Shells for Hermits

mfsimmo1 · Jan 4, 2023

I’m need of a some advice for my hermit crabs. Although they can be jerks to my corals, I believe some are due for an upgrade on their shells. Unfortunately, I’ve lost 2 or 3 already and I think it might’ve been due to not having a larger shell to move in to. I haven’t lost anything else recently, all parameters are good and stable. My cleaner shrimp has also melted twice in the last month…

Is there any way to tell, and if so, does anyone have suggestions on what shells to offer them that are aquarium/reef safe? I’ve been looking on Amazon, but have never sized hermit crab shells before. They love to clean close up on my LPS, Zia’s, and feather duster too, so I don’t want to get anything that’ll make matters worse in that regard. Their current shells are about 3/4 to an inch long.

Sharkbait19 · Jan 4, 2023

You may be able to go to the lfs and pick up shells.
Generally if a hermit needs a shell and there isn’t one available, it will kill a snail for it.

mfsimmo1 · Jan 4, 2023

Sharkbait19 said:
You may be able to go to the lfs and pick up shells.
Generally if a hermit needs a shell and there isn’t one available, it will kill a snail for it.

Thanks!I appreciate the info. Unfortunately my main two LFS’s don’t have any, but I have a couple back ups I’ll check. I haven’t seen any dead snails, so that’s a good sign.

bvanfish · Jan 4, 2023

Got to hobby lobby or a craft store even Amazon hS them I think

Ohmegg · Jan 4, 2023

I tried that and they don't seem to like any type of shell except for Cerith snail shells. Anyone have one move into something different?

Sharkbait19 · Jan 4, 2023

Ceriths are the most popular with mine, but I’ve seen some in nassarius shells and one was in a turbo snail shell.
Reefcleaners sells a pack of hermit shells, not sure what the shipping would cost without any live items though.

flashsmith · Jan 4, 2023

Salt water Aquarium has shell packs.

JasonVH · Jan 4, 2023

Tried reefcleaners shells, half of it were nerite/periwinkle(? not good with ID hope the common shape of their shells give a basic idea) shells. They had 'teeth' on the inside opening.. hermits refused/hated them(switched out within hours if they moved into one). Most of the other half were not exactly usable- very long narrow spirals, trochus(?) type shells with the side ways opening(hermits were not a fan of those), broken, wildly wrong sizing way too small or big.. which was interesting as it came with order of hermit crabs.

Amazon.. either methods for measuring was used differently or ?? because most of the time *tiny*shells arrived. So far shells marketed as hermit crab shells had land hermit crabs in mind. Far too big.

Did manage to find decently sized with properly oriented holes at hobby lobby. Problem was it was all the same type of shell with long projection for their snorkels. So those shells do bang around on the corals a bit. Sigh. Still hunting for a better source.