Safe to put store bought shells?

[Azn_gq]

Hey guys, this is my first post. I went to Michaels craft store today and bought a bag of assorted shells for my hermit crabs to upgrade to. Is it safe to put them in my tank after a few rinses?

Thanks!

 

[Pinky77]

Hi there im no expert as long as they came from a clean marin enveroment and they are a good size so there will be enough romm for there new home's lol also shells are a good natural buffer for you little part of nature good luck and welcome ......

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[David S]

I did this a couple of years ago and worked well,you can get some great shells from small shops on the coast

 

[austinsdad]

I'd boil'm in water first. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Pinky77]

I agree but boiling them might deplate the nuitrents that the contain i would like to here mor points on this ......?

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[austinsdad]

What nutrients does an empty shell need ya think? I'm thinking none. It's not like they grow.

 

[Krypt]

+1 for boiling them. You don't want something leaching into your tank from one of those shells. The shells do not contain any nutrients.

 

[Pinky77]

Are they not made up of calcium and other materials like the crushed coral and crushed sheels in your sand just a thought guys ......

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[Krypt]

They are made of calcium, but boiling them will not make them release it, it just sterilizes them. Now if you soaked them in vinegar, then they would dissolve and release the calcium they have stored up.

 

[austinsdad]

And every time you do a water change, you supplement the tank with calcium for shells, coral, or whathever else needs it.

 

[Pinky77]

Didnt know that about the vinegar thats intresting krypt have you ever done it maybe you should and bottle it and sell it lol ......

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[Azn_gq]

Thanks guys! You are are very helpful! So glad I got this app!! Some of my crabs already switched shells today. Even got to watch one try on about 6 different ones and still end up with it's original. Was pretty cool to watch..

 

[Homedog98]

Just curious, but is there any way to add some shells I found on the beach?

 

[austinsdad]

Same thing. Boil'm.

 

[rush]

I put some real Cong shells in from Mexico after boiling them of course, I put 5 of them in, and my hermits have not even looked at them

Maybe the shells are too big still ???

 

[Karlos69]

Whats the point of boiling shells from the ocean i understand micheals craft shells but wouldnt ocean shells be kinda like adding live rock?

 

[Azn_gq]

I actually didn't boil them when I should've just rinsed with hot water many times. So far no issues.. *fingers crossed

 

[Homedog98]

Well I have a freshwater tank that I wanted to add them to. I thoroughly rinsed them with rubbing alcohol, and washed them like, 20 times in varying degrees of warm-hot-cold water.

 

[austinsdad]

The point of boiling or very hot water rinse is to get residual pollutants off of them. Youy're gonna find empty shells washed up on the shore. Plenty opportunity to be polluted. Live rock is harvested from the depth of the water. Big dif.

 

[rush]

The point of boiling or very hot water rinse is to get residual pollutants off of them. Youy're gonna find empty shells washed up on the shore. Plenty opportunity to be polluted. Live rock is harvested from the depth of the water. Big dif.

Yes precisely. I did not go scuba diving for my shells. Picked them up on the beach. So naturally I boiled them for a minute to get any parasites or pollutants out.