Hermit ID?

[Thalia]

This guy was sold to me as either a dwarf red hermit or a red leg (I bought 2 of each the same day). He was teeny a few weeks ago and now is at least doubled if not tripled. Any idea what species? Will he be ok in my reef or should I sump him? Right now he's doing a great job eating algae, but I'm worried he's going to go for my conch. I specifically bought crabs the store said didn't prefer conch shells... He has blue eyes, red whiskers but otherwise its brown with yellow stripes in his legs.

 

[Thalia]

I got a video that shows him a little better.

 

[Michael Hughes]

Looks to me like a thinstripe hermit crab (Clibanarius vittatus). These guys get huge! My wife once found one on a tidal flat here in Florida inside a lightning whelk shell over 4" long.

 

[Thalia]

Looks to me like a thinstripe hermit crab (Clibanarius vittatus). These guys get huge! My wife once found one on a tidal flat here in Florida inside a lightning whelk shell over 4" long.

Oh dear, well if he does that he'll probably end up in the sump... I have added a BUNCH of extra shells because one of the other hermits has been shell shopping and not liking any of the options and my new pistol shrimp kept stealing live snails to decorate with the floor of the tank now has more empty shells than anything else lol this is the pistol shrimp burrow entrance lol

 

[Michael Hughes]

I also had several of them mixed in with my "blue leg hermits" from the LFS. Oh well.

Is that a scissortail dartfish in the background?

 

[Thalia]

I also had several of them mixed in with my "blue leg hermits" from the LFS. Oh well.

Is that a scissortail dartfish in the background?

Yes! I have a pair, I love them they're squatting in my pistol shrimp's cave I have 2 more on order from a place that does (humblefish approved) quarantine. They're so nice, they're getting brave and don't even hide when I feed or do things in the tank.