- Proteins – mainly animal-based (and some plant based), 7 days a week.
- Vegetables and greens, 40-50% of those should be sea vegetables, 6-7 days a week.
- Fruits – 1-3 times a week as a treat, or smaller amounts more often
- Supplementation with calcium – 3-4 days a week. Feed calcium-high foods and offer some cuttlebone, or reptile calcium powders
- Provide some healthy fats 2-3 days a week (nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts, chestnuts, Macadamia nuts, pecans, walnuts, anchovy oil, coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil, cod liver oil etc.). ...
- Treats – some peanut butter on a cracker (without added sugar, hydrogenated oils or high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)), fish flakes, herbs (basil, cilantro/coriander, rosemary and more), popcorn (no sugar, butter ...
- Indian almond leaves like this – great for shelter, food source
What do blue leg hermit crabs eat?
The Blue Leg Hermit Crabs will eat fish or shrimp food leftovers, fish wastes, leftover meaty food, dried seaweed, dead plants, many types of macroalgae including green hair algae and cyanobacteria and will sift the substrate for foodstuff. Because of their small size, they will able to reach some areas other tank janitors cannot reach.
Can I Feed my hermit crabs commercial food?
If you don’t have time to prepare meals for your hermit crabs, you can feed them commercial foods, but always supplement with fresh vegetables and protein 3-4 times a week. Always make sure commercial foods are soaked or sprayed with plenty of water.
What kind of shrimp can I put with a hermit crab?
Marine shrimp like Skunk Cleaner Shrimp, Red Fire shrimp, Peppermint shrimp, Harlequin shrimp will be also good tank mates for the Blue Leg Hermit Crab. Regarding Coral banded shrimp, I would not recommend putting them together.
How long do blue leg hermit crabs mate for?
The copulation lasts only 1-3 seconds. After copulation, the male may push the female away and mating is completed. However, in most cases, the male Blue leg hermit crab stays with the female and continues to do a series of violent and gentle rocking.
What does a blue legged hermit crab eat?
Blue Legged Hermit Crab Diet & Nutrition It is a scavenger for most aquarium foods. It is also a detritivore which eats dead plants and animals. It also eats green hair algae, cyanobacteria, and seaweed.
What should I feed my hermit crab?
Hermit crabs eat pellet food, supplemented with vegetables and fruit. Hermit crabs take small bites and eat very slowly, usually at night. Small crabs sometimes don't have claws big enough to grab onto pellet-type food. Feed small crabs 1 teaspoon of powdered hermit crab food, or pellets crushed into powder.
Do blue legged hermit crabs eat algae?
Native to the Caribbean, the dwarf blue leg hermit crab is a great addition to a saltwater aquarium because it eats many kinds of algae, including red slime algae (cyanobacteria). It sifts and aerates the sand as well.
Do blue legged hermit crabs need new shells?
Some crabs love to swap shells just to have something new on their backs. However, the main reason would be the crab is growing and needs a larger shell. My research indicates that if there aren't any available the crab will be forced to take one from another crab or from snails.
What can hermit crabs not eat?
In general, avoid onion, garlic and citrus. When picking any kind of dried meat it is critical to look at the ingredient list for a pesticide called Ethoxyquin. It is a common preservative in many commercial hermit crab and fish foods and is poisonous to your crabs.
Do hermit crabs eat everyday?
While hermit crabs need to eat daily, they can go for some time without eating. Hermit crabs can go around a few days to 10 days without eating, but that's not good to their health.
Do hermit crabs need salt water?
Hermit crabs require both freshwater and saltwater water sources to survive. Saltwater should be made using sea salt sold for marine fish and crustaceans.
What do hermit crabs need in their tank?
A hermit crab habitat should include a glass tank (at least 10 gallons per 2 hermit crabs) filled with deep substrate (commercially available sand and coconut fiber), an under-tank heater, thermometers, a humidity gauge, décor for climbing and 2 shallow water bowls (one with dechlorinated fresh water and the other with ...
Do hermit crabs need sand?
Sand is the substrate of choice for hermit crabs because they like to burrow down into it. Playground sand, which can be found at home improvement stores, works well and is inexpensive, though aquarium sand is fine as well.
