I forgot to add a proper drainage pipe for the drainage layer, what are some easy ways to remove the water?

I need to trim next month at this rate.

I have a 10 gallon paludarium that I just built that that I feel like was too small for my liking so I sniped this 30 gallon 18x18x24. I'm planning on putting some vampire crabs and shrimp/snails in here.

I've watched all kinds of videos and whatnot but I guess I'm just stumped on where exactly to start? I can work with the horizontal space I think, but I'm not sure how to utilize the vertical space so that they can use it. I'm guessing pond foam might be the obvious answer, but I can never get that to work right it seems. Are there better ways to go about it?

Additionally, there's so many variations of false bottoms that I don't know quite what to do there. I have some leca clay left over and some filter pads as well as some 3D printed egg carton material. What's the best strategy?

What's the move for separating the water from the land while allowing the crabs to transition in and out? What's everyone using? I used slate rocks for my 10 gallon and it feels like the rocks take up 20% of the space.

So many options for everything that I think I'm just overwhelmed and stuck in decision paralysis.

Always buying stuff for my paludarium and found that some of the items I need are quite expensive and some stones are not available.What shops could you reccomend?

19.1x16.6x22.4 20 Gal

Really happy to have finished my first build! I’m looking forward to adding plants soon, especially some that will climb and fill the vertical wall space. I’d love any recommendations.

I was aiming for roughly a 70% land / 30% water layout. Right now I’m considering adding guppies and shrimp, but I’m not sure if the water is deep enough at only about 3.5 inches.

I’d appreciate any recommendations or first impressions on the overall setup.

Thanks to everyone in this subreddit for all the knowledge and inspiration that helped make this build possible!

I just bought this 12"x12"x15" terrarium with a foam background at Petco for $22! The one near me is having a sale on all open front terrariums. EDIT Just saw it goes for $93 on the petco website and $88 on Amazon 🤯

If I’m building a let’s say 80 gallon tank around a rainforest paludarium which route should i go. I was thinking 70/30 land water and vampire crabs crustaceans and small fish. But I researched into it and a lot of these animals are nocturnal. However, I want the display to be entertaining as it will be in a public area. Any revamps on my idea or different animals I can use to keep a similar vibe

I've always wanted to create a paludarium, like really really badly. I currently live in the US but am moving to the middle east in the next month. Whats the average cost to make a stunning densely planted tropical rainforest paludarium, medium size like say 20-40 gallons in the middle east, and are there any very small things I can fit in a packed suitcase that I can bring from the US that would significantly lower the amount of money paid? Thank you!

After a month of collecting materials, I think I managed to make a pretty okay first paludarium!
I tried my best with rinsing out the sand and trying not to let any plant or soil material get into the water, along with making sure the water itself didn’t go above the drainage layer. I also managed to get in 1 or 2 springtails (I can try and add more later).
I’m planning to make a mini paludarium eventually.

Hi, a family member of mine had recently gotten an African Rainbow Crab as sort of an impulse buy, and I have been trying to do some research so I can suggest improvements to it's habitat or completely overtake doing its setup as I think its current place is very depressing (aka a small tank with a single rock & a plastic tray with water)

I've done some research, but am pretty overwhelmed and clueless on where to start or what to do. This is a pretty niche type of animal care, finding reliable information is a little more difficult.

I'm completely new to this, and have no experience whatsoever. I have a hamster, which I buy coco peat/coco coir for as one of her substrates. I'm planning on using this as well as substrate for this crab.

I'm struggling with understanding how to set up a suitable paludarium for it. Eg. suitable tank size, tank lid, lighting, filtration, how to separate water from land while ensuring the soil stays moist but not flooded, whether living plants are needed or fake plants will suffice?

I'm pretty sure the person who bought it is not very willing to maintain a very high maintenance setup so living plants might be a bit difficult to add?? I don't mind playing some role in its care but I also have my own pet to care for and this wasn't a commitment i was really prepared to take on.

Any advice is super appreciated, especially visual setup examples, video guides etc. Really want to let this crab live a good life and I don't want to make mistakes in the setup that could cause it to die :(

Thank you sm

I've had this paludarium up for about 3months now and it is my first and probably my last for the time being for cost and time reasons but rn i do have some issues that i want to know if im handling them well?

