Hermit crabs eating too much

[Tinnerito]

Hello! I am aware that microalgae often is something that you do not want in a reef aquarium, but I personally like microalgaes and other algaes as they inhabit beneficial microorganisms, and contribute to nutrient cycling. I recently got this massive diatom bloom, which was nice but there came to be too much, so I got three small red foot hermit crabs to help control it better. Its been 4 days since I had introduced them and my microalgae population has nearly been eradicated, and the tank is spotless which I am not aiming for. My hermit crabs eat algae nonstop, and I am wondering if there is a way for me to slow down their eating pace, or perhaps give them other food to eat? Just to help get my microalgae growing again.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Diatoms bloom in our new tanks because of the silica in new sand, they feed on silicates. When the supply of silicates is consumed, the diatoms die. They usually last 2-3 weeks and then pass on their own. So while the hermits may have helped a little, they can not take the credit for getting rid of the diatoms. Next will be normal green algae that will grow on the rocks, they will eat that next.

But they still need protein, not only algae, so feed them once in a while or they will die of starvation.

 

[Tinnerito]

I do feed them some mysis shrimp daily, but thank you so much for the information! I did not know that about diatoms, and I feel far more relieved.