Should I be feeding my hermit crabs?

[AndyinAtlanta]

So I've seen this question asked a few times on here, but I don't see a real consensus answer. I have a small 32 gallon tank, several corals, two clownfish, just under a dozen snails (various types), and just under 10 hermit crabs. The red scarlet hermit crab is of particular importance since he (is it a he?) was the first creature brought into my tank.

I get that the clean up crew's purpose is to, well, clean up, but with only two fish I (without any evidence to support this) feel like there isn't a lot of "food" in my tank. My algae growth is pretty minimal, and what does exist is mostly taken care of by the snails. I started spot feeding that Crab Cuisine every other day for the past week and every crab seems to absolutely love it. They'll dart clear across the tank the moment I drop one of the pellets into the sand. They like it so much they'll fight over each piece, so I've been manually moving the crabs around and giving each one pellet once every other day.

My question, is this overkill, or even discouraged? My ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites have all been near 0 for weeks. The only time I've gotten a spike in ammonia was when I overfeed a dosage of Reef Roids to my corals. Other than that, my clownfish only get fed what they eat (maybe one or two pellets extra that make it to the sand). Is there a better way to ensure that all the creatures in my tank have adequate nutrition? Thanks.

 

[Copingwithpods]

It's not a no no just don't over do it, feeding them can be fun, just maybe not every other day. I sometimes pick a lucky crab to give a misis shrimp to, they go bananas for it and it is awesome to watch how happy they get. Members of the cuc can absolutely starve if there is no food for them so use your judgement and don't get them so fat that they don't do the job they are there for lol.

 

[Phycodurus]

kudos to you for not forgetting needs of the CUC.

after the lights go out, drop in one or two sinking food pellets in the same corner of the tank. the crab will learn to anticipate the feeding and head over.

 

[AndyinAtlanta]

It's not a no no just don't over do it, feeding them can be fun, just maybe not every other day. I sometimes pick a lucky crab to give a misis shrimp to, they go bananas for it and it is awesome to watch how happy they get. Members of the cuc can absolutely starve if there is no food for them so use your judgement and don't get them so fat that they don't do the job they are there for lol.

Thanks! I know they are optimistic eaters so they'll always want more food, but its good to see supplemental feedings aren't a complete no-no.

 

[Copingwithpods]

Thanks! I know they are optimistic eaters so they'll always want more food, but its good to see supplemental feedings aren't a complete no-no.

Absolutely not just keep your nutrient import and export balanced, think of it this way, if you feed 10 pellets a day it doesn't really matter who is eating them the fish or the cuc. It is still 10 pellets per day of input. Just don't increase your feeding amount to feed the cuc unless you also increase your nutrient export to compensate. If your fish were getting 10 pellets before you could give them 6 and 4 pellets for the crabs. Thus you don't increase your NO3 PO4 levels.

 

[AndyinAtlanta]

Thanks Copingwithpods, I had never thought about it that way. I'll be sure to monitor how much general food I am feeding my tank.

 

[Copingwithpods]

Thanks Copingwithpods, I had never thought about it that way. I'll be sure to monitor how much general food I am feeding my tank.

No problem, that's what it's all about import and export, don't worry about who is eating it just how much is going in. Fish generally eat like kings anyway they can spare some scraps for the janitors

 

[hawk82]

I use Hikari Crab Cuisine for mine. I toss a few pellets in every other day or so.