Dwarf Red Tip Hermit Crab

The Dwarf Red Tip Hermit Crab is a voracious scavenger. Like its Blue Leg cousin, the Dwarf Red Tip Hermit Crab serves as an ideal member of your marine or reef aquarium's cleanup crew. Also known simply as the Red Tip Hermit Crab, this omnivore will scavenge all over your live rock and sand substrate - finding its way into the tightest of spaces - to feed on algae and detritus.

Like other members of this genus, the Red Tip Hermit Crab has claws of equal size and, for this reason, members of this genus are sometimes called "Equal-handed Hermit Crabs." Native to the coastal water surrounding Mexico, the Red Tip has a bright red face and legs. In the home aquarium it does best in saltwater reef or fish-only systems with sand substrates in which they can forage and dig. Its feeding methods also help aerate the sand bed and promote the growth of beneficial bacteria. The Dwarf Red Tip Hermit Crab should ideally be kept in a well-established system with plenty of algae and live rock to graze upon.

Making its home in abandoned snail shells of various size and shape, be sure to offer empty shells to accommodate the growth of these small members of the Diogenidae family. Additionally, offer dried seaweed if algae levels are insufficient. Like other invertebrates, care needs to be taken during the acclimation process to prevent pH shock. Also, take special care to ensure an invertebrate-friendly environment free of predators and copper-based medications.