HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Can anyone tell me the name of this shell that one of my new E's moved into, I want to try to get more for his sibling so maybe it will dump it's stupid painted shell too.



Anyone have an idea?

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This shell is called a tonna sulcosa. (Striped tun) I have gotten them at Walmart in the mixed bags of "large shells" I have never actually seen a crab wear one of these before! I have found that they are quite thin and some of them break easily, but that may have been from rough handling in the bags or something! I think they are on the preferred shell list for the Es care sheet.


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I recommend not buying these but instead, but buying other shells with D shaped openings like babylonia shells, as like @purpleperson said these are thin and thin shells and clumsy crabs don't go well together as if they fall they might crack the shell.

You know I'm pretty sure that it did come out of a bag of walmart shells, in the batch I know that two more came but they were just as you described very thin and had holes. The specimen that my crab is in has no holes and is about three to four times as thick as the other two from the batch.

And thank you very much purpleperson

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Pearl29mi wrote:I recommend not buying these but instead, but buying other shells with D shaped openings like babylonia shells, as like @purpleperson said these are thin and thin shells and clumsy crabs don't go well together as if they fall they might crack the shell.

Can I ask what shape opening you would consider him to be wearing now if not a D shape?

I do need a better variety for sure but they actually have a couple Babylonia shells to choose from but they are especially heavy specimens for some reason.

Probably a round opening, turbo shells is what he might like.

Pearl29mi wrote:Probably a round opening, turbo shells is what he might like.

I thought Ecuadorians liked "D" shaped openings? I have never owned one myself, but every picture and write up I've ever seen had them in a D shaped opening I believe.


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Ecuadorians do wear turbos sometimes. They tend to fold their abdomens under their bodies rather than curl them around the inside of the shell. If someone already has modified nerites or other shells previously worn by E's, they may like them better. E's modify their shells by picking away at the inside until it is comfortable for their bums.

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Ahh, thanks for the clarification!


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Tonna was the only shell my biggest E would ever look at!

From this:


To this:


And then modified for his eyes:

I have had a few of these that came with adoptions. My crew like to eat them.

Wode your big E is so beautiful, stunning colors

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purpleperson wrote: I thought Ecuadorians liked "D" shaped openings? I have never owned one myself, but every picture and write up I've ever seen had them in a D shaped opening I believe.


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It is so weird. I have a ton of D shaped opening shells in all types and sizes but all 4 of my Es wear turbos. Crabs are weird. Lol

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CallaLily wrote:I have had a few of these that came with adoptions. My crew like to eat them.

Mine started eating a $50 shell for a jumbo. Let me tell you! That shell came out fast!

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cRABB3R&w[]FE wrote:Wode your big E is so beautiful, stunning colors

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Was beautiful. He was my favorite. One of the other Es ate him and took that shell. (And is living with Sach now.)