# 2.5 gallon ruin (AKA crab house)



## jmowbray (Dec 20, 2009)

Are those root in the center coming from one of those fake bamboo plants? I forget what the real name is.


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## shrimpo (Aug 2, 2009)

jmowbray said:


> Are those root in the center coming from one of those fake bamboo plants? I forget what the real name is.


Those are real dracaena sanderiana root, the micro crabs(comming soon) like to hang on the plants root.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

That's pretty cool.  It would be cooler if you piled the rocks up more toward the back and then had some gradually smaller pebbles as it got to the front. It might give more of a feeling of depth.

I can't wait to see the crabs!


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## shrimpo (Aug 2, 2009)

Church said:


> That's pretty cool.  It would be cooler if you piled the rocks up more toward the back and then had some gradually smaller pebbles as it got to the front. It might give more of a feeling of depth.
> 
> I can't wait to see the crabs!


I 'll try to find some small dark pebbles, thanks for the advice.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Hey, this is cool! Very interesting colors, pleasing to the eye. I'd like to see those MTS sift through the rocks. :hihi: Do you have a picture showing the plants growing out of the tank?


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## leoslizards (Feb 2, 2007)

Church said:


> That's pretty cool.  It would be cooler if you piled the rocks up more toward the back and then had some gradually smaller pebbles as it got to the front. It might give more of a feeling of depth.
> 
> I can't wait to see the crabs!


That sounds like a good idea.

Can't wait to see it finished.:bounce:


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## shrimpo (Aug 2, 2009)

sewingalot said:


> Hey, this is cool! Very interesting colors, pleasing to the eye. I'd like to see those MTS sift through the rocks. :hihi: Do you have a picture showing the plants growing out of the tank?


beside the MTS i put also some red ramshorn snails, i want to breed the snails to have a back-up for my assassin snails..and also want to figure out the mystery of micro crabs breeding.
Here is the picture( sorry for the low quality):


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## leoslizards (Feb 2, 2007)

Is it possible to remove the top trim? It would look a million times better.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

I like the look. Looks like a tatched roof.


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## shrimpo (Aug 2, 2009)

Right now there is only the hang on back mini filter..any suggestions for heater, lights(low light output) and low light plants.?


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## ClPat (Apr 30, 2009)

Hi,
Thai micro crabs seem extremely cool! good luck with those!
Are these sword plants planted in the pebbles? If so they may have a hard time growing well...
What would be interesting is a "bamboo forest" with numerous lucky bamboos, then you;d have the image of a ruin lost in a jungle...


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## Aqua'd (Dec 20, 2009)

You could go with a Hydor Mini Heater for 2-5 gal tanks, they raise tank temp about 5 degrees F from room temperature. You Can't regulate the temp though. Not sure what those crabs need.
They are under gravel heaters so you only see the cord, mine works well for my 4 gal nano. You can get them from Petsmart for around $10-15 I think.

For a light you could try a standard desk lamp that takes Compact fluorescent bulbs and get a 9 or 13 watt 6500-6700k bulb.

Looks awesome, keep us updated, I'm interested to see the crabs and let me know if you start getting baby ramshorns!


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## shrimpo (Aug 2, 2009)

Thank you all for your advice and suggestions, and special thanks to ShrimpMan who gave me a good portions of suesswassertang plant and java fern windelov..
here is the updated photo ( the water is cloudy):


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## ldk59 (Jan 30, 2009)

Couple of things to keep in mind ... based on my experience with Micros (_Limnopilos naiyanetri)...

these little guys (as with most crabs) are omnivores, they require a certain amount of meat protein in their diet... so you'll need to either flood the tank with food or spot feed them at least a couple times per week... I spot feed mine brine shrimp and/or tubiflex with tweezers (one of them will literally climb the tweezers to grab the food) 

also...

In a tank that size you'll most likely never see them unless you go hunting for them, and even then I expect you'll have a very difficult time locating any of them. I have three in a ~one quart glass bowl with a good amount of Fissedens fontanus and still have trouble finding them at feeding time! 

They are great little critters and when you can locate them in their given enclosure are a blast to watch! ( mine sit next to my computer chair, where I can keep an eye out for them)

Good luck with your little tank & keep us updated on your progress....

