🦀 BUILDING A BUDGET VAMPIRE CRAB ECOSYSTEM (STEP BY STEP TUTORIAL)

[@IndoorEcosystem]

❤Geosesarma Vampire Crab Species Posters Now Available: www.etsy.com/shop/IndoorEcosystem

[@IndoorEcosystem]

Hello everyone! If you're new to Bonsai, I suggest using a Ficus species instead of an elm. They are a lot easier to work with and less prone to problems 😉

[@ontheraypalao8831]

Yes agree! Benjamina Ficus be it green or variegated is good to work with. They thrive with high humidity... But they do take time to adjust.

[@IndoorEcosystem]

@@ontheraypalao8831 I have a couple under some glass covers and they got nuts through ariel roots out. It's quite interesting to see.

[@fredericcolombier5380]

Pines are good trees to make large bonsai. After each his own art, for me it's gardening tropical plants, the Bonzai I find it very pretty, but it's not for me, the wise man knows his limits.

[@IndoorEcosystem]

@@fredericcolombier5380 Pines and cypress are some of my favourite species for bonsai! But they wouldn't work too sell in a set up like this sadly. I would say ficus are the best and fasted growing. Bonsai is quite the art of patience as well 😅

[@fredericcolombier5380]

@@IndoorEcosystem The columnar pine Araucaria columnaris, endemic and native to the French department of New Caledonia & Pines Island to be more precise , tolerates high levels of humidity, air and soil very well. But OK , let's admit all the same, that the aquarium is a little light for this type of plant, you have to make a greenhouse at the back of the living room lol =) .

[@jillbos]

Wow! I love the simplicity of this build. Great job.

[@IndoorEcosystem]

Thank you! ☺So far I can report that everything seems to be going well. But it's a bit experimental compared to my proven ecosystems. But this species appears to be a little different behaviour wise so far so good.

[@rickkleinschmidt5514]

It looks so so goooood! The colours are pretty cool, hope you get some males!

[@IndoorEcosystem]

Cheers! Males will be quite the task! first I need to figure out 100% what they are 😅

[@TarasTankFriends]

Eyelash fern! I recently saw one of those for the first time at a garden center, I didn't know what it was called, thanks! Really pretty little red crabs, I hope the one that is doing the twitching will be ok 🤞, if anyone can give it it's best shot, it's you! Very nice 🙂👍

[@IndoorEcosystem]

They must have released a big batch of Eye Lash ferns! I should have got a couple more to be honest. So far twitchy is still alive but it's such a strange thing to watch. It must be some kind of neurological condition. Hopefully not a parasite issue.

[@alternateaquatics]

I love this so much!! I really want to build a vampire crab enclosure soon!

[@IndoorEcosystem]

It's only a matter of time before you do 😉

[@JayCWhiteCloud]

Hello All...I'm bumping this comment up in the queue because I think this channel deserves more attention and membership than it probably is getting (in my view of it professionally.) I have been in and out of this trade/hobby for over 50 years on many levels from exotic husbandry practices to enclosure design. Maybe when life slows down I will be settled enough to begin again and share it more publicly as @IndoorEcosystem does so brilliantly...Once again, I say: WELL DONE!!! @IndoorEcosystem wrote in a sub-comment here: "...It doesn't quite feel like an ecosystem when it's made entirely out of foam. That's one of the reasons I haven't made another foam build..." This response and understanding of these designs made me smile and is one of the primary reasons I follow this channel… "Fake nature" and promoting the plastic, petroleum, and chemical industries that are hell-bent on killing this planet simply is not the way to construct these encapsulated biomes...IF...!!!...???...the goal is a..."NATURAL ENCLOSURE"...and being created by anyone that professes to "love and care about nature." Logically one can not profess to care about nature while, at the same time, supporting the industries destroying it; especially when it simply is not necessary as indicated by this KZbin channels wonderful enclosures… As for the heavyweight generated by fully natural setups; an excuse I have heard and read many times over the years is moot, since in most setups the water alone adds most of the mass, and makes them difficult to move around…IF…you have not designed transport/relocation of them into the primary architecture of the enclosure itself, be it a micro or medium-sized habitat. When I have been part of creating these for zoos or nature centers/museums in the past, and when relocation of the enclosure is necessary, then this has to be designed into the primary armature of the design, which is not that difficult in most examples by simply adding heavyweight casters to the stand/frame assembly. With casters in the 75mm to 150mm size range the enclosure can weigh over serval metric tons, and make moving the installation quite easy. The structural frame of the building itself becomes more of an issue than the actual enclosure and moving it.

