Electric Blue Hermit Crab
Calcinus elegans
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Water parameters
Water parameters are being added.
About Electric Blue Hermit Crab
General information
The Electric Blue Hermit Crab is very attractive due to its electriying blue legs with black bands and its bright orange antennae. Its claws are colored brownish green. Like other hermit crabs, it also lives inside abandoned snail shells. It can grow up to 3/4′ to 1-1/2′ in. It is beneficial to the aquarium because it consumes algae and adds aeration to the substrate. Therefore, it is considered a reef-safe species.
Diet & nutrition
It is an herbivore that mainly subsists on green hair algae and cyanobacteria. In instances of food scarcity, it can be fed with dried seaweed.
Determining sex
Sexing hermit crabs is extremely difficult.
Origination
It is native from the Marshall Islands.
Cautions
Like most invertebrates, the Electric Blue Hermit Crab does not do well if there are large swings in water parameters. It also does not tolerate any type of metal traces in the water, therefore, it should never be in contact with any copper medications.
Acclimation process
Most invertebrates do not like large swings in water parameters and the Electric Blue Hermit Crab is not an exception, so even though most hobbyists do not acclimate their cleaner crews it is suggested to do so. If you have a sump, float your cleaner crew in an area with low light to allow them to temperature acclimate first which should take about 15-20 min. Then it is best to slowly drip acclimate them to allow them to adjust to your water conditions.
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