Hermit Crab Housing

[JeffDubya]

So, some fun stuff *is* happening in the tank... last night, one of my hermit crabs ditched it's shell and picked a new one up from the coarse coral sand I am using. It was cool, and my son thought it was great!

Anyhow, it just dawned on me that I need to scatter some shells, lest these hermits evict a snail or something. liveaquaria sells a dozen small shells for $7.99... which seems like HIGHWAY ROBBERY to me.

Is there anything that would stop me from going to the local craft store and buying a bucket of these for $1.99? I would probably soak them in aquarium water for a few days to rid them of contaminants before placing them in the tank.

As the hermit crabs grow, their shells do not grow to accommodate their larger size. When the crab out-grows its shell, it must then search out a new shell for its home. If an empty shell is not available, the crab will many times have to kill another crab or snail to obtain a shell. By providing these empty shells, you will reduce the likelihood of the hermit crabs within the aquarium competing for a home.

 

[idog]

Go to your local pet store and they probably have extras lying around that you can get for free or near-free. I pay 10 cents apiece for extra shells. If I buy stuff, they are free.

 

[little urchin]

it's the only thing hermits kill each other for, so definately have plenty of spares lying around

 

[skipm]

I like idogs suggestion, almost any LFS that has been selling hermits or snails for awhile should have pleny of empty shells and you should be able to get a good assortment of sizes.

 

[Jennie]

I agree, check any and all LFS before paying a price like that :roll: