Hermit Crab Vivarium w/ live plants, 101 gallons

[sugarselections]

I was able to get the new vivarium set up earlier than anticipated. I love it and so do the crabs!

The tank is a 36" x 36" x 18" Exo Terra terrarium. There's 11" of coco fiber substrate with UV bulbs in the hoods and a Reptifogger above.

The plants on the substrate are planted in completely enclosed containers to keep them separate from the substrate because I rehydrate my coco fiber with diluted salt water. The plants include calathea freddie, snow white zebra plant, bird's nest fern, and monstera adansonii (narrow leaf form.) I cleaned and quarantined the plants after I got them. They are all from my favorite local greenhouse, which has been in business for over 120 years. Because potting soil is unsafe, I used a mixture of coco fiber and worm castings for planting.

Except for the manzanita centerpiece, practically everything changed as I was designing this project. I started with plan A and I'm at about plan Z now.


Here's a short video tour on YouTube: https://youtu.be/dpj5syb6ZM8

full view


left side


Mutsu in the calathea


Kola on the manzanita


left side


Mutsu


right side


before the decor


finalizing the mock-up on my work bench

[aussieJJDude]

I think it turned out awesome. I love the plants you have in there!

Cslatheas are such a pain, and hate tap water. Be interesting to sed how they'll turn out in the tank. They so finicky!


How many crabs do you have in there Sugar?

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[Wlfwo]

It turned out fantastic.

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[Maddamay32]

Everything looks beautiful, including your crabs! What a beautiful tank to have in your home

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[Links]

Inspiring!!!

[sugarselections]

I think it turned out awesome. I love the plants you have in there!

Calatheas are such a pain, and hate tap water. Be interesting to sed how they'll turn out in the tank. They so finicky!

Thanks! I think there will be a long adjustment period to find out which plants work the best for me and the crabs in this setting.

I recently removed the calathea and replaced it with a ribbon fern because if there is one thing this vivarium has taught me it's that hermit crabs love ferns. The calathea was very healthy, probably because the crabs didn't really care about it. They were too busy eating the entire birds nest fern and tearing apart the adansonii.

[sugarselections]

It turned out fantastic.

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Thanks!

[sugarselections]

Everything looks beautiful, including your crabs! What a beautiful tank to have in your home

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Thanks! The crabitat is in my home office where I spend most of the day so I get to appreciate it and watch the crabs' antics a lot.

[sugarselections]

Inspiring!!!

Thanks!

[GotButterflies]

WOW!!! This is so BEAUTIFUL!!! I love it!!! I love all of your live plants too!! I also have a green thumb, but not brave enough to put beloved plants in with my hermies! LOL!!! I know they would DESTROY them!

Just out of curiosity, is there a reason why you don't aerate your pools?

[VickieG]

I also would like to know how your plants fared this far. My crabs destroyed everything I put in the fank

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[VickieG]

That's " tank"...

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[sugarselections]

WOW!!! This is so BEAUTIFUL!!! I love it!!! I love all of your live plants too!! I also have a green thumb, but not brave enough to put beloved plants in with my hermies! LOL!!! I know they would DESTROY them!

Just out of curiosity, is there a reason why you don't aerate your pools?

Thanks. All the plants I've put in the crabitat have been bought for that purpose and I got them knowing they would eventually be destroyed so I'm not bothered by it.

I had to give up on having any sort of tubes or cords in my crabitat many years ago. The reason is my jumbo Indo. It is his mission in life to clip and cut anything like that. Protective measures haven't worked. His large claw is so big and strong that there's no way to combat him.

[sugarselections]

I also would like to know how your plants fared this far. My crabs destroyed everything I put in the tank

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I'll do an update video within the next few weeks. I have switched out some plants and others have been destroyed and replaced.

The adansonii was way too delicate and bit the dust within a month. I replaced it with a large pothos and that's holding up much better to the wear and tear and is also growing and putting out new leaves. The calathea did well but the crabs always avoided it so I replaced it with a button fern, which they love to trample. The zebra plant is still in the tank. Birdsnest ferns are apparently the most delicious thing in the world and the crabs completely ate the first one and are now about halfway through the second. I already bought a third one that is currently waiting in quarantine until needed.

[sugarselections]

It's been nearly 4 months.

Update video: https://youtu.be/ei2hf2Ofxvg

Current photo: