HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hello, I recently bought a 29 gallon Aquarium to upgrade from my 10 Gal and currently looking for a topper and a light/heat source.
I have read the forums on lights but I'm still very indecisive as to what would be best for my crabbies.

I am thinking about a glass top but I can't put a heat source on it so then it would have to be a mesh cover which is fine as well just wondering if I will have a harder time keeping humidity. I also am looking at Marineland Fluorescent Strip Lights 30" Single Bulb and a ZooMed UTH or would a clamp lamp and the UTH be better?

As far as lighting goes, to eaches own and it doesn't seem to have to much of a difference for the crabs but many use tube lights like the one oh mentioned. As for heat and humidity, definitely get the glass top as it will keep in humidity much better, heat lamps tend to zap humidity so most here use zoomed ultratherms on the back of there tanks (largest that will fit) and tape it on using reflectix tape. This is the best brand and you will have trouble keeping it at 80f using zoomeds. Good luck!


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This is my top. Home made using thin plexiglass sheets and wood 90° small finishing from Home Depot. I used to use a mesh top, but it rusted and started to look bad. As far as loghting I made a light. Its a piece of squared sheet metal, with a light fixture, on off switch and some wire. The top keeps a good amount of humidity in, and still allows for air ventolation. The only bad thing is I cant build all the way to the top because its very light and the crabs would be able to escape.

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If you decide to go with an under-tank heater, I highly recommend an Ultratherm brand one. I've had ZooMed and All Living Things UTHs, and they hardly work at all for crabbing. They just weren't capable of getting my tank temp where it needed to be. Also, please remember to mount your UTH to the back side of your tank (not the bottom) above the level of the substrate (so you don't dry out your sub). Mounting to the bottom can create heat pockets that cook crabs because sand is an insulator.

I use an Ultratherm UTH and a Zilla thermostat for peace of mind, to be sure the UTH keeps the tank at a constant 80-82 degrees. Love it. For sizing most folks recommend getting the largest UTH that will fit on the back of your tank and still fit above the level of your substrate. Another great thing about Ultratherm brand UTHs is that they are designed to be insulated by the user. Other UTHs can't be insulated, and could cause a fire if you try to insulate them yourself. Even folks who live in Florida, USA needs to insulate for part of the year (wintertime), so odds are you'll want that flexibility at some point. Also, the Ultratherm is re-positionable. You can use it on multiple tanks/builds, and reposition as needed. No sticky stuff to force you to buy a new Ultratherm everytime you upgrade your tank or change your configuration. With the Ultratherm UTH, I don't need any other heat source. I have a 10 gal with 6" of playsand/ecoearth mixed 5:1 to sandcastle consistency with marine saltwater, if that helps. My humidity and temperature are right at 80F/80+%RH. Okay, I think I sound like an add. Didn't mean to. There may be other brands of UTH out there that work, but I don't know of any. Most folks on here who use UTHs very much prefer the Ultratherms.

I have a reptile mesh lid now, covered with Reflectix and press-n-seal, but my next tank will have a glass lid. Having a UTH gives me more flexibility with lighting options, I think, and doesn't zap my humidity.

I like the homemade stuff! For escaping- be careful because crabs have been known to climb the aquarium silicone to escape from the top! You can keep the lid down with strong tape.


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*previously said zoomed ultratherms, my bad, use ultratherms from reptile basics (much more effective)


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If you're using a UTH and glass lid then you can go with any kind of LED lighting (newer household) or florescent you want without worrying about breaking the glass. It's the old style lightbulbs that have been phased out that are dangerous to use up against glass. (I wrote the lighting guide I think in '09, so it desperate needs updated!)

I love glass lids. I use UVB lights, which do not go through glass lids. I lift the front of the glass lids up for a portion of the day and prop them there for them to get the UVB.

As far as heat I love the UTH's from reptilebasics.com beanfarm.com has them also.

Heat lamps will cause glass to break, but not fluorescent bulbs.

GotButterflies wrote:I love glass lids. I use UVB lights, which do not go through glass lids. I lift the front of the glass lids up for a portion of the day and prop them there for them to get the UVB.

