Blue Leg Hermit Crabs
Red Leg Hermit Crabs

Nerite Crabs

 

About Hermit Crabs

Hermit crabs are a type of decapod crustacean belonging to the superfamily Paguroidea. Though they are called crabs, they are actually more closely related to lobsters than true crabs. Hermit crabs spend most of their lives living in shells but, unlike snails, they do not grow a shell of their own. The hermit crab earned its nickname for its habit of moving from one shell to another – as the crab grows, it must move on to a larger shell. Because they live in shells, it is not often that you see the full body of a hermit crab. They have long spiny legs and claws like lobsters and other crabs with a soft, curling body. The shell provides them with protection for their vulnerable bodies.

In their native habitat, there is sometimes fierce competition over new shells. In some cases, a hermit crab will actually kill a snail or another crustacean simply for the purpose of taking over its shell. The amount of shells available in a given area depends on several factors. First, it depends on the number of other gastropods in the area as well as the number of hermit crabs fighting for the shells. Second, it depends on the number of predators in the area which feed on gastropods while leaving the shells intact. If a hermit crab has a shell that does not fit its size, it will grow slowly and will not be able to move as fast as a hermit crab with a well-fitting shell.

Hermit Crab Tank Requirements

Hermit crabs are naturally found in reef environments and thus have the same tank requirements as many reef-dwelling species. The ideal tank temperature for hermit crabs is between 72 and 78°F with a pH range between 8.1 and 8.4. The specific gravity of the tank should be between 1.021 and 1.028 with kH levels between 150 and 215 ppm. Just as aquarium fish require clean tank water and balanced chemistry levels, so do hermit crabs. If the water quality in the tank is not kept high, your hermit crabs may fail to thrive and they could become susceptible to disease. In addition to healthy conditions, hermit crabs require several inches of sand or loose substrate in which to dig as well as plenty of rock formations to hide in.

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