Thin Stripe Hermit - A Killer??

[Haggisman14]

Hey everyone. Ever since introduction, i've noticed that my Thin Stripped Hermit, has been going all crazy on some other tank mates. I've seen him literally rip apart some smaller hermit crabs, and then today my wife just sent me a picture of him going to town on our peppermint shrimp. The peppermint was 100% AOK last night, and even this morning.

Is it possible this guy is just a stone cold killer? He doesn't bother our fish, he doesn't bother my big Fire Shrimp, and he typically has a big personality...but I have also seen him picking on my zoo's too.

Just curious of other people experiences.

Thanks!

 

[Haggisman14]

Don't mind my wife's comments :-)

 

[samnaz]

My thin stripe was a killer. I feel bad saying it but I was relieved when he finally bit the dust... he did nothing but torment everything, constantly.

 

[samnaz]

I like that your wife referred to the sand bed as a floor, haha.

 

[GeoffSLC]

Mine did the same thing. He killed two conches and a lot of trochus snails. I had always suspected it, but i finally witnessed him harrassing some snails, so i pulled him and banished him to the sump.

 

[Haggisman14]

Bummer....thanks guys. I wish I had a sump I could banish him to...looks like i"ll be talking to my LFS and see if they want to take him off my hands

 

[samnaz]

Do you ever spot feed it? I never tried that with my thin stripe but I have with other crab species (blue leg, emerald) I feed them meaty foods once in a while, and it seems to curb their aggressiveness.

 

[cracker]

Sorry, The hermit has to go . he is eating your other cleanup crew. You might could feed it .Maybe a piece of shrimp or such but you just can't trust him.

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

Yeah I had a similar problem with my peppermint shrimp, I lost a ton of livestock and eventually got so fed up that I tore down my aquascape and banished them to my refugium, that's one of the best parts of a fuge, you can through some of your livestock trash there.

 

[Dsnakes]

Glad to see I'm not the only one. I thought he was a rogue. Received in a random mix from reefcleaners. I tossed him out after getting tired of it. ;Punch

 

[shupiejr93]

I just had to pull mine out 2 days ago he ripped up a bunch of snails and herminits and I watched him divebomb a clownfish from my wave maker

 

[JTP424]

I had the same issue when I started! Ordered a whole bunch of hermits... one started DECIMATING all the others... he ended up wandering outside somehow.... wink wink. nudge nudge.

 

[mrnicebug]

Put mine in the microwave. They also get HUGE

 

[Crabs+Shrimps-69]

I have a couple of hermit crabs which look similar.

A few weeks after buying them, my other 3 smaller hermits have gone missing.

However, I haven't seen any aggression towards snails or the peppermint shrimp, and whilst I always see them climbing on top of corals, they haven't been eating them.

If they really are the thin striped variety they might have to go.
I don't have any photos right now but when I get some I'll try to get an ID.

Edit: they look more like orange stripped hermit crabs than the thin striped ones, and the thin striped ones aren't even available where I live. Still keeping an eye on them though.

 

[Renfield42]

I had several (they came in an assortment of hermits) matching the one in the OP’s picture. They all had to be banished to the jail tank. Constant snail killers and also frequently attacked other hermits. Spot feeding did nothing to stop or reduce the behavior. Plenty of empty shells available as well. No redeeming qualities.

 

[wjm1433]

I have one the size of my hand and havent had any issues out of her. Although when I first got my pistol shrimp, she went bat**** crazy flipping rocks trying to find it. She eventually calmed down after a few days. (Pistol is still alive a yr later). I do spot feed her frozen mysis once a week and she devours the Bristol worms which I like.