Can blue leg hermit crabs live out of water?
Most can survive briefly out of water as long as their gills are damp. However, this ability is not as developed as it is in land hermit crabs.
Are blue legged hermit crabs aggressive?
Blue Leg Hermit Crabs are social and relatively peaceful animals.
How big do dwarf blue legged hermit crabs get?
1.5 inchThey are one of the first animals I put in my tanks when I set them up. Arrived alive and well. Very small on arrival....Care Facts.Care Level:EasyDiet:OmnivoreReef Safe:YesMinimum Tank Size:5 GallonsMax Size:1.5 inch1 more row
How often should I feed my hermit crab?
Your crab is a little creature, so there is no need to feed them multiple times a day. Feed your crab once daily in order to keep the fruits and veggies fresh. Foods like wood will last considerably longer, so change the wood when you see it gets slimy, old, or otherwise unappetizing.
What do hermit crabs need in their tank?
Water: Hermit crabs should have access to both fresh and saltwater, so you will need two water dishes. They should be big and deep enough to let the crabs get into them if they wish to soak—especially the saltwater dish—but easy to get out of and not so deep that drowning is a risk.
What fruits do hermit crabs like?
Fruits to Feed a Hermit CrabMango.Papaya.Coconut (fresh or sugar-free dried)Apple.Banana.Grapes.Pineapple.Strawberry.More items...•
Do hermit crabs like to be held?
First of all, hermit crabs do not particularly like being handled. They are not the kind of pet you take out to cuddle. Sorry if that's what you were looking for. Like many other exotic pets, these crabs tend to get stressed out when they're handled too often.
Commercial foods for hermit crabs
There are many ready-made hermit crab foods that you can get for your hermits. These are sold in the form of pellets, flakes, ground powder and more, and provide convenience and nutrition for hermit crabs. You will find buffet blends, fruit mixes, high-protein mixes (made from animal and some protein sources).
Top sources of protein for hermit crabs
Top sources of protein for hermit crabs include animals proteins, and partially plant proteins (around 70-80% animal and 20-30% plant protein). Below you can find a list of top animal and plant protein sources for hermit crabs.
Greens and vegetables for hermit crabs
Vegetables and greens are also an important part of hermit crab diet. Those include sea vegetables, such as seaweed. When offering greens and vegetables, you must limit certain types to only 1-2 times/week. These belong to the group of high oxalic acid and high goitrogenic vegetables and greens.
Hermit crab diet – feeding rules
When buying and choosing food for your hermit crabs, always try to choose the best quality products. Hermit crabs are very sensitive to various pesticides, preservatives, insecticides, fertilizers, and some food additives. Try to choose natural, preferably organic options when you can.
What does a blue hermit crab do to your tank?
Just a few blue hermit crabs can help solve this problem. By keeping the plant life in the tank healthy and aerating san substrates at the bottom of the tank, they help promote good circulation and healthy bacterial growth.
What is a blue leg crab?
The Blue Leg Hermit Crab might be the solution to both your needs. Also known as Clibanarius tricolor, these beautiful crustaceans are quickly becoming synonymous with algae control in modern-day saltwater tanks. These tiny crustaceans have become crucial reef additions in recent years, with growing popularity amongst saltwater aquarium hobbyists.
What kind of crabs are good for saltwater?
As people search for more energy-efficient and economical ways to clean the tank, blue leg Hermit Crabs emerge as a natural choice.
What do crabs eat?
They are omnivores and can feed on a range of algae, seaweed, and also tiny bits of shrimp and fish.
Why do shrimp run out of algae?
This is because once they run out of algae to feed on, they could face malnutrition problems easily. Just a diet of frozen shrimp or other organic matter does not suffice as algae and other plant material makes up a large portion of their daily nourishment.
What do crabs use for food?
Their evenly sized pincers are used as a tool for feeding and not for self-defense. The crab uses snail shells or other medium-sized conches as their home.
Can you put fluconazole on blue leg hermit crabs?
After a fluconazole treatment in your aquarium, adding a few blue leg hermit crabs is a wise choice as they can prevent algae from reappearing and creating further nuisances. A major complaint with fluconazole treatment is the reoccurrence of algae. Blue Hermit crabs might be the answer to this problem.