[@IndoorEcosystem]

As always I really appreciate the indepth response and the support! Very much appreciated! ☺Closing in on natural is quite tough in an indoor space with the hardest part being glue!

[@JayCWhiteCloud]

@@IndoorEcosystem There is little doubt that creating small enclosed biomes will have some elements of modernity in their fabrication, and certainly, the adhesives are a challenge. Even in the origin of terrariums and aquariums going back over 1000 years ago (not just the Victorian era) some form of mastic was employed from naturally occurring tars to tree resins. Silicone is what most use to build with, and then epoxies, which at one time was the only choice for even professionals to construct the primary structure be it glass, wood, ceramic and/or stone. However, there are choices today that are available that professionals can use. A few of these seem to be proprietary to my work (I don’t know why) and are botanical-based rather than petroleum-based creating not only an Elastomer safe for backdrops and adhesive but also making artificial vines and related. For the adhesive, I like “Adiseal,” which is EC1 Plus certified (aka ZERO VOC…!!!)...is ISEGA certified making it a safe material for potable water and for use in food preparation areas (aka safe for fish!)...works even underwater to repair and stop leaks, and the list of positives over Silicons goes on… Bottom line, there are better choices all around but when I have brought them up I’m told (???) I don’t know what I’m talking about, they are too expensive or time-consuming, too difficult to work with, and using natural materials isn’t “as good” as artificial ones. All the reasons I don’t comment much at all anymore in chat rooms or on KZbin channels where the DIYer is the expert and “knows everything,”...LOL!!!...Thanks again my friend for a great channel and always doing your best to remain as natural as possible...!!!

[@PTAquaVision-mj3yp]

Cool scape and nice crabs. Thank you for the content!😊

[@IndoorEcosystem]

Thank you! You're most welcome ☺

[@kugatk]

Just wanna say I love the content you’ve been putting out and you’ve inspired me to make a paludarium and buy some vampire crabs.🤝🏾

[@IndoorEcosystem]

Much appreciated ☺i you get stuck with something feel free to drop a DM over on insta or FB.

[@kugatk]

@@IndoorEcosystemthank you I definitely will.

[@givetanks]

I'm about to start my first vivarium soon. Untill then I'll watch some of your vids 😊

[@IndoorEcosystem]

It's a really fun process with your plant/tree knowledge you shouldn't have too many surprises 🙂

[@gianoverchill5266]

Amazing video quality again as always

[@IndoorEcosystem]

Thank you! ☺

[@gianoverchill5266]

I love that fern😍

[@IndoorEcosystem]

It's quite unique isn't it!

[@gianoverchill5266]

@@IndoorEcosystem Yes the more simple or unique the prettier

[@JayCWhiteCloud]

Very nice...Would love to see an update video on some of your creations and how well they last. I love Bonsai and Penjin (the Grandparent to Japanese Bonsai) which your take seems to be more in the style of this acient Mainland Asian form...Thanks for sharing this one!

[@IndoorEcosystem]

Hey, nice to see you around again! I'll try to get some updates up on the tanks before I break them down. Usually they will run 8-12 months before I need the tank again for a new project (KZbin content basically) But so far most of the builds I've done could seemingly last quite a few years, as long as you stay on top of the plant trimmings and don't mind cleaning a pump out every so often. If you let something get too big you're in for a big chunk of work! I just spent a bit of time reading about Penjin the first time I've heard of it that I can remember.

