Using/refilling hermits in a Predatory tank

[Bhor217]

Hey all,

Was wondering everyone's experience with keeping/refilling hermit crabs in a predatory tank. Do you guys keep Hermits/snails in your predator tanks, or just avoid them? To those that do, do you just replenish the supply every few months?

I have a tank stocked with 2 triggers, 2 puffers, a V. lionfish an SFE and a harlequin tusk. In the last week, one of my triggers has figured out how to how to flip the hermits over and try to get to the goodness inside. I knew this was pretty much only a matter of time. The crabs seem fine for the most part (can hide pretty easily in the rockworks/shells), but 2 or so have been eaten already. I like the function they accomplish, cleaning the leftover food bits in my tank, but was wondering if replenishing is somewhat an exercise in futility.

Obviously some of this is personal preference, but wanted to get your opinions. Thanks!

 

[Goodair]

You can try a urchin. It might not go for food scraps if thats the only intention though.

 

[Bhor217]

my question was more about the hermits since they accomplish the food scrap removal. Do people here with predator tanks keep hermits in there, and if so, do they regularly replace them.

I have been told urchins are a decent option for my setup, but also that it is a matter of time before the triggers figure out how to flip the urchin and get to the good parts as well.

 

[Feet4Fish]

Trigger will pick apart urchins. Part of their natural diet. My only suggestion would be horseshoe crab if tank is large enough or you can have a rehome plan. They will wipe out any life in your sandbed so beware. Alternatively regular sand bed maintenance can suffice

 

[Bhor217]

I do a 20% water change every sunday on it, and siphon the substrate during those sessions as well. Perhaps I am overthinking!

 

[Feet4Fish]

I do a 20% water change every sunday on it, and siphon the substrate during those sessions as well. Perhaps I am overthinking!

Sounds good!

 

[lion king]

I have no prob just replenishing my cuc as I wish, It gives the fish something to do, spending $20 every few months no biggie. The smart hermits will find good hiding places and only come out after bedtime. Just introduce them after bedtime to give them a chance. I have had no prob with my triggers, tusk, or puffers with tuxedo urchins.

 

[Bhor217]

Urchins are more for algae ya? I added a tiger conch a week ago to mix my substrate and battle algae, but honestly I don’t have any problems with it.

I assume algae is needed to supplement urchins diets, but of I am wrong, please let me know as I am always looking to improve the biological elements of my tank, but did not aNt to starve algae eating inhabitants, as it is not an issue for me as of now.

 

[lion king]

Urchins are more for algae ya? I added a tiger conch a week ago to mix my substrate and battle algae, but honestly I don’t have any problems with it.

I assume algae is needed to supplement urchins diets, but of I am wrong, please let me know as I am always looking to improve the biological elements of my tank, but did not aNt to starve algae eating inhabitants, as it is not an issue for me as of now.

Yes urchins are more for algae, you'll never see rocks so clean, they can starve though if there;s not enough to eat. Triggers love to hunt down hermits, I caught my pinktail one day with a hermit by the leg, shaking him to get him out of his shell. But as I said to at least give them a chance, introduce them after bedtime. You'll think you've lost them all then you see some cruising after bedtime. Put a bunch in fro time to time, it's good for the tank, and good for fish to hunt.

 

[bstodds15]

Yes urchins are more for algae, you'll never see rocks so clean, they can starve though if there;s not enough to eat. Triggers love to hunt down hermits, I caught my pinktail one day with a hermit by the leg, shaking him to get him out of his shell. But as I said to at least give them a chance, introduce them after bedtime. You'll think you've lost them all then you see some cruising after bedtime. Put a bunch in fro time to time, it's good for the tank, and good for fish to hunt.

Don't triggers also need hermits to help with their teeth not overgrowing?

 

[Bhor217]

Don't triggers also need hermits to help with their teeth not overgrowing?

I believe you are thinking of pufferfish, who need to eat hard shelled animals to help file their teeth down.

 

[bstodds15]

I believe you are thinking of pufferfish, who need to eat hard shelled animals to help file their teeth down.

I thought it applied to triggers also, but I could just be a silly goose.

