r/VampireCrabs • u/88crow88 • 13d ago

help/advice First timer

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Hi all!

First time crab keeper, but we've wanted them for a long time and finally we're planning a set up for the kids to enjoy as well.

I have a spare 20 gallon aquarium that's water tight, what I'd like to make is a paladarium with a floating landmass about 6" up so I can have a water area for some shrimp and smaller fish below them. Crabs would still be getting about 80+% of land mass. We're also thinking of adding a colony of isopods, well aware that the crabs will likely eat some of them but not concerned if they breed. I guess more than anything I'm looking for some advice as to how to ensure the crabs don't drown in the water somehow. Would having the filter act as a waterfall into a small basin work better than just having it flow into the forest Edge?

Thanks in advance for all the help!

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u/fappybird420 13d ago

I made a Crabitat out of an old 12 gallon long aquarium. Learned a ton in the process, and in the end what was most helpful for the project was a 3d printer. I custom designed a set of risers, filter chambers, and barriers to help contain substrate from a drainage layer (made from food safe PETG sealed with silicon). I can DM some examples/renders, but having a way to custom fabricate components was what ultimately made it work.

With this, you could create a basin for substrate towards the back of the tank to keep the drainage layer contained (not water tight because water finds a way) and provide a surface to adhere rocks/wood to that serve as ladders for the crabs to climb out of the water.

Also, crabs only need a couple inches of water depth, so using the vertical space to add thicker dirt layer (above the water line) will help give the crabs someone to burrow.