Rainbow Land Crabs (Cardisoma armatum)

[pufferpuggirl]

Well I finally got the UV lights yesterday and put them right in the RLC's tank. Sure does make it look so much brighter and I can actually see them in there, even with the sand thrown up on the glass and all the condensation. I think they might be liking it more as well. And I've decided that since their tank is all lit up now, I need to change it again. So tomorrow I'm going to tear it down, take the crabs out, take everything out of the tank, and I'm going to silicone in a piece of glass (as you did Ste) and then I will have one side for water and one side for dry land. What really got me thinking about it is the fact that the holes they dug in the sand are filling up with water because the water gets through to everything.
I was going to start the job tonight, but it's late and I just didn't feel like getting involved in it tonight. I will start it bright and early tomorrow and hopefully the silicone will be dry enough to have everything back in the tank on Sunday. I've got a big plastic tub that I'm going to fill with water, put the heater in, and their big rock and that's where they will stay until their tank is finished. I just can't see any other way of doing it. I cannot get that piece of glass in and siliconed without taking out all the sand and water that's already in there. I would end up with sand in the silicone if I didn't take all that stuff out of the tank. It will give me something to do tomorrow night, and I like being busy, especially when my husband is home because I hate the programs he watched on television.
I think once I get the glass in place and they have one side for water and the other for the land, it's going to be a really nice tank. I do wish that I had a 4-foot tank available, but this 3-footer is going to have to suffice, it's better than what they were in. I had thought about moving the RLC's into the terrarium that my mudskippers are in now, and moving the mudskippers into the 3-foot tank, but I think I should leave things as they are. If it's not broken, then don't fix it!!!
I fully intend to take some photos when it's all said and done, so don't worry, you will get to see the finished product.
I hope everything is going well with your crabs. Drop a line when you're able, and let me know how the trip back home went.

[ste123]

That sounds great!! Cant wait to see the pics. Ive decided that after christmas im going to replace my gravel with sand.i think it will be cleaner and better for the crabs to walk on. And it will look great haha. Will probably keep gravel in the water part though.

this has become a hobby for me haha, not a cheap one either!!

cant wait to see the pics hope ur crabs like it!

[pufferpuggirl]

Well I finally finished my redesigning project today. I didn't get around to removing some of the pebbles and stones until yesterday, and then I siliconed in the piece of glass. I thought it would fit much snugger, but it didn't, so I had to make sure the silicone filled in the gaps, which it did. I used alot of it, but it looks as if I did a good job, as it's not leaking!
We stopped at B&Q today (while we got caught in a bad snowstorm) and bought some playsand, but it's a better quality than the sand we've previously bought, so I will have to remember that. Wish I had gotten some of that earlier, it's nice.

I've taken lots of photos to show you what it's looking like --

This one is before I put the big rock and the crabs back in the tank



Here's some just showing what I've done









Here's the big male under the water once I put them back in the redesigned tank



And here's the female who was all wet and fell into the sand and got covered by it



I've got the new UV lights in too, but I could not take a photo with my camera where you could see how the lights looked, the flash makes it all too bright and without the flash it just goes very dark (I think I need a newer updated camera).

The only thing I'm a bit worried about is if the crabs can get themselves out of the deep water. I've put the ladder up, but not seen anyone use it yet. I have the male in the water now and need to go and see if he's been able to get himself out. I don't want them to get stuck in the water. So I might need to work on that part, otherwise I like how it is now and am very satisfied with the work I've done. I feel very good about it.

[J-P]

wow that looks really good!! I hope they have a nice time in there!

[pufferpuggirl]

Thank you J-P

Since I posted those pics, I've been happy to see that all the crabs have been in and out of the deep water and obviously are able to get themselves in and out without any problems. That's the only thing I was worried about. It's just so much nicer now .... their land stays dry and the water will stay cleaner too I think, and also won't be as hard to clean I'm hoping. Before, because the water was literally everywhere, the food never stayed dry and it would get nasty very quickly. With it this way, food should stay fresher longer and it should be easier for me to remove old food. It's funny how I went from a very wet tank for them to this new design. I just wish I had thought of it a long time ago .... could have saved myself from doing alot of water changes. I'm thinking of putting some fake vines in there now, so they have more cover, although they will probably go back to digging again now that they have more sand to dig in. I decided not to put back all the pebbles that I removed from there, so now I have a surplus of those. Will have to put them in one of my other tanks I guess.