Larry K
_


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## shrimpo (Aug 2, 2009)

ldk59 said:


> Couple of things to keep in mind ... based on my experience with Micros (_Limnopilos naiyanetri)..._
> 
> _these little guys (as with most crabs) are omnivores, they require a certain amount of meat protein in their diet... so you'll need to either flood the tank with food or spot feed them at least a couple times per week... I spot feed mine brine shrimp and/or tubiflex with tweezers (one of them will literally climb the tweezers to grab the food) _
> _Larry K_


I thought they eat whatever stuck in their hairy legs, thank you for the additiona info..have you tried breeding them? i heard many people have troubles raising the young that last like 3 days before they die.
i have 5 of them in my 55 gallon riparium, i can only see like 2 or 3 under the driftwood, i am assuming in this 2.5 gallon that they will hide inside the ruin ornament,it has door and windows openings and its dark inside, if that the case i will throw food in the ruin at feeding time.. or maybe they'll catch baby snails.


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## shrimpo (Aug 2, 2009)

I was looking online and found those marineland mini heater 10 watt, they said that it will keep the tank at 78F constantly, anyone used this before in a 2.5 gallon? does it really keep the tank at 78F all the time? i wish to find a small heater that can be adjustable.


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## tuonor (Nov 26, 2009)

shrimpo said:


> I was looking online and found those marineland mini heater 10 watt, they said that it will keep the tank at 78F constantly, anyone used this before in a 2.5 gallon? does it really keep the tank at 78F all the time? i wish to find a small heater that can be adjustable.


Your good to go if you keep your house around 70F (or above). I don't have specific experience with the 10W, but have had good experiences with marineland heaters (mostly VisiTherm).

Here is a good calculator:
http://www.kernsanalysis.com/HeaterCalculator.cgi


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## i'm a ninja (Aug 2, 2009)

Just a heads up, my my 10w Marineland mini heater quit working after two days. They are basically a mini version of the Marineland stealth heaters, and my 25w Marineland stealth hetaer worked for one day before it died.


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## shrimpo (Aug 2, 2009)

I bought Elite 25 watt 6'' long and the temp is adjustable.. not submersable though..it was 3 times cheaper(at the LFS) than marineland 10 watt, although the last one is submersable and smaller in size.
The light is coming in the way, 13 watt full spectrum flip lamp..and i put order for 5 crabs next week.


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## shrimpo (Aug 2, 2009)

I got the crabs already, 5 + one extra...the 13 watt light works great, i added some red root floaers and i am trying to add more plants that can be attached to rock or wood, like fern and moss...so far so good.


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## neverdie (Mar 22, 2009)

Where did you source your crabs? i have not seen them at any lfs here in chicago, i saw them on aquabid but the seller was based in thailand and the price for the crabs and the shipping seemed high.
hope the breeding goes well.


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## shrimpo (Aug 2, 2009)

neverdie said:


> Where did you source your crabs? i have not seen them at any lfs here in chicago, i saw them on aquabid but the seller was based in thailand and the price for the crabs and the shipping seemed high.
> hope the breeding goes well.


I got them from a member at aquariacentral, i never seen them at LFS...there is not much information about breeding theses crabs so i am not expecting good result, but i'll try.


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## shrimpo (Aug 2, 2009)

picture:


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

That looks really cool! It is possable to remove the rim, Devin (hydro') has an artical about doing it to a 50g.


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## leoslizards (Feb 2, 2007)

JakeJ said:


> That looks really cool! It is possable to remove the rim, Devin (hydro') has an artical about doing it to a 50g.


That's what I suggested. 
Link?


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## shrimpo (Aug 2, 2009)

leoslizards said:


> That's what I suggested.
> Link?


Here is the link: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/equipment/97194-de-rimming-50-gallon-tank-25-a.html
I am going to keep this tank the way it is, but i may get a rimless aquarium in the near future.


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## AquaDean (Nov 20, 2009)

Take a look at the Catalina Aquarium 50 Watt Titanium heater. It's the smallest adjustable heater that I've found and works great. Only 5 1/2" long and 1/2" diameter, fully submersible and can be placed in any position.

http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/product_info.php?cPath=42_43&products_id=975

I've got two of these and they are dead on once set. The next larger heater would be the Hydor Theo 25 or 50 watt heaters. I also tried the Marineland 10 W mini heater and though it worked okay it is not adjustable so for consistent tank temperature you'd need consistent room temp also. BTW if you use the Marineland mini heater and don't like the Marineland advertisement in your tank, a paper towel with a little rubbing alcohol and you can rub in right off. Be sure to rinse it really well before putting it back into your tank.


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