hermit crabs - bigger homes?

[raquel]

Do I need to provide my red legged and blue legged hermit crabs with larger shells to upgrade into when they grow out of their present shells?

[Jack]

Yep. Otherwise they kill eachother or snails looking for bigger homes.

[pocilipora]

I got my shells from the beach.

[Gujustud]

One of my crabs killed my snail for his shell, bastard

However, my biggest hermit crab (red scarlet) just downgraded to a shell 1/2 the size of his original shell.

[EmilyB]

I put in one lone big scarlett hermit and my population of mini bristlestars was cut in half in a week.

I removed it and they are back. Maybe I just need to put him in once in a while for population control??


I keep a lot of different hermits/assorted crabs in other tanks and give them lots of shells.

[raquel]

Thanks guys! So any shell from the beach will do, as long as it looks somewhat like the one they had...
How often do they need new shells?

[IslandReefer]

Can any of you experienced observers tell me; Are there any signs that a hermit needs a new home? (besides dead snails), can you estimate the size of the replacement. I would like to supply A1 future condos to my hermits(all small at the moment) of the right shape and sizes in an effort to save snails ie are there shapes etc that they prefer?(is a little bigger shell of the type they presently have a good bet?).

Also can anyone give me an approximate time table on growth and shell changes to full size (do they still change shells after reaching adult size?).
I suppose growth is variable with species, conditions etc, but a ballpark estimate with some obs. would be very helpful.

[Nemain]

I have a bleu legged hermit about the size of a quater that changes shells at least once a week, he's a swinger. Some that keep there shells even though they are obviously too small, and even others that seem to just kill for pleasure (they find there way to the sump!).

I think the best bet is to have a large assortment of sizes/shapes of shells readily available. But even then, if one is eyeing up that nice piece of property on the astrea, there is nothing you can do. Either live with the deaths, or don't have hermits.

I have also found that they are more amiable to taking an empty shell if it is on its side. I had them all turned with the opening upward at first, and they never seemed to notice them( maybe i just have near sited hermits )

Beth

[sumpfinfishe]

Raquel,

Like Beth mentioned, a few variety of shells for each crab should do the trick

Over the years I have only bought hermits from LFS who can also chuck in a few different sized shells with each hermit purchase at no charge.
IMO if a store cannot supply the larger empty homes then I would shop elsewhere. This is a little extra that makes reefers come back again and again

[IslandReefer]

Thank you for your insight and experience;
Beth and Rich