converting a 20gal "tall" fish tank? arboreal.

[N8Legged]

My Girlfriend is moving her fish to a new tank but the old tank is a good sized tall tank and she thinks she wants to try and convert it for an arboreal tarantula set up. I'm really interested in helping her do this but I have concerns I was thinking of putting a plexiglass lid on top with holes drilled in it but it's my understanding that arboreal's particularly pink toes in general need good ventilation. a screen lid would provide better ventilation. but in my past experience even with terrestrial species they tend to climb on the ceiling and will eventually get a foot stuck in the screen and fall and be hanging by a single leg for a while until I come find and rescue it.

any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[baconwrappedpikachu]

I have no arboreals of my own yet, so take this with a grain of salt because it's not based on my experience but instead from what I've read in these forums and been told by more experienced keepers. AFAIK glass is typically not a great choice for arboreals unless it already has cross ventilation of some sort, or you have a way to be able to add additional ventilation. Top ventilation alone isn't sufficient since most arboreals are very susceptible to stale air. And you're correct about the risks with screens, I have heard all sorts of horror stories about them losing legs or possibly even fangs. I think plenty of people have success with the exoterra talls, which are glass, but they have ventilation under the front doors in addition to the top screen - and of course switching the top for a plexiglass with vent holes.

Seems to me that people have discussed dry species being okay in glass enclosures as long as they have plenty of ventilation up top, but a tall enclosure would not really be suitable for a dry terrestrial. Maybe a dry fossorial... if those even exist? No idea. I suppose there may be a way to add ventilation holes to glass but to me personally it may end up being a lot of work to make this specific tank work when I could save time and effort by getting a different one.

 

[Anoplogaster]

20 gallons is quite large. Are you thinking of turning it on its side and making a front-opener?

 

[N8Legged]

20 gallons is quite large. Are you thinking of turning it on its side and making a front-opener?

No it’s a tank that is taller than it is wide. She really wants to try and re-purpose this tank. Was just seeing if anyone else had any ideas. The only idea i have is to get a drill bit for glass be careful and hope we don’t shatter it and put a bunch of ventilation holes in it. Probably the best thing to do would be save this one for more fish in the future and just build her a tarantula tank myself.

 

[l4nsky]

http://arachnoboards.com/threads/my-take-on-the-10g-vert.316098/
I'm also planning on doing this with some 29g as well for larger species like ornata, rufilata, violaceopes, etc. For Poecilotheria, Psalmopoeus, Lampropelma, Phormingochilus etc, this level of ventilation is fine. For Avics, I'll probably double it. Hope that helps.

Thanks,
--Matt

 

[N8Legged]

This is the tank that she wants to try and convert. after she moves the fish of course.

 

[l4nsky]

View attachment 302357 This is the tank that she wants to try and convert. after she moves the fish of course.

That's a 20g? What is it, like 6 inches wide? Drilling it would be risky if its tempered. You could replace the short sides with 1/4" acrylic and install vents or drill holes if you're up to the challenge.

Thanks,
--Matt

 

[Anoplogaster]

Oh man! I’m really not a fan of those tanks. It’s like a Jenga tower.

If you really wanted, you can get a diamond bit and make holes VERY slowly. It does work if you’re patient. But honestly, that’s a ton of space to sacrifice for a single spider. It might be easier to craigslist that setup and use the money for a couple of smaller enclosures. Then you can have a couple of spiders