Scarlet Hermits

[Sherri]

I originally had 6 scarlet hermits and am now down to 2 .. I think. One was sitting in a funny place on a rock and when I came home yesterday, he was dead. I don't know how he died. I do have a pistol shrimp -- thought it was a mantis but just discovered its true identity. I was wondering if I have blown it because the shells I have may not be big enough for them to move into. They have been in the same shells for almost a year ... Any advice?

 

[Andy O]

You should have different size shells in your tank. It it can't find a new shell it will kill something else and take over their shell. I would think that you have snails in your tank that have died and left their shell. If not, sometimes and LFS may have some that they will give you or I know that some people in the past have purchased empty shells at Christmas Tree Shop. If you do buy them from Christmas Tree I would probably boyle them b/f you put them in your tank.

 

[smithcreek]

IIRC the scarlets only eat algae. I had 3 that perished because I had a lot of blue leg hermits that simply out competed them for food. Any chance there wasn't enough for them to eat?

 

[Sherri]

Smithcreek -- That's a possibility -- I have a lot of blue leg hermits in the tank and there is less algae. So -- will they eat anything else at all?

I do have alternative shells in the tank too -- just don't know if they are big enough -- some pretty big astrea shells.