarf anything. It's quadrupled it's size in a couple of months, stolen one of my Scarlets' shells (probably killed it) and has started to become a nuisance, harassing my other inverts. I threw it in my Evo that's been coral only for the last many months, aside from a hitchhiker pistol shrimp I never see and its bristleworm prey. I wasn't feeding during that time and only just got a baby bangaii cardinal in there, so it can't do much harm. Only coral to bother in there is Xenia, and some generic zoas I don't care about.

Anyway, I want to know if it's reef safe. I keep AIO tanks, so no proper sump to exile it to, but I definitely don't want to be stocking new CUC for this tank if this little monster is just going to eat them all.

Looks a bit like a zebra, but it has white spotted claws and they don't seem to.

 

[shakacuz]

thin stripe hermit crab

Thin Striped Hermit (Medium)

Resides : Rocks and sand Consumes : Detritus, Hair Algae, Film Algae, and some species of Cyanobacteria Max Size : 3 or 75mm Origin : Caribbean Availability:...

www.reefcleaners.org

 

[VanIsleReefTherapy]

thin stripe hermit crab

Thin Striped Hermit (Medium)

Resides : Rocks and sand Consumes : Detritus, Hair Algae, Film Algae, and some species of Cyanobacteria Max Size : 3 or 75mm Origin : Caribbean Availability:...

www.reefcleaners.org

Maybe? It only seems to have one stripe on its legs. Certainly would explain the rapid growth, though. Those are far larger than I can support in my tanks (13.5 & 40).

I'll keep looking at it and try to get pictures that include it's eye stalks, and more of its legs.

Thanks for your help!

 

[VanIsleReefTherapy]

Maybe? It only seems to have one stripe on its legs. Certainly would explain the rapid growth, though. Those are far larger than I can support in my tanks (13.5 & 40).

I'll keep looking at it and try to get pictures that include it's eye stalks, and more of its legs.

Thanks for your help!

thin stripe hermit crab

Thin Striped Hermit (Medium)

Resides : Rocks and sand Consumes : Detritus, Hair Algae, Film Algae, and some species of Cyanobacteria Max Size : 3 or 75mm Origin : Caribbean Availability:...

www.reefcleaners.org

So, here's another pic. One stripe per leg on the dorsal side. Antennae are red with a single blue band. Eye stalks appear white,

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

See if Clibanarius antillensis is a match.

 

[VanIsleReefTherapy]

See if Clibanarius antillensis is a match.

Yes! This is it! All the images don't match but this one does.

Thank you! Still don't know how reef safe it is, but at least it shouldn't get the size of a Halloween Hermit!

Clibanarius antillensis Hermit Crab

Clibanarius antillensisis commonly referred to as Hermit Crab. Difficulty in the aquarium: Easy. A aquarium size of at least 50 Liter is recommended. Toxicity: Toxic hazard unknown.

www.reeflex.net

 

[VanIsleReefTherapy]

Yes! This is it! All the images don't match but this one does.

Thank you! Still don't know how reef safe it is, but at least it shouldn't get the size of a Halloween Hermit!

Clibanarius antillensis Hermit Crab

Clibanarius antillensisis commonly referred to as Hermit Crab. Difficulty in the aquarium: Easy. A aquarium size of at least 50 Liter is recommended. Toxicity: Toxic hazard unknown.

www.reeflex.net

Hmmm. More research says others who have gotten them in a batch of blue legs have seen them display rapid growth into aggressive, quick, strong fighters killing off tank mates bigger than them.

Hopefully the lfs will let me throw him in one of their sumps. I was wondering what had happened to my ten blue legs that dwindled down to two... They're why. I also need CUC in the small tank now that there's a fish in there and nutrients will go up. They've got to go.

Thanks for the help.