HCA: Hermit Crab Association

So this has been going on constantly for the last few days:

I don't handle the crabs a lot so I don't know their genders, but Crippy, in the tan horse conch shell, has been climbing on top of Rufus, in the black and white pica, every chance 'he' gets. Could it be breeding behaviors? I'll have to check to see if Rufus is actually a Rufina

Climbing on top probably isn't a mating behavior as there's a shell in the way. He's probably just looking for a perch or a free ride. Hermit crab behavior hasn't been well studied though, so it's entirely possible that climbing could be some sort of courtship.

Edit: here's a video that claims to show mating http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocT8po6g8jY.

that's too cute

Your crabs have beautiful shells!