Out of Control Hermit

[Starsprinkle Rainbowsmile]

I have this hermit crab. He's big, grey, ugly, and totally out of control.

I have three total in my tank. The other two are well behaved. The one in question, however, is a total jerk and bully to everything else in my tank. He is always bulldozing over corals, stealing food from everybody, trying to pick fights. Now, I think he has damaged one of my corals.

I hate to kill him, and I wouldn't purposefully give him to anyone so that he can start terrorizing their tank. But, he's now doing real damage. Should I just euthanize the critter? What are your opinions, thanks.

Christian

[offroadodge]

sometimes you just have to do what has to be done in that instance, its the laws of nature

[+KeeperOfTheZoo]

Do you know what kind of hermit it is?

I have a big Gulf of Mexico hermit living in my sump for just the behavior you described. He wasn't such a bully but he's just so big and clumsy he was destroying stuff. I have another smaller one who isn't a problem, yet. Even my little blue legs pick on each other. Crabs are just stinkers, I think the trick is having ones small enough that they don't get into trouble with their antics. They are such good algae grazers I put up with the fights and plowing over stuff. I even have a ton of empty shells I bought just for the crabs and they still fight with each other.

If you don't want to kill your crab, take it in to RCA. I was talking to Jake one day and he told me to bring my GOM crabs in because some people like to buy them for their predator tanks. Now, I don't know if that's to feed to other predators or just to have a big old rough and tumble crab in their tanks, I assume the later from the tone of the conversation.

Liz

[+Hydro]

I would take it but I'm in Elgin. I already have an ugly hermit in my refugium, we actually like it. I would take it to RCA, they will find it a good home.

[Meteorflower]

He might do well in a FOWLR tank...

[nemirn]

I would take him off your hands, but I'm way down in South Austin (close to aqua-dome).

I have also had to remove a large, murderous nuisance hermit from a reef setup.

I tossed him into my brackish tank for my two green spotted puffers to execute him duly.

The puffers couldn't penetrate his shell and have given up on him.

Now he just hangs out below them and waits for them to drop mysis crumbs at feeding time.

I plan to add another robust hermit to the puffers' tank. They do scavenge well.

[mFrame]

Sump not an option?

[Starsprinkle Rainbowsmile]

Thanks for all the replies! Sump is not an option as I don't have one. I have a 28g nano tank is all. I didn't consider someone might actually want him, but I guess he would be good in certain scenarios.

I'm not sure exactly what species he is. I tried looking him up and I guess he's really not that big, but in comparison to my blue legs in a nano tank, he's pretty large I suppose.

Anyway, I already got someone interested in him, so I'm gonna try to work something out. If it falls through I'm gonna put him in trade/free.

Thanks again, I feel better not have to kill the guy.

[doktorstick]

Also, piers may take him. You would have to PM him. He has this monstrosity of a white-spotted hermit crab that is a beaut but totally destructive. These critters get to 12" across and host in triton shells. RELEASE THE KRAKEN!