Large Strawberry Hermit Crab

jdecorse25

We have a problem with red algae, so we bought a sea urchin. Not one of the ones with the long spikes, I don't know it's name. We just went downstairs and saw the hermit crab EATING the urchin, by the time we got him off the crabs pincher, it was all gone and the outer shell was empty except for the urchin's beak. I didn't know that the crab would eat the urchin. What can we have that the crab won't eat?

Age of Aquariums

Get a power head and blow it on the algae. It should go away.[info][/info]

Melissa

exactly what does the algea look like?

and what is a strawberry hermit crab? is it a scarlet hermit crab?

jdecorse25

The algae is rust in color. It's on the glass and the rock and on the crab's shell. The guy at my LFS said that snails would fix it, but I was afraid of the crab eating them, so we got the urchin instead.

Here's the link to what my crab looks like:
http://www.hermit-crabs.com/perlatus.htm
It's larger than a scarlet hermit crab. I would say that if you layed him out flat he's be around 2.5-3 inches.

Melissa

well this is the first time i have ever heard of one of these in a saltwater tank. they eay meaty foods and should be in large predator tanks. so im not sure if you can put other things with it. if it ate a urchin it might eat snails too. i wish i could help you more but i have no experience with them.