hermit crabs or snails?

[jarviz]

Does a hermit crab provide any benefit over snails (cerith, turbo, nassarrius, etc). Are there certain things or algae they eat that a snail won't touch?

I don't remove any uneaten food/detritus as my tank is already on the lower nutrient side; and i usually just let my nassarius's find leftover food. Other snails will attack the algae that forms on grass and rocks.

 

[Uncle99]

I have not kept one crab in 5 years now.
They just end up as trouble.
Go with snails, a variety of players is best.
Then you won’t be replacing things.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ideal is a combo of both.
I prefer snails if you had to choose one group as they are less bothersome to Coral

 

[anthonygf]

I got rid of all my hermits for destroying my branching monti. They would climb up and break branches off. I have many frags now.

 

[jarviz]

Ideal is a combo of both.
I prefer snails if you had to choose one group as they are less bothersome to Coral

my hermits have not bothered my corals yet at all... but they do bother my snails lol. why is why i'm asking this question as i'm contemplating giving them back to the LFS. espeically as i don't see what benefit they really offer over snails.

 

[One Breath 808]

I ordered over 100 hermits in my tank and I have some that eat the coralline off the snails. I have them fighting eachother and killing some of my snails. I think I am going to remove them all soon