As far as heat I love the UTH's from reptilebasics.com beanfarm.com has them also.

Heat lamps will cause glass to break, but not fluorescent bulbs.

For how many hours do you give them UVB that way?
I want to do the same thing when I get my new tank. I read somewhere that you can mount a UVB lamp inside the tank with velcro or something like that, put the thought scares me a little. Electricity in humid surroundings and all that. I would rather do what you are doing

I do 3 to 5 hours a day. I forgot to mention that I do drape press n seal around it to help keep humidity in. I haven't had any crabs escape or try to either.

I wouldn't mind mounting uvb lights inside my tank, but I'm a little nervous about them pinching the cord, and I would need toppers first. My substrate is high. I have 100g, 75g & 55g crabitats.

thank you!

Stribe wrote:

GotButterflies wrote:I love glass lids. I use UVB lights, which do not go through glass lids. I lift the front of the glass lids up for a portion of the day and prop them there for them to get the UVB.

As far as heat I love the UTH's from reptilebasics.com beanfarm.com has them also.

Heat lamps will cause glass to break, but not fluorescent bulbs.

For how many hours do you give them UVB that way?
I want to do the same thing when I get my new tank. I read somewhere that you can mount a UVB lamp inside the tank with velcro or something like that, put the thought scares me a little. Electricity in humid surroundings and all that. I would rather do what you are doing

I mounted my UVB lights inside both my Bamboo tank (120G) and the 125G+40B topper. I have it so they can't reach the cords. And there's only like a 1/2 inch worth of cord in each setup. I used the mounting hardware that came with it. I run my lights on a natural day cycle like it would be in the wild... 10 hrs winter, 12 hrs spring and fall, & 14 hrs during the summer.

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@GotButterflies I have never hear of this before- UVB rays don't go through glass? I know they are beneficial to the crabs, do you strongly recommend this?


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Hermiearth wrote:@GotButterflies I have never hear of this before- UVB rays don't go through glass? I know they are beneficial to the crabs, do you strongly recommend this?


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Glass blocks 80% or more of UVB lighting. Screen blocks 20% at minimum but can block more depending on how close the "cross stitch" or mesh is.

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Hermias_mom wrote:If you decide to go with an under-tank heater, I highly recommend an Ultratherm brand one. I've had ZooMed and All Living Things UTHs, and they hardly work at all for crabbing. They just weren't capable of getting my tank temp where it needed to be. Also, please remember to mount your UTH to the back side of your tank (not the bottom) above the level of the substrate (so you don't dry out your sub). Mounting to the bottom can create heat pockets that cook crabs because sand is an insulator.

I use an Ultratherm UTH and a Zilla thermostat for peace of mind, to be sure the UTH keeps the tank at a constant 80-82 degrees. Love it. For sizing most folks recommend getting the largest UTH that will fit on the back of your tank and still fit above the level of your substrate. Another great thing about Ultratherm brand UTHs is that they are designed to be insulated by the user. Other UTHs can't be insulated, and could cause a fire if you try to insulate them yourself. Even folks who live in Florida, USA needs to insulate for part of the year (wintertime), so odds are you'll want that flexibility at some point. Also, the Ultratherm is re-positionable. You can use it on multiple tanks/builds, and reposition as needed. No sticky stuff to force you to buy a new Ultratherm everytime you upgrade your tank or change your configuration. With the Ultratherm UTH, I don't need any other heat source. I have a 10 gal with 6" of playsand/ecoearth mixed 5:1 to sandcastle consistency with marine saltwater, if that helps. My humidity and temperature are right at 80F/80+%RH. Okay, I think I sound like an add. Didn't mean to. There may be other brands of UTH out there that work, but I don't know of any. Most folks on here who use UTHs very much prefer the Ultratherms.

I have a reptile mesh lid now, covered with Reflectix and press-n-seal, but my next tank will have a glass lid. Having a UTH gives me more flexibility with lighting options, I think, and doesn't zap my humidity.

Thank you so much! I have decided to buy what you suggested as well as a glass top. thank you again for ur suggestion and everyone else's suggestions! XD