Hermit Shells

check at the LFS next time you're at one, usually you have to ask because the box is hiding but I've found them for 10 for $1 for medium to large shells
 
not a website but if you have Michaels craft store nearby I bought a huge bag of sea shells for a dollar and i just picked out the ones I thought would be appropriate for hermits and they love them, they immediately changed into them!
 
not a website but if you have Michaels craft store nearby I bought a huge bag of sea shells for a dollar and i just picked out the ones I thought would be appropriate for hermits and they love them, they immediately changed into them!

I got a hermit once that grew huge very quickly (thin-stripe hermit), and that's exactly what I had to do. Twice LOL. 2nd net bag was fist-sized shells.

Just make sure the shells aren't varnished or painted.
 
FWIW, I've kept scarlet hermit crabs & an electric blue for years on end without ever providing extra shells. Their original one just got covered in coralline algae and all was well.

IMO, you might want to see how your hermits do for awhile before you go spending money on empty shells.
 
Last edited:
If they're full grown, it's not necessary. If they are not full grown, they'll need larger shells as they grow. A few dollars is a pretty negligible expense in the grand scheme of reef tanks.
 
So what is the shelf life for a smaller scarlet hermit crab without a shell in sight? It eats, but not too well.

Out of all of the local fish stores I freqented over the years, I've always seen a bigger hermit crab than the ones I had... (scarlet/electric)

;)
 
I think reefcleaners is the best price I've seen online plus they usually throw in more then you ordered. Of course my hermits would still rather murder snails or each other for shells then use the empties I threw in the tank.
 
Check with the LFS. last time I was in mine I asked if they could sell me some shells and he was happy to just give me bout 25 all different colors and sizes. I cleaned them up real good and everyone seems happy. Also my buddy just went to Pet Smart and bought some "decorative shells" and his hermits love them. They look pretty cool too.
 
Check with the LFS. last time I was in mine I asked if they could sell me some shells and he was happy to just give me bout 25 all different colors and sizes. I cleaned them up real good and everyone seems happy.

That's how I ended up with my giant thin-stripe hermit. I got what both of us thought was a small empty shell LOL.

Also my buddy just went to Pet Smart and bought some "decorative shells" and his hermits love them. They look pretty cool too.

He should make sure that any of the paint & decoration on those is reef safe, as those are sold for land hermits.
 
He should make sure that any of the paint & decoration on those is reef safe, as those are sold for land hermits.

There is no paint or decorations on the shells. They are sold with the little rocks and other shells to put in an aquarium as decoration. it just so happens they are the right size shell for smaller hermits. Here is a link to the exact sme ones he bought

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=10918182&lmdn=Fish+Decor

It is funny reading the description where it says "Made exclusively for PetSmart" but in the title it says "Natural Seashells." so that means that the animals that made these shells work for Petsmart and made these shells for them to sell. hummm?
 
Ah, they don't sell those in the stores here, just the painted ones for the land hermits. That was why I ended up going to Michael's for something other than tank snail or small abandoned hermit shells.
 
I was searching around and just found a site that has a bunch of cool shells for cheap. Some are suitable for hermits, and some not. Many shells are sold for pennies each, some of the smaller ones by the pound. Almost all are cheaper and nicer than any I've see from fish stores, on- and offline.

http://www.shells-of-aquarius.com/

They're web site is a little hard to navigate, but it has pictures and descriptions of about everything.

I'm thinking of placing an order. Here are the ones I like for hermits:
ONE HAND SELECTED BABYLON JAPONICA SHELL 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inch
One Cancellaria Shell 1 to 1 1/4 inch
ONE CYMATIUM SARLOSTOMA SHELL 1/2 to 1 inch
ONE DISTORSIOS RETICULATA SHELLS 1 inch or less
One Latrius Gibbucus Shell 3/4 inch or less
ONE BROWN MARGINELLAS SHELL 1 inch or less
ONE TAN MARGINELLAS SHELL 1 inche or less
ONE BAILER MELON SHELL 1 1/2 to 2 inch
ONE QUARTER POUND OF NASSA PERSICA SHELLS 1/4 inch or less
ONE NAUTICA LINEATA SHELL 1 inch or less
ONE White Nautica SHELL 1 inch or less
One half pound of Common Nutmeg Shells 1/2 inch or less
ONE PEARL CINERIUS SHELL 1 1/2 inch or less
ONE QUARTER POUND PLANAXIS SHELLS 1/2 inch or less
ONE HAITION TREE SNAIL 1 to 2 inch
ONE BROWN LAND SNAIL SHELLS 1 to 1 1/2 inches
ONE HELIACUS SNAIL SHELLS 1/2 inch
ONE BEE HIVE SNAIL SHELL 1/2 inch or less
ONE STRAWBERRY CUMINGI SHELL 1/2 inch or less
ONE HALF POUND OF BLACK UMBONIUM SHELLS 1/2 inch or less
ONE WHITE CORNBALL SHELL 3/4 to 1 inch
 
Last edited:
Back
Top