[@JayCWhiteCloud]

@@IndoorEcosystem Always watching and giving thumbs up...your work is great and you know I like the "all natural" set up you do compared to "fake nature" so many others put out made of plastics and other industrial materials. Thanks for sharing those details...I always enjoy hearing your comments back...

[@IndoorEcosystem]

@@JayCWhiteCloudIt doesn't quite feel like an ecosystem when it's made entirely out of foam. That's one of the reasons I haven't made another foam build. It's easy and looks good when you hide it all but it still feels cheap! The biggest advantage though is weight. Making a real tank makes them hard to move around unfortunately!

[@czenoczn7352]

Robisz dobry kontent ! :) Gretings from Poland :P

[@IndoorEcosystem]

Dziękuję! Greetings from Poland as well!

[@PetsNPonds]

Very nice, they look similar to ones I recently received, they were trade named Tomato Vampire crabs

[@IndoorEcosystem]

That was my first thought as well but there was also tomatoes along side these guys which were quite a bit different. I'll just have to wait and see what colour their eyes go then the rest of their body. It's going to be interesting.

[@axjagfilms]

My best guess is that they’re relative to Geosesarma Larsi. Other than that I love the tank! The crab cribs are very reminiscent of the Shire from Lord of the Rings.

[@IndoorEcosystem]

That's actually quite a good potential guess! One that I hadn't actually considered. So I will add it to the list of potential outcomes!

[@SgathaichFey]

Incredible! Where did you get your Dairy Cow’s? I was told we couldn’t get them in Australia! 😮

[@IndoorEcosystem]

I'm currently living in Eruope 🙂 You can't get vampire crabs in Australia either. Both are biosecurity issues last I heard. Which makes sense.

[@SgathaichFey]

@@IndoorEcosystem OH hahaha. Everything makes a little more sense now. Jealous though :P

[@IndoorEcosystem]

@@SgathaichFey 😂 Don't worry every Aussie gets caught in the same web!

[@Mfo8776]

Do you think I could use extra scraps of the weed matting for the tank protector part under the rock barrier?!

[@IndoorEcosystem]

@@Mfo8776 I've tried it before but it's too thin and doesn't really do anything. If you don't have big rocks or pointy rocks you can skip this mat. Just don't drop anything 😉

[@iMagixHD]

Love this build. I assume you are in Australia? Can I ask where you get your vampire crabs from? I havent seen any locally.

[@IndoorEcosystem]

I'm in Europe. But it's easy enough to make the assumption 😉 vampire crabs are a banned species in Australia under biosecurity laws so aren't available.

[@iMagixHD]

ah apologies for my assumption haha @@IndoorEcosystem

[@IndoorEcosystem]

@@iMagixHD No problem! Always good to get confirmation 🙂 5 minutes without a lid and they are gone!

[@xavierbonin2290]

Hi I had a question a recently built a paludarium for vampire crabs (I havent bought them yet) and I have a problem where the substrate is VERY wet. I did like you do and put clay balls for a drainage layer but it does not matter the soil is always very wet and I dont know what to do? Should I redo the whole tank and put the substrate higher ? Thanks

[@IndoorEcosystem]

They love it wet so don't worry about it. As long as you don't have really fussy plants it will be fine. Just double check that your water level isn't too high. Always leave a gap between the bottom of the soil and the top of the water and you're set.

[@xavierbonin2290]

@@IndoorEcosystem how big of a gap we talking about? Right now I dont think I even have an inch lol might have to redo all. Are fittonias ok with wet soil or are they going to rot

[@IndoorEcosystem]

@@xavierbonin2290 an inch is best from my experience but I've also done half an inch as well though that's less idea. I've had a lot of success with white fittonia but not the reds. No idea why though.

[@Mfo8776]

Do I have to use black color?! I am thinking white rock everything so the crab pops a little more. Thoughts?!

[@IndoorEcosystem]

You can use any, I've done builds with quite a lot of different rock types. The choice is entirely yours.

