The Salty Specimen Shells & Crafts

10/15/2026

Good morning, everyone! 🐚✨

An exciting adventure is ahead, and we’d love your recommendations!

We’re getting ready to head to Europe for nearly a month! With some free time between our planned activities, we’re hoping to discover shell shops, hidden gems, and unique little stores—especially in Germany and France. 🛍️🪸

We’ll have a car, so we’re happy to take a scenic drive for a worthwhile find! Whether it’s a shop filled with beautiful specimens, a tucked-away antique store, or an interesting stop you think we’d enjoy, please share it in the comments.

We’ve done some research, but there’s nothing quite like a personal recommendation from our shell-loving community!

Thank you for helping us add a few special stops to our adventure. We look forward to sharing our discoveries and seeing you all when we return! ✈️🚙🏁🏎️🐚🦀 🪸

10/10/2026

We love the way this beautiful basket star turned out! This is a big one! Just stunning! ✨⭐️🌟🤩

10/08/2026

I’m super excited for the first ever seashell swap on The Salty Specimen!

Don’t be shy.. share the post, sign up, make a new friend, and receive a big surprise.. all while carefully curating a beautiful gift for your new friend!

You’ll be so glad you did! 🪸🦀🌸🩵⭐️🛍️

10/07/2026

Join my friend Malinda and I, for a great show on Sunday night! Can’t wait!

Hope to see everyone this Sunday night!

10/04/2026

09/22/2026

What are they

* Basket stars are echinoderms, related to sea stars and sea urchins. More specifically, they are close relatives of brittle stars in the class Ophiuroidea. A typical basket star has a small central disc and five main arms that branch repeatedly into hundreds of fine, curling tips. That branching gives it the look of a tangled basket or an underwater fern.

How they live

* They feed with their arms. A basket star climbs onto an elevated surface and opens its branches into the current. Tiny hooks and mucus help catch drifting plankton and other small prey. Its arms then curl to move food toward the mouth beneath the disc.

* They can change shape dramatically. The same animal may look like a compact knot when curled up and a broad, intricate net when spread open. Some tropical basket stars shelter by day and extend their arms to feed at night.

* They are animals, not plants or coral. Their arms are flexible and can move independently. Like other brittle stars, basket stars can regenerate damaged arms, though that does not make an intact specimen invulnerable to rough handling.

* Their habitat varies by species. Basket stars are found from reefs to much deeper water. The depth and behavior reported for one species should not automatically be applied to every specimen.

We will be offering a limited quantity to our specialized collectors. These are very large, exquisite, specimens and will be prices accordingly. Watch the page for details coming soon!