(Looking back on it, I did make a mess of putting the silicone in, but I'm not very experienced with that, and I wanted to make sure it would not leak).

[ste123]

It looks really great!!! You might find that the crabs dont even need the ladder to get out of the water, mine can climb up the silicone haha. Its pretty much what im aiming for now, think it looks great.love when they get sand all over them as well haha.
let me know how they r doing and il be doing my tank after christmas sum time so il get sum photos up

[pufferpuggirl]

The crabs aren't using the ladder so much, they are actually climbing up on the turtle-dock and then going over the glass that way. I am not so sure they could get up the glass if I didn't have something in there for them to get that high up on. I was going to put some rocks in there, sort of as "steps", but on second thought I figured they would knock the stones down and that would be the end of the steps. Since I put the turtle-dock back in (I had removed it for a while) and secured it by the suckers to the window, they seem to go in and out of the water alot. I'm glad they can do it so easily, as I was worried about them.
I am more content with the tank this way and I really can't see myself changing it any more. I think I'm at a finished stage. I believe the crabs are liking having the ilghts on as well, and since they are UV lights, it should be beneficial to them as well.
So the crabs are happy, and I am happy.

I love stories with a happy ending!

[ste123]

haha yeh. do you keep the UV lights on all the time then?
how much were they?

[pufferpuggirl]

No, I pretty much turn the lights on in the RLC tank at the same time that I turn on all my tanks lights, on at 9.45am and off about 8pm.
The starter unit (for the lights), and the UV tube light was £23 with shipping off eBay. I do think they were a bit high, but the only other thing I could find was through my friend at the LFS who had a UV tube that was £22 just for the tube light!!! So I thought I'd just buy both together, that way I'm sure they will work right. There isn't much to choose from (at least on eBay) in UV lights. But it's worth it if it's good for the RLC's. They do seem more active since I put the light in. I can also see them better now, whereas before, it was a guessing game as to where they were ..... and what's the sense in having them if I can't see them and enjoy them?

[ste123]

bought some sand today. dont know when im gona get round to doing the tank tho, gota go bak to derby to get my old tank to keep them in whilst i do it. might touch up the silicone aswell coz billy's poked a hole right down the middle of it with his leg. it doesnt affect the water, but they might start trying to make it a bigger whole and then it will turn into a leak.

[pufferpuggirl]

That's funny you should mention that because, knowing what mine are like, I'm already worrying about them picking off the silicone and causing it to leak. Would not surprise me at all if they did that.

I'm sure you will make your tank really nice for them when you are able to get to it.

[ste123]

just given the crabs some christmas turkey lol

merry christmas

[pufferpuggirl]

Well since I redecorated my tank dividing the land and the water, they have dug a tunnel, under the big rock, that goes all the way to the bottom of the tank! Now whenever I come near to the tank, the big male runs down into the tunnel. I feel good for them though because that's what they would be doing in nature, digging tunnels and living down in them. I wish I had a bigger tank for them, as they could dig tunnels all through it, but I think they have a pretty good home all in all, and I think they are quite happy -- as crabs go!

A belated Merry Christmas to you too ste123

[eieio]

I think they are quite happy -- as crabs go!

jumbo shrimp
boneless ribs
military intelligence
happy crabs

[ste123]

haha, that sounds great! is your sand slightly damp?coz i would imagine any digging in dry sand wouldn't really stick?im gona do my sand tomorow i think. My sister is thinking about getting some little terrapins so im taking her to have a look at tanks etc tomorow. Also, when i go back to uni, im going to leave the crabs here at home because they are in a muh better, quieter environment. They are alot less scared and dont stop moving around lol. My sister will look after them.

I bought a bag of sand from B&Q like you did, but i think i might want a bit more so it can be deeper sand. Also, that way if the dig a tunnel to the bottom, they will be near the heat mat so i would imagine that would be nice for them?

cant wait, i'll obviously post pictures when its all done