Question about marine hermit crabs

[Fizz]

I'm not sure where to put this question, so I thought here would be ok. Can anyone tell me how to care for marine hermit crabs. I can get a massive amount of information about land hermit crabs, but can't seem to find what I'm looking for regarding marine hermit crabs. I have heard they are easy to care for, but still don't know how to care for them.

[DJChesnutRabbit]

For the most part, they either eat detridus or algae. You should not have to directly feed hermits for that reason. You just need to watch for some species, because the will kill your snails for their shells.

[Fizz]

What is detridus? And like land hermit crabs, do they need a dry area also? We aren't planning on putting any snails in with them, but we are looking for bigger shells to put in with them once they out grow the ones they are in.

[DJChesnutRabbit]

Detritus is non-living organtic matter...Fish poop, left over food bits, ect. Reef hermits do not need a dry area and yes, make sure the hermits have extra shells to try out for a new home.

[Fizz]

Thank you for all of the information, it was very helpful. My kids had went to the beach and brought back these crabs and I didn't want them to die. Truthfully, I wish they hadn't brought them back, because I had no idea how to care for them.

[DJChesnutRabbit]

If they're those little brown-stripey guys, I have a few I brought back from the beach in my tank. They don't seem to be harming anything.

[reeferlady]

I have the blue and black triped leg hermit crabs and those suckers kill all my snails. I have two mexican turbo crabs instead of snails. The poor snails didn't even get a chance to get on the walls or eat anything as soon as I put them in, the crabs jumped on them. The shells look to bug for them any ways they can barely move, annoying little things.