[@HillsideAcres]

How often do you change the water when you aren’t using a pump or filter ?

[@IndoorEcosystem]

20-30% once a week for the first few weeks then after a month 20-30% every couple of weeks. But you need to have aquatic plants to suck up the nutrients in the water. The crabs don't use the water all that often so there isn't a constant source of waste like with fish. However if you have snails and shrimp you will have a higher bioload

[@HillsideAcres]

Thanks, do you use Lids or leave the tops open ?

[@IndoorEcosystem]

@@HillsideAcres No problem 🙂 lids are 100% required with no gaps, they'll squeeze out of and climb anything, even glass. All air vents need to be covered with mesh or screen with small weave. They are escape masters!

[@HillsideAcres]

@@IndoorEcosystem that’s how all of mine are currently I was just curious

[@IndoorEcosystem]

@@HillsideAcres ive seen the odd person go lidless but it's just a quick way to lose crabs! Plus they'll be less likely to breed without high humidity levels

[@Plants-and-Ts]

Hope you’re able to find a male! Your videos are so high quality now!

[@IndoorEcosystem]

Thanks ☺It will probably be a challenge but I'm going to keep an eye out for a couple. But first I need to figure out what these are 100%

[@scorchinggoat9589]

Can the crabs do well without a filter or pump? most of the information of them in the wild says they live around streams

[@IndoorEcosystem]

Check out my channel it's full of information care guides and build options. It should help answer your questions. Google is essentially useless these day. Lots of inaccurate Ai generated garbage in place of what used to be reliabe info. Geosesarma are fine in no filter no pump setups but you still need to keep good water parameters to keep them happy. Lepidothelphusa are a bit different they pretty much need some flow to be happy.

[@scorchinggoat9589]

@@IndoorEcosystem pretty much every paper describing geosesarma or video of them being caught in the wild shows them in streams which is why i thought they needed that. But if they can do well and breed without it i doubt they mind.

[@IndoorEcosystem]

@@scorchinggoat9589Streams are very very common in their environments and they usually live in the muddy embankments and rocks surrounding them. However not every part of the stream or water body is flowing, it can be quite still in areas. Quite a few geosesarama species live up in the canopy a good portion of their day/life as well. I'm pretty sure there's over 80 species all with slight variations and preferences but all them seem to be fine without a pump. Some will molt on land as well. White claw mandarins for example. Lepidothelpuhsa certainly should have a pump though. They are commonly mixed up with vampire crabs but are an entirely different crab species.

[@leekaifengmoe9604]

Is this kind of vampire crab that call red devil

[@IndoorEcosystem]

Nope! ☺I have Red Devils in some other builds though.

[@leekaifengmoe9604]

Btw that's a beautiful vampire crab tank

[@IndoorEcosystem]

@@leekaifengmoe9604 Thank you ☺I really appreciate it!

[@jillbos]

Besides dwarf white isopods what other isopods can thrive in a vampire crab enclosure?

[@IndoorEcosystem]

I've been using the wild type woodlouse and dairy cows the most. The main thing is to keep a colony going on the side though because Vampire Crabs will almost always hunt them to extinction in the tank.

[@thediplomat1124]

This is awesome, what size cribs did you get?

[@IndoorEcosystem]

These are mixed sizes from my previous build: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppqZgoVsjdabhqs

[@thediplomat1124]

@@IndoorEcosystem Hey there! So today I recently got some beautiful Trichomanes Javanicum (borneo fern) and the more I read the instructions on how to plant them the more confused I am 😅 I currently have them planted in the soil, but then I read you aren't supposed to bury the rhyzome...so I'm thinking, how in the world am I supposed to plant them? I can't plant them in the water emersed b/c I do not have any aquarium soil in the substrate and I'm assuming you can glue them to hardscape like bucephalandra. I'm worried they will not survive, and it hasn't been a day yet!

