Calcinus elegans

Calcinus elegans in a way unusual for the roundish worm housing of a turbo snail. ( Aquariumaufahme from the Zurich Zoo. )

Calcinus elegans is a hermit crab from the tropical Indo-Pacific. It is nocturnal, lives in coral reefs and lives of shallow tide pools to depths of ten meters. The most common cancers are directly below the intertidal zone. Larger specimens prefer the lower depth range.

Features

Calcinus elegans uses mainly the elongated housing of small triton snails ( Ranellidae ) to protect the soft abdomen. The carapace of the crabs is black, the walking legs are black to dark brown and blue striped. Eyes and stems are blue, the orange sensor, the scissors brown, their tips speckled white. In the population to Hawaii the blue is replaced by orange. Although Calcinus elegans belongs to the family of the Left Hand hermit crabs ( Diogenidae ), both scissors are approximately equal. Calcinus elegans is about six inches long.

The crabs are omnivorous and feed on algae, carrion, and of every small invertebrates.

Hunting and

Calcinus elegans is Harlequin hermit " quite frequently imported under the popular terms" Electric Blue Hermit "and" for the aquarium maintenance and is easy to maintain. Compared with other dogs he is incompatible.