White ( albino) hermit - reef safe?

[Felipe]

I found a white hermit at my LFS today. He was in with the live rocks, so i grabbed him and bagged him and when getting ready to check out, one of the guys there told me he isn't reef safe and could potentially eat corals.

Anyone have them in a reef? Anyone has more info, or knows where to finf info about these littel creatures?

Thanks,

Felipe
www.Felipe-Bastos.com

 

[FragMaster]

Post a pic of 'em.

 

[Felipe]

Post a pic of 'em.

I didnt' get a picture while I was there at Ocean Exotics. He was really cool, I should have.

Felipe

 

[FragMaster]

Will you be there again soon?
That would be every interesting to see.
I have never heard of or seen an albino hermit crab of any species.
Definatly worth going back for a photo op. LOL!!!

Did it look like this? ( Pagurus armatus)
http://oceanlink.island.net/oinfo/biodi ... dhermi.GIF
Or any of these?
http://www.hawaiisfishes.com/inverts/he ... ermits.htm

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inver ... tcrabs.htm

http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Hermit4.htm

http://www.coralreefnetwork.com/stender ... hermit.htm

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/reefs/guam/gua ... age13.html

http://www.cosmos.ne.jp/~breach/Fish%20 ... imp44.html

 

[Anonymous]

Sounds like it could be a species of Dardanus since you're in Florida. No they are not reef safe, they will eat small fish, sea slugs, snails, Polychaeta (worms), etc.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[FragMaster]

Incase you dont know yet Dave knows his stuff very well.
I would look up that particular species.

 

[Felipe]

He looked like this, except he did not have any anemones on his shell.

I am a BUG fan of hermit crabs and take very good care of mine, sometimes even spot feed them. My red and blue legged have grown pretty big, and I recently got a Halloween one. I thought the white one would be a nice addition, but turns out he is not reef safe, and I have too much coral to risk having him.

I will try to find him tomorrow and post a pic.

Felipe

 

[FragMaster]

Bad link

 

[Felipe]

Bad link

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inver ... tcrabs.htm

Go here and scorll down to the anemone hermit. he was just like that, in a standard grey shell.

 

[FragMaster]

Definatly NOT REEF SAFE.

 

[Felipe]

Definatly NOT REEF SAFE.

Yah, what I thoguht. bummer.

FragMaster, did you see my other thread about sunlight as a light source for a 10g prop spcific tank?

Since you seem to be into propagation, maybe you would have some insight.

Felipe