Cittarium Pica

Keg · Post by **Keg** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 11:48 am

I've read that the Carribean hermit crab evolved to fit into a shell called the Cittarium Pica (I'll edit this if I can find the link again).I found it difficult to find these shells (AKA magpie, Indian topshell)and discovered they had been nearly extirpated from Bermuda and Florida, where the crabs exist (The animal is edible and remaining shells probably went with crabs to pet stores). This has harmed the crab population in those areas.I wonder if the PP would prefer this shell over all others, given a chance? I realize anything with a nacrous interior and a round opening will suffice. But I wonder if there is a difference in shell geometry vs abdomen (or wired in preference). Does anyone have opinion/experience?I did find some on ebay and will offer them to my friend. This will be a difficult challenge for the shell because my crab has a pearlized turbo now. But I suspect the crab will make the right choice.The cittarium isn't extinct, there are farms in the Phillipines where they sell them legally by the case. Also Usshells.com which sells wholesale by the case. They wouldn't split cases for me and they are also all pearlized. If I really wanted an entire set of these shells in every size, five cases would cost roughly $255 before shipping. That might be doable if I had several crabs AND it was a truly superior choice. But I can resist the urge until there is further deliberation and more crabs.

Frostfire · Post by **Frostfire** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 11:56 am

huh. I will have to look that up. and jeez, that's a lot of money on shells (but if it's for the crabs...)

backslash14 · Post by **backslash14** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 12:58 pm

I found a magpie in a petstore and immediately scooped it up because my I didn't have enough large shells for my largest crabs. He moved into it within the first 30 minutes of me putting them into the tank.You do mean this shell right?When I take pics this weekend I'll be sure to get some of him.

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 1:02 pm

Yes about 3/4th's of my hermit crabs came home in this exact type of shell and I know that they prefer it to other types of suitable shells because I still have four out of eleven pp's living in them.A pp has a long cylindrical abdomen which makes these shells a must and given the fact that the shell is already naturally colored like camouflage gives the added benefit of blending in with the surroundings.I know just about every shell shop down A1A in Florida sells these shells most have been polished or buffed up to bring top dollar in the tourist industry meanwhile the pp's who live another eight hours south have to find whatever they can to tuck their abdomens into for protection because their native environment has been shelled out leaving them nothing to use.

Keg · Post by **Keg** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:35 pm

"You do mean this shell right?"Wikipedia says that's it.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cittarium_picaThat's a great price. Hopefully customer service will allow choosing size increments. Oh wait, they don't have a whole range, just 2.75" to 3.5" so this is a partial solution. But its progress. I didn't think to google that word combination.*****EDIT: Fri, set 23 2011I just talked to customer service at http://www.seashellworld.com/m...d-turb ... s.htmlThey said they would special order me larger and smaller sizes than appear on the site.They also said they would personally sort the order so they were all different sizes.****http://www.livehermitcrabs.com/hermitshells.htmlHere's one that grades in three sizes from 1.5" to 3" Customer service might allow more precise ordering. So combined with the other link this just leaves a few smaller sizes and a few really big sizes.************At this time I've found 5 of these shells. At least one of them is near the perfect size. My crab tried four of them on and rejected all. I think its because they are much heavier than the turbo shells. In nature these shells would stand up to a lot of punishment, but in an indoor situation, I guess the crab can't justify the effort. I could sense the strain. They actually make a louder noise on the sand as they drag.

dylan644 · Post by **dylan644** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 4:09 pm

I am always seeing crabs in those! They are usually bigger crabs.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 5:14 pm

I got 4 (2 natural/2polished) of them with my most recent HCP shell order. Ain't going to have use for them for awhile, but I am prepared for when someone grows to needing a 22 or 25mm shell. They are pretty shells, also hefty.

Mr. Crab's mom · Post by **Mr. Crab's mom** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 11:21 pm

Those kinda shells is what my PP's came in and seem to prefer. Most of the bigger crabs I see are in those shells.

Crabby Abby · Post by **Crabby Abby** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 1:33 am

That's interesting because I have several and not one of my crabs has ever chosen to wear one so I no longer offer one. I'll have to clean them up and see if it they're sparked now.

Mr. Crab's mom · Post by **Mr. Crab's mom** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 3:57 am

Crabby Abby, your crabs probably like "designer shells" as mine like "thrift store shells". They never pick the shells I spent the most money on.

Frostfire · Post by **Frostfire** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 4:07 pm

My crabs have an insanely annoying addiction with all wearing either Babylonian or green turbo shells Q.Q it gets hard to tell them apart sometimes. It's like wait... Wah what?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 4:28 pm

Babylonia are very annoying shells because of that fact. My baby had finally gotten out of his painted shell into a nice murex shell, then a couple days later I see him again and he is in a stupid Babylonia shell. Oh well his choice. Besides Baby I am pretty sure all my store/kiosk crabs came in painted Babylonia shells (baby came in a painted turbo). The 2 rescues came in natural conch style shells. One cool thing about Babylonia shells, is they kinda photograph awesome if you want to mess with the colors and levels. My avatar is a good example. Dark picture, in order to fix it to where you can see something, you can't really get proper colors, but you can get the extreme oddness that is awesome.