Hermit Crabs in Dark Sump?

[nickkohrn]

I have five or six hermit crabs that will be transferred into my frag system. I'd prefer to keep them in the sump so that the snails in the display can be spared death sentences by crabs that want their shells. Since the sump is dark most of the time, does it seem cruel to keep the crabs there? The chamber in which I would keep them, there is live rock, MarinePure spheres and plates, and it typically contains detritus since it's the chamber that also contains filter socks. I have no problem feeding them when I feed the rest of the system, but I'm unsure of whether it's cruel to keep them in the dark for most of the day.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[Ron Reefman]

I think they will do OK in the dark. You could add a simple light for a few dollars. It doesn't need to be much of a light and you could buy a clip on fixture with a bulb for under $25.

I think it's great that you care, but I think the cruelty level to hermit crabs is in the eye of the beholder.