The "TAT MAHAL" awesome crabitat
Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2020 9:52 pm
After years of crabbing and being fed up with tats that did not work well or look very good, I decided to take the plunge and do a custom build for my 2 jumbo and one large PP and one medium strawberry. I wanted to make my idea of the perfect habitat; but since there is no such thing, I am open to suggestions for more improvements! The tank is 40 tall x 36 long x 24 deep and has front sliding doors for access.
Equally importantly, now that I have a big 150-gallon tank, I very much want to add some new crabs, specifically indos and violas. If anyone knows where exotics are available, I would really appreciate it and would be especially happy to rehome any who have outgrown your tank. I did order from Triops in Germany but that was early April and I am losing confidence that I will get the crabs as they are not responding.
I list some of the “features” below.
Fresh and salt pools are half gallon each with bubblers. I sunk them into a plastic shoebox which catches splashes/overflow and keeps from flooding the tat
Sub is 12” above a 2” false bottom
With a strawberry I feel UVB light is important, but I hated having lights outside the tank with a partial mesh top and trying to juggle the humidity. So the wire cage protects it and lets me have it inside. The UVB as well as some viewing lights are on a timer.
There are 2 sets of “dangling” thermo/hygrometers. I previously replaced dozens of them as the crabs would always get to the wires and dismember them no matter how well hidden. These are run through plastic pipe to keep the crabs off them. You may note a high temp from each of them as they are higher up in the tank; the temp at the sub is 80-82.
One observation is that with the increased space, the crabs are far more active in the daytime. They seem more “confident” and basically only take short “naps” in the hides in the day.
The PP do less climbing on the back of tank than I expected and I think the exotics will appreciate it more, as I put plenty of vertical climbing structures in.
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Full view light by Donna Garrou, on Flickr
Water pools by Donna Garrou, on Flickr
Front View by Donna Garrou, on Flickr
Equally importantly, now that I have a big 150-gallon tank, I very much want to add some new crabs, specifically indos and violas. If anyone knows where exotics are available, I would really appreciate it and would be especially happy to rehome any who have outgrown your tank. I did order from Triops in Germany but that was early April and I am losing confidence that I will get the crabs as they are not responding.
I list some of the “features” below.
Fresh and salt pools are half gallon each with bubblers. I sunk them into a plastic shoebox which catches splashes/overflow and keeps from flooding the tat
Sub is 12” above a 2” false bottom
With a strawberry I feel UVB light is important, but I hated having lights outside the tank with a partial mesh top and trying to juggle the humidity. So the wire cage protects it and lets me have it inside. The UVB as well as some viewing lights are on a timer.
There are 2 sets of “dangling” thermo/hygrometers. I previously replaced dozens of them as the crabs would always get to the wires and dismember them no matter how well hidden. These are run through plastic pipe to keep the crabs off them. You may note a high temp from each of them as they are higher up in the tank; the temp at the sub is 80-82.
One observation is that with the increased space, the crabs are far more active in the daytime. They seem more “confident” and basically only take short “naps” in the hides in the day.
The PP do less climbing on the back of tank than I expected and I think the exotics will appreciate it more, as I put plenty of vertical climbing structures in.
Full view light by Donna Garrou, on FlickrWater pools by Donna Garrou, on FlickrFront View by Donna Garrou, on Flickr