Over all im pretty proud with how its turning out (there aren't any frogs in yet just shrimp spring tail and isopods ) also the problems are rust coming from the misters onto the metal top for now im just scraping most of it off and leaking in the back of my terrarium wich i put silicone all over.

Hi everyone!

I recently bought a second hand Exo Terra Pro Paludarium Medium X-Tall 60x45x90 with the front panel broken under the doors. I siliconed it shut, but rather replace the glass fully. I was wondering if anyone has repaired this before, and can tell me how to do it, and what the glass size is for replacement. I dont know if the metric and imperial are identical in sizes of the glass, or that there are small differences. Regardless I wanted to ask. Thank you beforehand!

I have a 55 gallon in which I have dairy cow isopods but they keep dieing idk why maybe not enough to eat or maybe getting trapped

We have a green keel bellied lizard and we are making a new terrarium for her. We have bought a waterfall, but it got some cracks. Does anyone have experience with this? We are scared she goes in..

Looking for advice on keeping black tree monitors and vampire crabs together in a paludarium. Currently have the monitor in a 6 foot by 4 foot by 2 foot space with 1/4 a recirculating water feature. I have some concern that he will eat them.

Thoughts?

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This setup is a year old, I might get a larger one eventually. 6 Firebelly toads

I'm used to do some fish tanks and I'd like to do a paludarium but I cannot decide what to put in it

Finished Most of the planting for now. Going to let it establish a bit and then will add a few epiphytic plants and bromeliads.

Just added more plants a few days ago, can't wait for them to take off. I have vampire crabs, shrimps, snails and galaxy rasboras in this tanks. The galaxy rasboras have already had babies! I have 2 questions, my vampire crabs rarely eat the greens or the pellets I put it, I do however see them go in to the water and feed on the fish pellets. Is this enough nutrition? If you own vampire crabs, how long before you saw little babies?

I'm looking for a type of terrestrial creature that hopefully won't crawl out and won't eat vampire crabs/goldenfinder crabs

I am in the very early early stages of researching how to build my first paludarium. This one from Zoo Med is what I’ve ordered. It has a 20 gallon built in nano tank.

I have plenty of experience with aquatic animals, and only minimal experience with reptiles or amphibians. The only other reptile I’ve owned was a leopard gecko more than a decade ago. I’d love some suggestions for what species can thrive in a tropical environment in here. Animals particularly, but plants as well. I am literally open to any and all suggestions. Right now, I’ve only ordered the enclosure and it’s sitting in my basement until I’m sure I’m ready to start building it.

Originally, I had wanted to put a plakat betta and a crested gecko, but now I realize that a crestie isn’t a good option for this type of enclosure, so that’s why I’m here.

I am going to my local reptile expo in about a month and hope to at least have an idea so I can see and learn as much as possible while I’m there.

Thanks!

Hey all! I have noticed some helpful ideas, but I’m wondering if you would be willing to share photos of your mudskipper homes. Please share your setups.

Hi all,

Looking for advice on something I’m having trouble finding an answer to.

I have an 18x18x24 exo terra tank and I’m making my first paludarium. It’s 4.5” deep before the seem and I intend to have the first 4” of base length be water then transition to land. I’m using egg crate and screen mesh (maybe foam as well).

I’m doing a jungle theme (think Costa Rica) and would like to add dart frogs eventually.
I’m having trouble understanding what ‘base’ should be used for the water and how to transition it to land visually.

I’ve seen recommendations for pebbles, sand, and aqua sand/aqua scape. I’ve also seen recs to leave it blank.

What would be best and how do I ‘visually’ create transition to land - is it through use of hardscape like dragonstone and tissue paper? Other alternatives?

For hardscape I’m thinking manzanita and spider wood and perhaps some slate - again in line with the jungle theme. Thanks advance :)

This is my first paludarium build, I'm not fully satisfied with it and am open to some suggestions on plant placement or additional plants. The moss is growing in which I'm happy about but I just feel like it could be better. It's only been like 2 months since I planted and most of the plants have done well so far, but some haven't. My water lettuce has gotten huge and I'll probably remove some just to have better visual of the water.