[@IndoorEcosystem]

@@thediplomat1124 I don't have any experience with this plant species unfortunately, so you're on your own with this one 😅I'm sure you'll figure it out though 🙂

[@thediplomat1124]

@IndoorEcosystem ty! It's so crazy how hard to actually find a clear answer on the internet 😅

[@IndoorEcosystem]

@@thediplomat1124 I know the feeling!!! Even with with chatgpt now. People making junk websites without info it spits out. Which is wrong half the time!.

[@craby6449]

i guess it could be sp full red which i have talked about in a discord, thet have 2 types, one is red, other type is bit orange, but stil red, and it seems like they are not old enough to get it's eye colour, so we should see how it grows

[@IndoorEcosystem]

My thoughts exactly! I will drop some more pics in the Discord when I finally catch them out and about. So far they are pure orange but a lot of growing left to do. I'd say another 2 months and I should have a better idea. Fingers crossed they are healthy enough to survive. They were in a pretty rough mixed box.

[@Cow_Juice]

Greetings. 😁☝️

[@IndoorEcosystem]

🥇Greetings! I've been expecting you!

[@Cow_Juice]

Oh you have, have you? Your hunch has proven you correct yet again. Well done. 😆

[@IndoorEcosystem]

@@Cow_Juice You're usually faster than I can even get a pinned comment in! You give bots a run for their money! 🤣

[@Cow_Juice]

@@IndoorEcosystem Do you think I should start taking about crypto and mlm schemes too like those bots? Hmmm maybe.... 😆😆 Oh and I've never heard of an eyelash fern before. It looks beautiful! I hope it thrives and you get to propagate it.

[@IndoorEcosystem]

@@Cow_Juice 😆No fear of a YT ban either way! That was the first time I've seen an eyelash fern as well It kinda reminds me of a palm in a lot of ways. We'll see how it goes. So far so good!

[@ladjinkrivertubing]

berapa lama durasi cahaya?

[@IndoorEcosystem]

8 hours :D

[@gianoverchill5266]

My crabs nearly all killed eachother and the ones alive are only hiding, missing limbs and i cant find one for days now first expereince after half a year of building a tank suited for them is amazing

[@IndoorEcosystem]

Where they mixed species by chance? This is super common if you mix colours up. But on rare occasions it can also happen if you get a particularly mad male.

[@gianoverchill5266]

@@IndoorEcosystem No i made sure at 1000 places, watched all your videos about the care twice so i put in specificly the same Species Geosesarma hagen Red devil and 2 males 4 females. One kinda looked a bit too orange.. but i assume it was only cause a Molting as it didn't see the orange anymore later. Yet still 3 out of 6 surely died all 1 is missing (Male) one female with i think 7 legs left and one male that's quiet shy at least to me but i assume Not to the other crabs as he was my supect.

[@gianoverchill5266]

@@IndoorEcosystem I appreciate the Help tho😄

[@IndoorEcosystem]

@@gianoverchill5266 Hagen will have slight different colours at different times in their life. Mine go from bright red to orange and sometimes even brownish. It's age and diet based mostly. Hopefully things level out in your tank soon. I've had similar experiences with hype up males

[@gianoverchill5266]

@@IndoorEcosystem Oh i never heard that anywhere before thank you so much, well then they for sure all were hagen, still died. Not a pleasent view for me as i an sensitive for that kind of stuff hoped to get a little longer out of them than 2 weeks

[@elune43749]

i think your crab has a drug problem 🤣

[@IndoorEcosystem]

🤣 Funnily it's also the most active the others are all hiding most of the time but not twitchy!

[@YousifMustafa-l9m]

@@IndoorEcosystemupdate? Is he okay now?😢

[@IndoorEcosystem]

@@YousifMustafa-l9m 2 died off but the others are alive and I got babies just a week ago... So the females must have already been carrying which is pretty cool. Now the goal is to keep the babies alive

[@YousifMustafa-l9m]

@@IndoorEcosystem awh glad at least one survived

[@IndoorEcosystem]

@@YousifMustafa-l9m Me too!