squiddly June 4, 2008 Share June 4, 2008 He was tiny and cute, less than in inch wide, and he tapped the glass when I walked by his tank and stared at me. I figured he'd make a great small addition to my 180 so I took him home. Less than 6 months later, he is over 6 inches wide, 4 inches tall, and I'm having trouble keeping up with finding him shells. He picks up and moves my clam anywhere he wants, stirs up the sand like nobody's business, and gives me "oh wow, you're still alive?" purple lobster a run for his money. So, does anyone know where I can keep getting bigger and bigger shells for this behemoth? Will there come a point where he gets too big, and I have to find him a new home? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tygger June 4, 2008 Share June 4, 2008 Can't help you with finding bigger shells, but would love to see a pic of this monster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L8 2 RISE June 4, 2008 Share June 4, 2008 This may sound a little cruel for some, but I had to do this with some land hermits I once had, I found out that one of the smaller ones was a different species after I got home and that the store had incorrectly listed it, it was a species that grows absolutely huge, but I figured what the heck, It wont grow THAT fast, I might as well keep it, a year and a half later, NO shells were big enough for it. So what someone suggested I do is just use random "stuff" I find. I did everything from make a shell out of the cardboard in the center of a cardboard roll and ducktape, to a shell that was a jar of baby food. If all else fails, do that. otherwise, I would suggest taking a trip to the beach this summer and buying/finding some conch shells of varying sizes for it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tee June 4, 2008 Share June 4, 2008 (edited) Yeah, picture would be nice. If it is 6" wide, you can take it and eat it . Just like Maryland bluecrab . Can't help you with finding bigger shells, but would love to see a pic of this monster. Edited June 4, 2008 by Tee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiddly June 4, 2008 Author Share June 4, 2008 Yeah, picture would be nice. If it is 6" wide, you can take it and eat it . Just like Maryland bluecrab . No no no! I can't eat Popeye! He's too cool. Picture hopefully at some point after we're off generator and I can turn the lights back on the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Lazar June 5, 2008 Share June 5, 2008 I did everything from make a shell out of the cardboard in the center of a cardboard roll and ducktape, to a shell that was a jar of baby food. Great. Now we're going to have a big flame war over "glass vs. acrylic" for prosthetic hermit shells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatortailale June 5, 2008 Share June 5, 2008 some how I can't believe this is going to be reef safe - or fish safe - much longer if it's at 6 inches in size. Interested to see what it looks like and to know what you are feeding it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiddly June 5, 2008 Author Share June 5, 2008 some how I can't believe this is going to be reef safe - or fish safe - much longer if it's at 6 inches in size. Interested to see what it looks like and to know what you are feeding it. Since I only have a few softies, it hasn't been a reef issue, and most of my fish are pretty big, and he hasn't bothered the little inverts, so I am either pretty lucky or he just hasn't started yet. I'm not feeding anything different, so he's eating the food the others don't get to and whatever else he finds in the sand. He's really fun to watch. Of course I had no idea he'd turn into such a Goliath. I'll try to get a picture today while we wait for power to come back. We haven't turned the lights back on yet so pictures may not be very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiddly June 5, 2008 Author Share June 5, 2008 (edited) Not a great picture, but here he is... Edited June 5, 2008 by squiddly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaze98 June 5, 2008 Share June 5, 2008 is that a starry eyed hermit? I love hermits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extreme_tooth_decay June 5, 2008 Share June 5, 2008 Very cool. Definitely big enough to eat. I've seen huge ones (baseball size ad bigger) at Roozen's a few times...I've considered getting one and putting him in my fuge, but went with a mantis instead. tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiddly June 5, 2008 Author Share June 5, 2008 is that a starry eyed hermit? I love hermits I have no idea. He was sold to me as a "jewel crab" Very cool. Definitely big enough to eat. I've seen huge ones (baseball size ad bigger) at Roozen's a few times...I've considered getting one and putting him in my fuge, but went with a mantis instead. tim NO! Don't eat my crabbie! I'm not so sure he'd be happy in a fuge. He seems to really enjoy crawling around the rocks and picking things off, as well as digging up the sand bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmubeach June 5, 2008 Share June 5, 2008 and you guys told me my hermit didn't get that big or eat my fish:) Mines only got to be 3 inches before I cycled my tank:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefmontalvo June 6, 2008 Share June 6, 2008 And this guy is currently in your tank with all your fish? Or is this a land hermit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmubeach June 6, 2008 Share June 6, 2008 Hes defenlty in the tank look at the picture again that is live rock behind him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite June 6, 2008 Share June 6, 2008 what a beast, and pretty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctenophore June 6, 2008 Share June 6, 2008 I have one of these guys in a compartment in my sump. I ran out of shells too, sometimes he (she?) cruises around "naked" with no shell at all. Doesn't seem to bother anything except the food I put in. There is a perpetual cloud of live mysis shrimp buzzing around his head that reminds me of a bunch of flies on a cow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freezerburn June 7, 2008 Share June 7, 2008 That guy reminds me of the softball size hermits from the Gulf of Mexico when I lived in Florida. Can you get a shot with some other things so I can get better prespective of his size? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiddly June 7, 2008 Author Share June 7, 2008 That guy reminds me of the softball size hermits from the Gulf of Mexico when I lived in Florida. Can you get a shot with some other things so I can get better prespective of his size? That'll depend on whether he cooperates, but I'll try. I'm still pretty awful at tank shots, which is strange because my underwater shots are much better. Go figure :-). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefmontalvo June 8, 2008 Share June 8, 2008 (edited) Hes defenlty in the tank look at the picture again that is live rock behind him! Dang. I read a book last night on that guy I think he is called dardanus megistos. Well the book talks about how it a great scavanger but it is most def not reef safe in any placement. Oh and the the size of this guy grows to 11.7 inches. Edited June 8, 2008 by reefmontalvo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiddly June 8, 2008 Author Share June 8, 2008 Dang. I read a book last night on that guy I think he is called dardanus megistos. Well the book talks about how it a great scavanger but it is most def not reef safe in any placement. Oh and the the size of this guy grows to 11.7 inches. Uh... HOW BIG?!?!?!?! What am I ever going to do with him when he gets THAT BIG? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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