HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I keep seeing tank toppers and they look so cool, but I have no idea how they work! Would love to add one to my current tank to allow more climbing and overall space.

I currently have a 40g breeder with a folding glass lid. I have an extra 10g sitting around that was a spare for iso if needed, but I still have their critter keeper I can use for iso too.

How do you make/set up a tank topper and ensure it’s stability? Pictures would be great too!

Thank you!


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I believe a few crabbers have documented their builds if you use the search function. I don’t have much experience with toppers so I can’t really advise.


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JoeHermits wrote:I believe a few crabbers have documented their builds if you use the search function. I don’t have much experience with toppers so I can’t really advise.


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Thanks Joe, I’ll definitely look for them!


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I have been wanting to add a topper to our 75 for over a year! I've been thinking about it since then. Some people basically add another tank upside-down on the top of their tank. I have read people using duct tape to hold it in place. I would think this would annoy me having to undo everything to access the tank.

If I were to do a topper I would search for a Zoo Med or ExoTerra terrarium with the front access doors. Most people remove the screen lids and use them upside-down. Just my general thoughts on attaching it would be to add an outer lip around three sides of the topper. The lip would extend down over the main rant to hold the topper in place. It wouldn't be secured to the main tank but it may work. This explanation works in my head perfectly, hopefully my translation to words works as well!

GotButterfiles posted pictures of her tanks a year or two ago. I believe she commented on how she did her toppers.

Thanks Motörcrab! I’ve since been doing some reading and research and that’s pretty much what I came up with! Didn’t realize exo terras were so expensive though, haha. My tank is 36” long so I’m hoping to find an 18” exo terra for a decent price, flip it upside down and then use it’s lid for the remaining opening part of big tank. What are the odds it all just fits perfectly?! Lol. Based on the price of the exo terras I’ll have to put this off for a bit, but I stay itching to upgrade my crabby creatures, so it probably won’t be too long! I’ll be sure to post pics when it happens!


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Yea, the price is the reason I haven't picked one up yet. I keep searching for one used! I want a 24x18x36 but they are close to $300!

i see a lot of them on facebook marketplace used for under $200
the only is there aren’t too many close ones in our area but i would keep an eye out

Yea, the big ones especially are crazy expensive! I’ve been looking for used ones, but not many in my area of NC.

I would love to get a 40g exo terra to fit over my 40g and cover it completely...would be so amazing to decorate something like that for them, lol.

My boyfriend told me I should start a business as a crabitat decorator! He called my new wheel “Casey’s Crabitat Carousel”. Lol. I just love it!


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Honestly that's kind of what we did with our shop! When we would try something new we would post pictures. After a bunch of people said they wished we could have us decorate their tanks or buy our stuff we decided to try it!

That’s awesome! I picture myself as a traveling decorator...of crab tanks, lol. Already did my sisters and a close friends (neither of them knew proper crab conditions)! It really is so much fun! I was able to redo my own tank some recently...I’ll post pics and you’ll have to tell me what you think! Can’t wait to get my play cubes to add in!


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What do you all think about busting out the bottom glass of an aquarium or terrarium and then fitting that over another tank as a tank topper?

Would it work? That way you could still somewhat easily access the contents of the topper via a regular lid on top. I was thinking of using heavy duty velcro to stick the two layers together.

My main tank would be a 75g and the topper would be a 40B shape, but a terrarium without side doors. This glass would be lightweight.

I think the biggest problem with busting out the bottom of the tank is that it may weaken the structural integrity of the remaing walls. Think of it like a cardboard box without the top or bottom folded and how easy it collapses. The biggest issue I could see is after breaking the bottom out would be getting all of the little shards out of the silicone. I imagine you could add more silicone to seal in the glass shards so they wouldn't pose any danger to you and your crabs.

On the other hand, tanks do have the top and bottom plastic bracing that would help hold it's shape. You wouldn't be adding any major weight to the topper either.

I would probably experiment with a free tank that may be damaged to see how it goes. I really think pulling shards of glass out of the silicone will be your biggest obstacle.

The broken glass might be prohibitive. Corner braces could help the "walls" keep their shape. I wonder if the bottom glass could be removed intact by peeling away the silicone?

I'm trying to think of a less expensive way to add a topper than using an Exo Terra terrarium. I actually have an Exo Terra of the correct size with side doors, but I don't think my 21 year old corn snake that currently inhabits that tank would appreciate being displaced! The empty one I was think of using has a sliding lid screen top but no side doors.

Back to the drawing board! I think it would be easier with a 20gal topper over a 55g base. The smaller aquarium seems less likely to collapse with the bottom removed. I have several empty 20gs, but I don't have a 55g.

There's a guy on youtube, search serpadesigns (think I spelled it right) he does tanks for fish, toads, lizards, etc. Posted a video of how to tank apart and redo a broken tank. Might get some clues there. He makes some really neat stuff, wish I had the energy to do some of the things he does. Some of it could be incorporated for crabs.

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I'll check him out @Wlfwo! Thanks.