The Blue Leg Hermit Crab is a very active water animal and makes a terrific addition to any home tanks. Their appendages are the most beautiful thing to see, since they are in brilliant blue, orange and black in color. The Blue Leg Hermit Crab is considered as very good scavengers as they feed on detritus and waste build up, especially on algae and Cyano Bacteria. By doing so, they not only clear up the surroundings but also, help aerate sand substrates thereby encouraging growth and activity of beneficial bacteria. The Blue Leg Hermit Crab love to hide behind rocks and thus large rocks are referred to keep in every reef tanks. They undergo molting process where they shed their exoskeleton in order to obtain a new one. Often it leaves its shredded translucent shell which serves as a distraction while the crab finds a hiding place that allows the new shell to harden. Hermit crabs use the abandoned shell as their shelter. The Blue Leg Hermit Crab has the extended abdomen and they spiral up themselves in it and expose only the head and its claws. When they are sensitized by any predator, they coil up inside the shell and seek for protection. If these crabs are deficient of food or if seeking for new homes, they might feed on existing snails as food and achieve the snail as a shelter. If insufficient algae are present then the Blue Leg Hermit Crab must be provided with dried seaweeds, and should be kept in groups for larger aquariums. These are completely reef safe and are peaceful in nature. The Blue Leg Hermit Crab do not harass or harm any other inhabitants and are very safe to keep in an reef tank along with other inhabitants.
The Blueleg Hermit Crab is a very popular Hermit Crab that is very active in the home aquarim. Their legs are colored in brilliant blue, orange, and black. In the wild, these crabs live together in the hundreds and cling to rocks, and each other, during high tides, and then search for food during low tides. They should be offered algae sheets on an every other day basis in order to help feed them. Most of their day is spent as scavengers and they do a tremendous job keeping aquariums clean of detritus and waste build-up. They are voracious algae eaters.Crabs belong to the Class Crustacea and Order Decapoda. Hermits and Porcelain Crabs belong to the Section Anomura, which consists of long antennae and three pair of walking legs. The head of the Crab is connected to the thorax and covered by a shell called carapace. They have a smaller abdomen and tail compared to Shrimp and they keep this tucked beneath the carapace. The first pair of their legs are usually developed claws which they use to gather food, use as protection, and to move objects. In order for Crabs to grow they need to shed their exoskeleton, a process called "molting", which allows them to remove their restricting shell and begin a new one. Often times in the home aquarium Crabs will leave this translucent shell in full view so it can serve as a distraction while the Crab finds a hiding place and allows its new shell to harden. Hermit Crabs use abandoned shells as their home. These Crabs usually have extended abdomens that they wrap around the inside of the spiraling shell leaving only their head and claws exposed. When approached these Crabs can recoil into the shell for protection. When a Hermit Crab grows it will often seek out a new larger shell.
