# A Crab Terrarium



## RabidSimian (Sep 25, 2015)

So normally I create planted terrariums for my arachnids and other invertebrates; a skill I acquired from my vivarium build days for my Dart Frogs and Mantellas. However this time around I decided to create a terrarium for a group of Vampire Crabs (Geosesarma dennerle). I spent many months conditioning a large variety of marginal/aquatic plants to grow emersed on driftwood. There are mosses, ferns, liverworts, and other plants with a small population of dwarf tropical isopods acting as cleaners and food for the crabs. In the water portion I have various snails, blue cherry shrimp, and 6 Celestial Pearl Danios (Danio margaritatus). The majority of light comes from the south facing window and currently a small compact fluorescent is propped over the ornate glass lid (removed in the photo) in order to help the moss establish and propagate. 

Not the best photo since it doesn't capture the depth and contrast of the plants as well as I'd like. Either way let me know what you think. Also does anyone have some suggestions on a few dynamic, yet small, plant species I can add to this setup? Thanks.










Here are the crabs before I put them in:


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## prunfarm (Nov 8, 2013)

Very cool. What are the dimensions of the bowl? Is all of the land area driftwood, or is there wrapped sphag/soil somewhere in there? Geos can drown, but it appears that there are quite a few plants that they could climb back up on if they take a swim. Where did you get them? I've been having a hard time finding healthy affordable stock. Enough with the questions, it really is a beaut!


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## RabidSimian (Sep 25, 2015)

Thanks. I'm not 100% sure on the circumference or widest point, but if I filled it with water it would be around 8 gallons I believe. And all the land is a multilevel catacomb of driftwood. No spaghnum or soil. The Geos have driftwood they can climb from any side and even have tunnels and caverns beneath the surface that lead to the top of the driftwood island. After nearly 5 months in here I've witnessed no casualties. And my source was hit or miss. The petstore here in Vancouver I went to has a fellow crab enthusiast. If a batch wasn't doing well he told me not to purchase yet and wait.


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## RabidSimian (Sep 25, 2015)

More pics:
http://imgur.com/a/4d45l


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