 

[Bhor217]

I think they just bite enough stuff where it is not an issue. the 2 I have are constantly chewin something

 

[Armt350]

Puffers definitely need something hard. When I first got mine, it had overgrown front teeth . Luckily it took to raw shelled clams and used the shell to break his beak down.

 

[DennistheMenace]

Trigger will pick apart urchins. Part of their natural diet. My only suggestion would be horseshoe crab if tank is large enough or you can have a rehome plan. They will wipe out any life in your sandbed so beware. Alternatively regular sand bed maintenance can suffice

I have been thinking about a horseshoe in my predator tank. Currently houses a lion, a sfe, a zebra eel, a clown trigger, a huma trigger, a niger trigger, a toad fish, an old jewel damsel, and a large sail fin tang to keep the algae trimmed on the rocks. I would love something to stir the substrate. The tank is 5’ long(125g). I know I will have to re-home a number of these guys but they are cool for now. Just want to cut back on the maintenance a little.

 

[bstodds15]

I have been thinking about a horseshoe in my predator tank. Currently houses a lion, a sfe, a zebra eel, a clown trigger, a huma trigger, a niger trigger, a toad fish, an old jewel damsel, and a large sail fin tang to keep the algae trimmed on the rocks. I would love something to stir the substrate. The tank is 5’ long(125g). I know I will have to re-home a number of these guys but they are cool for now. Just want to cut back on the maintenance a little.

Years ago I had a small horseshoe crab, but I came back to find it upside down being picked at by a blue spotted puffer and I think I remember my Picasso joining in.

 

[ArmyReefer]

I have a FOWLR tank with a 15 inch lion fish, 9 Inch Porcupine Puffer, 12 inch stars and stripes, 6 inch blue throat, 6 inch tusk, 7 inch emperor angel fish (boss of the tank), and a lonely yellow eye that was the first fish in the tank. I replenish Hermit Crabs about once a year. The only time they really come out is after I have fed and the fish are fat and happy and leave them alone. Every once in a while they get a couple. Snails are a different story. I put huge Mexican Turbo snails in there. They are fine until the fall and land upside down, then they become a snack. Honestly I think it really comes down to fish personality and feeding habits. If you are going to replace them don't wait, because if they are not used to them moving around they will immediately eat them. I recommend getting a huge package for cheap from live aquaria (clean up package) and let them slowly get picked off. I would stay away from urchins as they will get eaten!!!!! and could easily damage one of your fish.

 

[DennistheMenace]

Years ago I had a small horseshoe crab, but I came back to find it upside down being picked at by a blue spotted puffer and I think I remember my Picasso joining in.

Thank you for the input. I guess I will pass on that idea. I have a long spine sea urchin that is about 7 years old. It had been in my 165g reef since I bought it at about an inch in size. It had gotten so big that it was disrupting all of the corals, and of course it ate all of my coraline algae. I had read that they might survive in a predator tank, and it worked well for about 10 days. It was doing a great job on the algae build up, but one night just before bed, I looked in on him and the triggers had eaten off all of his spines(some up to 6" long), and they had him in a corner ready to chow down. I was able to remove him and place him in my reef sump, where he recovered nicely after about a month and a half. He is back in the reef and seems to be happily disrupting things again.

 

[S2G]

Urchins are more for algae ya? I added a tiger conch a week ago to mix my substrate and battle algae, but honestly I don’t have any problems with it.

I assume algae is needed to supplement urchins diets, but of I am wrong, please let me know as I am always looking to improve the biological elements of my tank, but did not aNt to starve algae eating inhabitants, as it is not an issue for me as of now.

My old puffers flipped 2 urchins then ripped them apart causing a huge mess. Grab some nori on your feeding stick and slide it under your urchin its not hard at all.

 

[S2G]

I have no prob just replenishing my cuc as I wish, It gives the fish something to do, spending $20 every few months no biggie. The smart hermits will find good hiding places and only come out after bedtime. Just introduce them after bedtime to give them a chance. I have had no prob with my triggers, tusk, or puffers with tuxedo urchins.

No luck with snails but I did this with hermits as well.