HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hey everyone!

I just bought a glass canopy for my tank but I want a better way of securing the glass lid to the tank. I was wondering how you guys have your glass lids secured to the tank so the crabs can't lift the lid off?

Thanks for your help!

Here is the the lid I bought: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... catid=3790

I can't open the link that you posted, but I have a glass lid and mine just sits on top of my tank like how a plastic lid would. On the back of my lid there is a plastic part that I tape down a bit so they can't get out, but I find that the glass with the light fixture on top is heavy enough that the crabs can't get out.


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I haven't done it yet, but after reading about it on dendroboard, I'm planning to use adhesive magnetic strips to secure the lid on the mourning gecko tank I'm setting up. That might work?

Velcro straps work, too.

I couldn't open the link either but we may have the same item. The glass lid I bought from Drs Foster & Smith has a horizontal hinge at mid-point and the plastic strip at the back mentioned by @purpleperson. After the lid was snugly seated on the inner tank lip, I placed an aquarium strip light on top, covering about 3/4 of the length of the back panel and figured all was nice and secure. Well, Big Enzo had other ideas: he managed to push up the plastic strip in one corner and came out to sit on top of the lid! Luckily, I happened to be passing by the tank at the right moment, saw him there and was able to snatch him up and pop him back in the tank. Within a few minutes, he climbed back up to that same corner and began pushing the strip with the top of his shell until it raised enough for him to get a leg up on the tank lip. Once I understood how he had escaped, I simply used a few strips of clear packing tape to hold the plastic strip to the back side of the tank and Voila!, Big Enzo was successfully thwarted evermore!

Crabinski wrote:I couldn't open the link either but we may have the same item. The glass lid I bought from Drs Foster & Smith has a horizontal hinge at mid-point and the plastic strip at the back mentioned by @purpleperson. After the lid was snugly seated on the inner tank lip, I placed an aquarium strip light on top, covering about 3/4 of the length of the back panel and figured all was nice and secure. Well, Big Enzo had other ideas: he managed to push up the plastic strip in one corner and came out to sit on top of the lid! Luckily, I happened to be passing by the tank at the right moment, saw him there and was able to snatch him up and pop him back in the tank. Within a few minutes, he climbed back up to that same corner and began pushing the strip with the top of his shell until it raised enough for him to get a leg up on the tank lip. Once I understood how he had escaped, I simply used a few strips of clear packing tape to hold the plastic strip to the back side of the tank and Voila!, Big Enzo was successfully thwarted evermore!

I got the Aqueon glass canopy. I have the plastic strip at the back taped, as well as the front. What a naughty crab! One of my crabs was trying to escape the other night as well, he soon gave up and went in his cave.

wodesorel wrote:Velcro straps work, too.

I thought about using that, but wasn't sure if it would be strong enough. Did you go all the way around the rim of the tank with the velcro or only where needed?

jclee wrote:I haven't done it yet, but after reading about it on dendroboard, I'm planning to use adhesive magnetic strips to secure the lid on the mourning gecko tank I'm setting up. That might work?

What a good idea! But I was wondering, since I have bubbling pools in my tank the water sprays onto the lid would that make the magnetic strips go rusty or something?

CrabLover1 wrote: I thought about using that, but wasn't sure if it would be strong enough. Did you go all the way around the rim of the tank with the velcro or only where needed?

Tape the plastic rim to the back of the tank, and then use the velcro like straps on either side on the glass. For a hinged glass lid you'd need two pairs of straps - one pair for each section - unless you had a strip light weighing one section down. The crabs can get major leverage with only a few legs, and if they can lift it enough they could get out.

wodesorel wrote: Tape the plastic rim to the back of the tank, and then use the velcro like straps on either side on the glass. For a hinged glass lid you'd need two pairs of straps - one pair for each section - unless you had a strip light weighing one section down. The crabs can get major leverage with only a few legs, and if they can lift it enough they could get out.

Ok, thank you so much!