Where can I get some empty shells for hermit crabs.
I have blue and scarlet hermits which I think may be fighting over homes right now.
I have blue and scarlet hermits which I think may be fighting over homes right now.
Shells for Hermit Crabs
- Thread starter salazaar
- Start date
Premium Aquatics sells them pretty cheaply. The shells are listed in livestock, under crabs. Go for either the mixed bag or the "baha." Blue legs seem to prefer cerith (they call them "baha," their spelling) shells, so the conchs are pretty useless. It's fun to watch when the shells go in. Like a garage sale or something.
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If you are on good terms with your LFS, ask them if you can have any snail shells from snails deaths. Our LFS has a tank that has tons of shells from snails that didn't survive shipping--they used to throw them out, but since we asked, they now collect them and give them to us for free. We clean them out and toss them in. Not all the shells get used, but for free, who cares?
Otherwise--I've seen clean, untreated shells for sale at many LFS and at hobby stores.
Otherwise--I've seen clean, untreated shells for sale at many LFS and at hobby stores.
My smaller blue legged hermits fight over the remnants of my crushed coral substrate. They seem to prefer conical "drill" shaped shells, and are unafraid to get themselves a shell that is WAY too large for them. It's actually pretty funny to watch a 1/4 inch blue legged hermit carrying around a 1 inch shell. They look like Atlas with the weight of the world on their shoulders. 
I have collected snail shells from the seashore for my brother's tank. There are all sorts of great sizes.
Snail shells from the seashore... If your name was sally you might have a nice little rhyme going
(I hope I'm not the only one that knows that one...)
I was cleaning my tank today, and noticed about a 4 inch long piece of coral "skeleton" sticking straight up, and moving around. I sat there and stared at it for about 10 minutes trying to figure out what was going on. Finially it fell off of the piece of live rock it was on, so I reached in and grabbed it to take a look. I will be damned if a red leg hermit does not call it home now. I have been looking for him to take a picture to post. When I find him again, I will post it for you all. It just tickled the crap out of me to see this little hermit carrying around this 1/2 round piece of coral on his back.......lol