Will hermits use any shell available or just the cone shape ones they're purchased in?

The Night Driving Avenger

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 3, 2020
Messages
82
Reaction score
143
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Looking into picking up some hermits and i was told to make sure they have plenty of shells available if i get them. i live near a beach with hundreds of aquatic snail shells of varying sizes and thought about cleaning them thoroughly and keeping a bunch in stock. not sure if hermits would use them though since they're not the same shape but maybe they're not fussy?
 
OP
OP
The Night Driving Avenger

The Night Driving Avenger

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 3, 2020
Messages
82
Reaction score
143
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
awesome, seems silly to buy shells plus delivery cost when there's millions of them just down the road haha. I'm already down the beach collecting water and mysis shrimp too
 

LxHowler

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 2, 2020
Messages
332
Reaction score
284
Location
Midlands, England
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have used shells from the beach before, give them a quick wash and put them in the tank where the crabs spent most of there time, somewhere easy to find them and move into. Some moved instantly and then the others stole their old shells. Very interesting to watch
 

JasonK84

I want more!!!
View Badges
Joined
Sep 14, 2018
Messages
2,975
Reaction score
8,188
Location
Amarillo
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
This crab won’t move to anything other than a conch or cone snail shell. At least that’s my experience so far with him.
76665C2F-C993-451E-9DEB-B8009B9336F4.jpeg
 
OP
OP
The Night Driving Avenger

The Night Driving Avenger

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 3, 2020
Messages
82
Reaction score
143
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I
I have used shells from the beach before, give them a quick wash and put them in the tank where the crabs spent most of there time, somewhere easy to find them and move into. Some moved instantly and then the others stole their old shells. Very interesting to watch
i've heard that some species of hermit crab will actually form lines from the biggest crab to smallest and they swap shells for better fitting ones!
 

piranhaman00

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 24, 2019
Messages
4,846
Reaction score
4,801
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have a hermit crab in the shell of a Nerite snail haha its funny
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 71 37.8%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 63 33.5%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 13.3%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 28 14.9%
  • Other.

    Votes: 1 0.5%
Back
Top