Friendly bugs? Crabitat symbiosis?

[CombatMist]

Read the info sheets. Great pics and info of insects.

What animals can live with hermit crabs in the crabitat? A symbiotic relationship? Or even plants? I'm not ready for a full on vivarium yet. Possibly air plants.

Read of a few mites being predators that could be good to remove other mites. Or mites to help clean tank eating excess food, mold, fungus, poo ect.

Pill bugs sound fun. Janitor that likes similar environments. Eating excess food and rotting plants. And cute that they like hermits are actually air breathing crustaceans. And pill bugs are easy to find wild in many places for free.

Land snails. Janitor until crabs eventually eat them or die from salt.

Other ideas? Insects? Rodents? Arthropods?

[JoeHermits]

Springtails and isopods are the top picks for crabitats.

Snails are slow moving and would likely be eaten fairly quickly. Rodents are able to attack the crabs and aren’t suited for a tropical setup, anyways.

Our plant guide: https://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/p ... 9&t=120839


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[CombatMist]

Thanks will look more

Did read the care sheet naming springtail and isopods. Time for more research.

Oky guess rodents dont work at all. Their suited for very different things.

Symbiotic relationships in nature do happen. Nature is fascinating.

Like snakes living in burrows of some mammals. The snake gets warmth and the mammal gets protection from most animals avoiding snakes.

Or there is a shrimp that lives with a fish. The shrimp has poor eye sight. They live in a burrow. The shrimp is the janitor and the fish keeps watch for danger. When danger the fish pushes the shrimp back in the burrow.

Or the many with ants having aphids as cattle.

Or sea hermit crabs transplanting anemones onto their new shells. Anemone gets a free ride and scraps of food. Hermit gets protection from predators. The hermit some how knows how to coax the anemanie to release its grip and allow the crab to move it.

[CrabbyLover77]

https://youtu.be/K2Eyup8Jk3w

This has to be one of my favorite animal relationships in the ocean. Although I'm not quite sure what the sea cucumber gets out of it LOL.

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[CombatMist]

Ya I've seen of that before. I dont think the cucumber benefits. If both dont benefit it's not a symbiote. If 1 benefits it's a parasitic relationship. The cucumber I'd imagine may not like the feel of the fish in it. Could cause quite discomfort and blockage. Compared to many parasitic relationships I'd think of the down side minor compared to loss of blood or disease. Seems a minor upside for the fish. Definently a strange occurence.

Looked up terrestrial isopods. It was hard to find the answer of basically 2 kinds being sowbugs and pill bugs and all the variety of them

[CrabbyLover77]

Ya I've seen of that before. I dont think the cucumber benefits. If both dont benefit it's not a symbiote. If 1 benefits it's a parasitic relationship. The cucumber I'd imagine may not like the feel of the fish in it. Could cause quite discomfort and blockage. Compared to many parasitic relationships I'd think of the down side minor compared to loss of blood or disease. Seems a minor upside for the fish. Definently a strange occurence.

Looked up terrestrial isopods. It was hard to find the answer of basically 2 kinds being sowbugs and pill bugs and all the variety of them

I agree with ya, I can't imagine the cucumber enjoys a fish up his bottom.

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[CombatMist]

Thanks for sharing on isopods. Didnt know a section for that