HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Can Hermit Crabs eat feeder goldfish? I was thinking of setting up a mini aquarium in my larger tat of feeder goldfish so the crabs can go for a swim and catch lunch! Also if you've tried this will the Hermit Crabs catch the goldfish or just wait for one to die?

Since they're scavengers, they may just wait for one to die... icky. Of course, they're also cannibals

I'm not sure I could feed live food anymore. I used to have a garter snake that I fed feeder guppies. I started feeling too sorry for the guppies.

no goldfish they have dangerous ammonia levels id with rosy reds and the cost cheaper too

what are rosy reds? I asked petsmart if they carried them and they said no

rosy red minnows the peach colored minnows

well i've never herd of them before could you give a picture I'll be visiting petsmart tonight and maybe pic up a Viola or Ruggie.

Be careful with feeders.....I know they carry a parasite that is deadly to bigger fish (I had Oscars that got Hole in the Head from feeders--what a misery that was for the poor big fellas). I have no official data if it affects crabs, but I'd think it might. Also, feeder fish are usually given antibiotics at the pet store (have you ever seen how many feeders they cram into one tank???). Wouldn't the antibiotics be toxic for crabbies?


Please set me straight if I'm on the wrong track with this.

Live feeders (or feeders bought live and fresh killed) are not really recommended for hermies. First, hermies don't hunt (except sometimes for crickets), so you'd have to kill the fish or wait for it to die of disease (goldfish can live to be 30 years old, so they don't die of old age while they're small) And, like MamaZelly said, they're usually kept in medicated water and are heavily parasitized. You can get frozen silversides at PetCo or Petsmart, the hermies really like them because they're salt water fish.