Halloween Hermit Crab

• Common Name:- Halloween Hermit Crab

• Latin Name:- Ciliopagurus strigatus

• Final Size:- Up to 5cm

• Purchase Size:- Approx 2cm - 4cm

• Diet:- Hair Algae, Cyanobacteria, Mysis, Krill, Mussel, Flake, Pellets, Mixed Diet Essential

• Aquarium Size:- 300 Litres or Larger for keeping groups of Halloween Hermits

• Water Parameters:- SG 1.023 - 1.026, pH 8.1 - 8.4, Nitrite 0, Ammonia 0, Will not tolerate Copper

• Compatibility:- Coral Safe

• Top Tips:- Offer extra Conch Shells to avoid snail attacks

Halloween Hermit Crabs (Ciliopagurus strigatus) are a species of hermit crab collected from the waters surrounding the Philippines.  They are loved by reef keepers owing to their brightly coloured orange and red striped bodies making them one of the most attractive hermit crab options to keep.  

Diet
Halloween Hermits are awesome algae eaters that love to eat both hair algae and cyanobacteria especially in larger aquariums owing to their larger, final 5cm size.  They can be kept alone or in groups and it is important to ensure a variety of food is available to them, especially when the amount of algae available begins to decrease.  They will eat a range of foods including most larger frozen foods including krill, mussels, squid, pellets and flake if they can catch it.  There are also many dedicated sinking pellet foods that are ideal for target feeding.   

Compatibility
Halloween Hermits are a coral safe species meaning that they will not attempt to eat corals.  When they get larger they do carry around a large shell which can be a little clumsy!  This could cause damage to delicate species and it is recommended to ensure your corals are fixed securely.  It is important to offer plenty of shells for the crab to upgrade into, specifically conch shells of varying sizes larger than the one the crab is currently using.  If extra shells aren't provided there is a chance that your hermit crab may attack your resident conch snail in order to steal the shell.  These hermits are compatible with all active reef safe fish but it is important to remember that they are the natural prey of Puffers, Triggers.  They are also not the best tank mates of small, bottom dwelling reef species such as Mandarins, Scooter Blennies etc, for those species pick a smaller hermit species such as Tri Colours or True Scarlets.  Lastly in their hunt for food there is every chance that they may become a pest when you are target feeding your corals.  It is possible to find ways around this such as feeding the crabs in a regular spot away from the coral in question with large pieces of mussel or covering the coral with a plastic bottle whilst target feeding.