HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hey everyone, I had a few questions about shells and would love your opinions and experiences on them.

1) About how many empty shells do you keep in your tank for your crabs to pick from?

2) Do you use a shell shop or put the shells on the substrate?

3) If a shell shop do you manually rotate the shells (bottom to top, top to bottom)?

4) Also, if a shell shop, do you have the shop on the substrate or is it elevated like a second level is?

Thanks in advance! Just trying to get ideas!


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LeeHasCrabs wrote:Hey everyone, I had a few questions about shells and would love your opinions and experiences on them.

1) About how many empty shells do you keep in your tank for your crabs to pick from?

2) Do you use a shell shop or put the shells on the substrate?

3) If a shell shop do you manually rotate the shells (bottom to top, top to bottom)?

4) Also, if a shell shop, do you have the shop on the substrate or is it elevated like a second level is?

Thanks in advance! Just trying to get ideas!


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It's recommended 3-5 shells per crab. Doesn't hurt to have more.
I started with shells on the ground. But they got so dirty and the crabs bury them! So I tried a shell shop on the ground. They seemed to just walk through to the other side. So I put some on 2nd level. And the rest on the ground again. Much more interest. I just have to clean them more often and consider the buried lost. Unless they actually pick shells that are buried. Lol.
I just have them scattered around.

Hermiesguardian wrote:

LeeHasCrabs wrote:Hey everyone, I had a few questions about shells and would love your opinions and experiences on them.

1) About how many empty shells do you keep in your tank for your crabs to pick from?

2) Do you use a shell shop or put the shells on the substrate?

3) If a shell shop do you manually rotate the shells (bottom to top, top to bottom)?

4) Also, if a shell shop, do you have the shop on the substrate or is it elevated like a second level is?

Thanks in advance! Just trying to get ideas!


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It's recommended 3-5 shells per crab. Doesn't hurt to have more.
I started with shells on the ground. But they got so dirty and the crabs bury them! So I tried a shell shop on the ground. They seemed to just walk through to the other side. So I put some on 2nd level. And the rest on the ground again. Much more interest. I just have to clean them more often and consider the buried lost. Unless they actually pick shells that are buried. Lol.
I just have them scattered around.

So you tried having them on a second-level shop but found they are more likely to shop and swap when they’re on the substrate?


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I also ask because I’m anxious for my crabs to pick new shells. I have 5 crabs and 3 of them have the same natural green turbo shell and I can’t tell them apart! LOL


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LeeHasCrabs wrote:I also ask because I’m anxious for my crabs to pick new shells. I have 5 crabs and 3 of them have the same natural green turbo shell and I can’t tell them apart! LOL


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Oh, once they start swapping you'll never tell them apart. I wish there was a way but there's not. Unless you have only 2 crabs, different sizes. Just the life of a crabby parent.

Hermiesguardian wrote:

LeeHasCrabs wrote:I also ask because I’m anxious for my crabs to pick new shells. I have 5 crabs and 3 of them have the same natural green turbo shell and I can’t tell them apart! LOL


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Oh, once they start swapping you'll never tell them apart. I wish there was a way but there's not. Unless you have only 2 crabs, different sizes. Just the life of a crabby parent.

I realize that lol. Every crab is different. I see a bunch of folks on here calling their crabs by name and I can’t tell who’s who. LOL.


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LeeHasCrabs wrote:

Hermiesguardian wrote:

LeeHasCrabs wrote:Hey everyone, I had a few questions about shells and would love your opinions and experiences on them.

1) About how many empty shells do you keep in your tank for your crabs to pick from?

2) Do you use a shell shop or put the shells on the substrate?

3) If a shell shop do you manually rotate the shells (bottom to top, top to bottom)?

4) Also, if a shell shop, do you have the shop on the substrate or is it elevated like a second level is?

Thanks in advance! Just trying to get ideas!

So you tried having them on a second-level shop but found they are more likely to shop and swap when they’re on the substrate?


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Yes but others may have experienced something different.

LeeHasCrabs wrote:

Hermiesguardian wrote:

LeeHasCrabs wrote:I also ask because I’m anxious for my crabs to pick new shells. I have 5 crabs and 3 of them have the same natural green turbo shell and I can’t tell them apart! LOL


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Oh, once they start swapping you'll never tell them apart. I wish there was a way but there's not. Unless you have only 2 crabs, different sizes. Just the life of a crabby parent.

I realize that lol. Every crab is different. I see a bunch of folks on here calling their crabs by name and I can’t tell who’s who. LOL.


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Maybe it's wishful thinking on their part. Lol. I think it's sad because we love them and can't handle them, at least we should be able to call them by name.

I have 12 or so shells for my 8 crabs. I think that number is ok for more crabs. I figure all 8 won't shop around at the same time. They will now that I said that. If I did the 3-5 shells per crab that would be 24-40 shells in the tank! There would be no room for anything else.

Every few weeks I will rinse them out in saltwater and move them around.

I thought about doing a shell shop in a large shower caddy so they stay clean. But with all my guys needing 1 1/8" openings and up that doesn't leave much room for many shells.

The other day I put them on my fish net second story. So far they haven't had any interest in them yet. I don't think they know where they are yet.

I had mine up top in my moss pit and they had more interest in them up there than they do now on the ground. I guess it's good to switch it up once in a while to help them explore and make it new for them. I just ordered a bunch of shells so I'm hoping I get some usable ones this time.

I always have 20+ shells of different sizes in my 30 gal tank. I soak them in salt water and the crabs always act like they are new! Something about the salt water attracts the crabs to them. My isopods use them as shelter much to my dismay!

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I have striped turbos but they’re not favorites with my crabs, neither are spotted turbos. My guys are content with the shells they have on: a fluctuosus (a normal shell choice for a PP) and an oddball, an apple murex. They’re both molting right now so that could change in a few weeks when they’ve both come up.