Hermit Crabs are curious crustaceans, their strange behaviors and different personalities are sure to put a smile on the face of beginner and expert keepers alike.

They require a lot of care and you will need to keep a close eye on them to spot any health problems they may have.

Throughout this article, we will introduce you to the most popular hermit crab species and give you an in-depth understanding of what it takes to keep this invertebrate.

We will be covering everything you need to know from general care and feeding requirements to breeding tips, as well as some interesting facts along the way.

Hermit crabs belong to the superfamily Paguroidea which is comprised of well over 800 separate species, possibly even over a thousand.

There are seven different families to which these species belong.

One family is the Coenobitidae which is comprised of land-dwelling Hermit Crabs. The other six families are classified as water-dwelling species.

Unlike many decapod crustaceans, Hermit Crabs have a soft abdominal region. In order to protect themselves, they have adapted to have curved bodies that fit into scavenged mollusk shells.

These fascinating creatures can live for as long as 30 years in the wild. However, their lifespan in aquariums is usually a lot shorter than this. These aquatic or land-based crustaceans make a unique pet and are not that easy to find a local fish stores. There are however lots of places online where they can be bought.

The cost can vary drastically with the individual species ranging from $3 all the way up to $60.

~Typical Behavior~

Hermit Crabs are generally peaceful and social organisms that live in large groups in the wild.

Larger species will be more aggressive than smaller species and may even attack your fish.

Smaller reef compatible species are mostly peaceful however, you may find that they fight with each other. This is completely normal behavior and it is called rapping (which essentially is a battle to get another crabs shell).

You can avoid this sort of behavior by adding plenty of different-sized and shaped shells throughout the substrate. You will find they tend to occupy the lower regions of the tank. However, they are also good climbers so you may find them on live rocks in between the reef.

They can be quite shy and may choose to hide inside their shell whenever you approach the tank.