Mexican red leg hermit crab (Clibanarius digueti) care guide
- Group
- Other invertebrates
- Other names
- Red leg hermit crab, Mexican hermit crab, Blue-eyed spotted hermit crab, Gulf of California hermit crab, Red legged hermit crab
- Family
- Diogenidae
- Origin
- West coast of Mexico; abundant in the Gulf of California
- Water
- saltwater
- Maximum size
- 2 cm
- Temperature
- 22–27°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Hardness
- SG 1.023–1.026
- Care level
- beginner
- Temperament
- semi_aggressive
- Reef safe
- with_caution
Care
The Mexican red leg hermit crab is a small Pacific hermit, about 2 cm, with red legs and blue eyes. In the wild it gathers at low tide in clusters of up to 700 crabs along the coast of western Mexico and the Gulf of California. The name 'red leg hermit' is also used for the Caribbean scarlet reef hermit (Paguristes cadenati), a different species, so check photos and the source of the stock. Clean-up crew: it eats detritus, green algae, dead animals and leftover food, and picks at hair algae and film on rock. It is a good small scavenger in reef tanks, but no source gives a stocking rate; add a few at a time and watch how much food is left. Shells: hermit crabs must keep moving into bigger shells as they grow. This species is known to attack snails and other hermits to steal their shells, so always give it spare empty shells, a few of each size slightly larger than the ones in use, or it may kill your clean-up snails. Set-up and water: The water figures are typical reef-tank guidance rather than from a source. It comes from coastal, subtropical water and copes with a range of conditions, but acclimatise it slowly. Suitable for nano tanks upwards. Copper: copper-based medicines and some plant fertilisers are toxic to shrimp, snails and most other invertebrates. Never dose them in a tank holding this animal, and read the label of any treatment, fertiliser or algae remover before use. Sources: Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clibanariusdigueti). Checked October 2026.
Diet
An omnivorous scavenger: detritus, green and film algae, dead organic matter, its own and others' shed skins, and leftover food. In a clean tank add a few sinking pellets or a little dried seaweed so it does not go hungry.
Breeding
Sexes are separate; females carry eggs under the shell, and the larvae are planktonic. It is not bred in home aquariums, so all stock is wild-collected.
Compatibility and tank mates
Reef safe with caution: it leaves corals alone but kills snails (turbos, ceriths, nassarius, nerites) for their shells when spare shells are lacking, and can fight other hermits. Harmless to fish. Eaten by triggers, puffers, large wrasses and hawkfish.
Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.