Crabs using shells they don't like as toilets

[crabby33]

Has anyone ever seen their crabs use shells they don't like as toilets? I know some people have said their crabs will bury shells they don't like. Mine will use them as toilets.

[smcc13]

Has anyone ever seen their crabs use shells they don't like as toilets? I know some people have said their crabs will bury shells they don't like. Mine will use them as toilets.

That’s so funny and it will make clean up easier


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[wodesorel]

Yep, the shell shop is the toilet in my tank. I have to rinse them all out every few weeks!

[GotButterflies]

Prior to having isopods, I always found poop in the shell shops!


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[piratetoothgir]

Prior to having isopods, I always found poop in the shell shops!


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Yep! They seem to really like to use the shells as a toilet.
I've got a hundred white isopods in my 55 gallon, but never see any because they are so small.

I did notice that there was a tiny white worm on the glass, is that a baby isopod?

[GotButterflies]

No, that sounds like a nematode.


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[Crabnado]

Our crabs do both. I've found buried shells but I've also seen one completely fill the entrance of a shell with poo. Maybe they're marking it as theirs?

[Emmorgan]

I generally find after mine eat their food they poop only in the dish, which makes cleaning out the food dish that much more difficult. I guess it makes it easier to clean the rest of the tank though. But I've never seen them poop in shells! Any shells my crabs don't like are pushed from the shell shop, which is quite annoying when I'm trying to sleep.