TankBud

Mexican red-leg hermit crab

Clibanarius digueti

Also known as Cortez Red Leg Hermit, Red Tip Hermit Crab, Dwarf Red Tip Hermit, Bluespotted Hermit

SaltwaterCrab

Mexican red-leg hermit crab (Clibanarius digueti)

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–81°F
22–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
1 in
2.5 cm
Minimum tank
11 gal
40 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Beginner
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Very common
Reef safe
Reef safe
Family
Diogenidae
Origin
Gulf of California and the Pacific coast of Mexico, on shallow rocky and sandy shores.

Overview

The Mexican red-leg hermit crab is a small cleanup crew hermit that fits nano tanks as well as large reefs. It is a good first hermit for a beginner.

Did you know

A group of Mexican red-leg hermit crabs works its way across the rock and sand all day. They turn over the top layer of substrate as they scavenge for scraps.

Caring for the Mexican red-leg hermit crab

Keep a few Mexican red-leg hermit crabs in a tank of at least 11 gal (40 L), as part of a cleanup crew. They are fine alone or in a group.

Hold the water at 72 to 81°F (22 to 27°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. They tolerate a wide temperature range. They graze hair algae and cyanobacteria, and they scavenge leftover food and detritus in tight spots.

Mexican red-leg hermit crabs are mostly peaceful. Provide a range of empty shells, or they may kill snails to steal a better one. They will also occasionally knock over loose coral frags.

Good to know

Clibanarius digueti is a dwarf hermit with bright red legs tipped in white, its body tucked into a borrowed snail shell. It is one of the cheapest and most common cleanup crew hermits in the hobby. Like all hermits, it has a soft, twisted abdomen and must swap into larger empty shells as it grows.

In the wild

The Mexican red-leg hermit crab lives on shallow rocky and sandy shores in the Gulf of California and along the Pacific coast of Mexico. The Gulf of California is a cooler and more seasonal sea than the tropical Indo-Pacific.

Common questions

What size tank does a Mexican red-leg hermit crab need?

A Mexican red-leg hermit crab needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Mexican red-leg hermit crab need?

A Mexican red-leg hermit crab is comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does a Mexican red-leg hermit crab eat?

A Mexican red-leg hermit crab grazes hair algae and cyanobacteria. It also scavenges leftover food and detritus in tight spots.

How big does a Mexican red-leg hermit crab get?

An adult Mexican red-leg hermit crab reaches about 1 in (2.5 cm).

Related species