HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone could tell me what this white stuff is on this shell?

This is an example of what my hermit crab now has on her shell. I boil all of the shells and it never had it before, but it is on there now.

What is it? The shells are all natural (not painted) and I’m worried it may be something like bugs or something (really hope not, I don’t do well with bugs)





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Hmmm that's strange. Does it flake off if you scrape it with your nail? I zoomed in and it looks like little honeycombs lol. Maybe it's mineral build up from your water?

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Looks like eggs to me... Bug eggs... But it could be a mineral build like crabbylover77 said.

I’m going to try and gently flake it off tonight! My crab is in it so I’ll be gentle and see!

I’m really hoping it’s the minerals and not bug eggs! Eeek!


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Good luck! Hopefully it's nothing gross!

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Ok so mini update. I haven’t had a chance to look more closely at my crabs shell BUT while I was rearranging the spare shells on the cage I noticed a few other of the brown shells had the same little white things on it, but looked lighter in color. I went ahead and I threw those away and am going to boil the other shells that were near it just in case. Interestingly enough it only has the white things on these brown shells I got and all from the same seller. I never noticed them before so maybe one had it and it didn’t get boiled enough and affected the others. I would love to change out their substrate to be extra careful but am pretty sure I have a crab molting right now. As soon as all 4 are up I’m going to change everything in the cage. Total bummer about the shells I’m hoping it’s just a harmless bug and nothing more!


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Where did you get the shells... if i may ask?

I bought them from an eBay seller! It’s weird I didn’t notice anything originally and the shells have been in there for a few weeks, but they are only on the brown shells I got from the same place the others don’t appear to be affected?

I think I’m gonna avoid eBay shells for a while, where do y’all buy yours from?

Also I picked up the one that has the stuff on its shell and I used some water on a cotton ball and a little tooth pick and got most of it off! I was very gentle with her and I think it looks a lot better now!


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I’ve gotten some from NaturallyCrabby on etsy. Some have used Richard’s seashells or Naples seashells


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I've bought from an Etsy seller before for large shells, but I mostly use Naples.

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It's coral growth, most seashells have them but when they're polished like this it's ground off for the most part. Sometimes in low spots it'll be left behind. It's nothing more than calcium carbonate and totally harmless.

Really? Ok that makes me feel better. Is it normal for it to spread to other shells? I noticed it on some f the other shells when it wasn’t originally on there when I placed it in the tank!


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It can't spread, but there was very likely growths there that either weren't noticeable while they were wet or were disguised by the polishing.