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I thought you might enjoy this sneak peek at my new 75 gallon VERTICAL crabitat with a natural false bottom! I am super excited. It still needs the door installed but that will happen this week. After that it will need to stabilize before any crabs move in. I can’t tell you how excited I am! Once it’s all finished I will do a write up with some photos and hopefully a price list for everything that went into this.
https://www.katch.me/Crabstreet/v/ea46dc4f-1afd-3517-a866-1a228d25ccf5
Stacy, I watched your video, looks wonderful. I do have a question, with the foam, did you just push the wood limbs into it and let it dry around it? I am doing research on my next tank, hoping for a 40gal breeder or 60 gal. And also you said you attached coconut fiber? to the foam. Was that the sheets of coconut fiber? and if so are them in the foam for attached another way to the foam?
It looks great, you never gave up on it after it broke, great thought process on saving it.
I got a lot of great ideas from it.
You can silicone your wood in place first but I didn’t I just put the foam around it and used a piece of tape to hold the one wobbly piece until the foam dried. The coco fiber was loose and dry from a bag, not a brick so I sprinkled it over while the foam was wet. I should have pressed it down a bit so more would stick but it still turned out ok.
Thanks!
The backlash regarding my tank has begun. I knew that going in it was going to be controversial when I decided to do it. I also knew that some other groups are going to rip me apart simply because I’m not doing things their way. That’s fine, I’m used to that because I’ve always pretty much done my own thing.
The biggest concern seems to be the number of hermit crabs in the tank. At max there would be 8 in there but that is only if all five of my Indos have survived and I’m not sure they did(customs put them through hell). I’ve only found two above ground so far. I do feel as if 9 inches of substrate is sufficient given the indos are medium size. I’ve never had a community molt all at the same time. I can add several more inches of substrate if I do end up with 8 crabs in the tank but in reality the end number will likely be 5.
I’ve watched as the trend has become ultra deep substrate and zero climbing space and I feel like that is not an ideal set up. Hermit crabs spend a small amount of their year underground molting, which is a very stressful time I know, but the rest of their life in captivity is spent above ground. I wanted to try a different approach where the above ground experience is more engaging and full fills their instinct to climb.
I could be completely wrong. I do understand that. I also understand that sometimes you have to go against the grain.
I plan to monitor the hermit crabs in the tank closely, with a small number it will be easy to do. If I see signs that the crabs in the vertical tank may not be thriving I will address it. This is an experiment and should be viewed as such.
I agree with you Stacy, everyone has success in different ways. I think you are doing great with it. I also believe that they need more climbing space too. My little 20 gal. tall tank has some height but not enough for me. This why I added netting and such to so they have some climbing space. Hopefully, I will get a 40 gallon breeder tank soon.
I recently saw some where a tank almost filled to the top with medium. I don’t understand that but maybe it works for that owner.What you are doing is how things are figured out in the long run. Somewhere somehow someone came up with the idea of at least 6 inches of medium and mixed with eco earth and sand. So that person had to experiment with that idea and now it seems to be the norm. Who knows, your vertical tank could be the standard for future crabbers who are setting up vertical tanks.
I still feel you are doing a great thing for future crabbers. Thanks for your hard work and for sharing your ideas and thoughts with us.
I own a 40 gallon breeder, it is amazing. I like the size of it. In my opinion, it’s climbing space is decent and the horizontal space is great. The depth of it is great too, for you can fit many things inside of it. All in all, it’s a great tank.
I am going to get the 40 gal. breeder for sure. I decided to make my own stand for it like my dad and I did for the 20 gal. high many years ago. 8 2×4 should do it. I recently found a video on making it for a 40 gal. breeder and it is exactly what I am looking for. Hope petco has their $1 a gallon soon.
Maxwell, do you have a glass top on yours and what kind of lighting???
I am on your side of the argument of more climbing space. I have 9″ of sub and med to large crabs that are molting without incident, that leaves room for lots of second story type space and my crabs are up on that stuff all the time, seldom actually on the sub, except to come down and eat and drink. The one I have a topper on is a hit with the crabs, they are up and down all the time. They also have a 9″ sub and are medium and small sizes. I think the available climbing space is important. I know other groups are advocating for tanks half filled with sub, but so far I have seen no need for that much digging space. I love your tank and I will be interested to see how the crabs like it and what you have seen in a year from now.
Pam,
I use a screen top I purchased on Amazon for $30 here.
I have some 60w incandescent bulb and a 10w energy saving bulb. Both bulbs are on a digital timer. To keep the humidity in I have a layer of saran wrap on the screen. This setup, with my humidifier, keeps the tank at ~80* F and 70%-80% humidity.Here is the humidifier: here
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