HCA: Hermit Crab Association

how big do turbo shells get? do jumbo crabs still prefere turbos or do they just like any shell that fits? i plan on raising jumbos in a few years, once i get a 50 gal.




wait, what size tank do they require?

I would think a 75 but I think some people go even higher because hermit crabs can grow up to the size of a large or regular coconut(I think)

purplepincher wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 11, 2019 2:17 pm

how big do turbo shells get? do jumbo crabs still prefere turbos or do they just like any shell that fits? i plan on raising jumbos in a few years, once i get a 50 gal.




wait, what size tank do they require?

There are a lot of difference varieties and species of turbos, the largest I have seen have openings of 2" - 2 1/2" but I know they go larger than that.

Jumbos are not readily found in stores nowadays, most people who have jumbo crabs have adopted them from somebody else. They also can be difficult due to molting being harder for them in some cases, but not always. Most jumbos cannot adjust to living in captivity, and a lot often succumb to stress.

Some shell sizes can be difficult to find, and the larger they are the more expensive, but there will always be turbos big enough. Turbo marmoratus (green/jade turbos) grows larger than any terrestrial hermit crab will ever need. Just do a google search on "huge turbo marmoratus" and you'll see.

Do you have hermit crabs now? They'll reach jumbo size soon enough, just give them a few years. I would not keep jumbos in a tank smaller than 70-75 gallons, so I would recommend to go as big as you can afford and find room for. They need lots of room, at least 12 inches of substrate and pools deep enough to fully submerge. It can also be tricky to find huts/hides big enough for jumbo crabs to hide in/under, so there has to be room for cork tunnels or something else that they can comfortably fit in.