HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Here are a couple of pictures of my two PP's. What size would you say they are? When they are fully out and walking relaxed, they cover the entire bullseye. When I was trying to photograph them, all they wanted to do was either shell up or run to a corner and shell up.

Extra-larges. It's the width of their legs while standing, not while walking.

Thanks! Their shell openings are currently between 1.25" and 1.33". When I buy more shells, what sizes should I look for? I'm assuming 1.5" -- 1.75"? I have a couple with 2" openings and those are clearly too big. If I put them in the tank, they bury them.

I just moved them from at 10 to a 20 gallon. Now I'm reading that they are still in too small of a tank--dang it. Hopefully they'll be so happy with the extra room that I can get by with it for a good long while.

wodesorel wrote:Extra-larges.

I think I need to rethink the sizes of my crabbies. I would have just called them large.

It doesn't really matter to me what size they are. It's nothing I can control I suppose I'm glad they aren't jumbo or I would feel bad about not upgrading to a larger tank.

For sure. I'm just thinking I misjudged the size of my medium, large, and extra-large crabs. Maybe others would call them large, x-large, and jumbo? Interesting to see how even with the same size chart, crabbers may still be reading size a bit differently, is all.

Yes, sizing is subjective and confusing. Which is a shame b/c it's what we go by to decide how to stock a tank.

CallaLily wrote: I think I need to rethink the sizes of my crabbies. I would have just called them large.

I would say the same if it were one of mine, but the chart shows them at EL instead of just L. To me, their legs aren't fat enough to be EL.


As far as shell size, they'll be in that size for years. Bigger shells only come in heavier species. One reason their legs do get so fat is for protection since in the wild the shells they find leave most of their limbs sticking out. My jumbos all downsized into Tapestries and Striped this year - only one is left in a Jade. They look silly, but it's how they are comfortable.

I have never seen tapestry and striped ex.large shells,they usually stop at large.

They max out at 1 & 1/4 usually. I have a massive weirdly shaped striped that is 1 & 3/8 that is super thick that no one ever takes.

I'm lost on the latter part of the conversation. Can y'all explain the terminology? Tapestry, striped, big fat legs, etc?

Are you saying that once the crabs get to the size mine are, they don't grow much larger and stay in the same shells for years? Also, are you saying that the larger shells come in less variety?

FWIW. I put a bunch of similarly sized shells in the tank yesterday and one of the crabs (the one with the man made cut pattern in the shell) changed into a natural, unpolished black and white shell (called a magpie, maybe) for a few hours and then changed back into his old shell.

Tapestry and striped are types of turbo shells. These seem to max out around 1 1/4 inch openings, though I do have a few that are just ever so slightly larger. There are also Jade turbos that are mostly found with 1 1/2 inch openings or larger. For my larger crabs I offer them a bunch of these types, with a few "oddball" shells thrown in (ones that PPs don't often choose). Most of my large (or maybe XL) choose to stay in the tapestry or striped over the roomier (and heavier) jades, even though they can no longer pull all the way inside. So far I've had 3 PPs choose to wear jade turbos. I guess time will tell if any of the others decide to move up.

Your crabs will grow some more, though not as quickly as the smaller ones do. There are crabs that have the leg span of a jumbo crab (according to chart) but they're so thin and leggy that they're not yet considered jumbo. I find this to be true between some other sizes too. Hence the "big fat leg" talk.

I hope this helps and that I didn't add to any confusion.

This is about the same size shell as the one yours is wearing. The crab is about double the mass though!

Collins is a bit smaller I think. I consider him a large sized crab.

I think Cinnamon is a good example of a leggy crab, not truly jumbo but XL.