# Phrynus marginemaculatus care and enclosure?



## numbat1000 (Dec 21, 2017)

I have been working on a new converted 10gal viv/paludarium that I started up in the late summer. It was intended to simulate a riverbank,and I had no plans for it other than a grow tank and aesthetics. 
Seeing that bugsincyberspace's P. marginemaculatus are back in stock gave me the idea of putting a couple in here, since I think the conditions might work for them. It has high humidity (I spray it every day at least once), kept at room temp, and has a few areas that could work for shadowed hiding spots. Due to the studies on how P. marginemaculatus has been shown to be able to survive underwater, I'm not worried about the aquatic section (there are also false roots and a bank for them to crawl back up if they do happen to fall in). The vertical orientation of the tank and the cork/background would allow for healthy moulting as far as I can tell. 
The only thing I am slightly worried might be an issue is that it has little to no air circulation other than opening the enclosure once to twice a day. I have kept D diadema so I know general amblypygi care, but I know almost no information on marginemaculatus since I couldn't find much in the way of care sheets. Any information specific to them would be much appreciated.

The pictures are from about a month ago, so there has been a little more growth since then.

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## schmiggle (Dec 22, 2017)

That's a beautiful tank! I've never kept P. marginemaculatus, so I have no specific information about them.

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## pannaking22 (Dec 22, 2017)

Super cool! If you're opening the tank a couple times a day to mist that should be good enough. They're pretty hardy when it comes to that sort of thing.

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## numbat1000 (Dec 22, 2017)

schmiggle said:


> That's a beautiful tank! I've never kept P. marginemaculatus, so I have no specific information about them.


Thank you!



pannaking22 said:


> Super cool! If you're opening the tank a couple times a day to mist that should be good enough. They're pretty hardy when it comes to that sort of thing.


Great! I hope this will work for them, then. 
Do you know anything else about their care that I should be aware of? Feeding, breeding etc.


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## pannaking22 (Dec 22, 2017)

numbat1000 said:


> Great! I hope this will work for them, then.
> Do you know anything else about their care that I should be aware of? Feeding, breeding etc.


Food items about the size of the head (from what I've seen in mine they like prey a little larger), crickets, roaches, maybe isopods. The biggest issue you may have with feeding them crickets is that crickets are really dumb and will inevitably end up drowning if they aren't caught quickly. Not sure if you want isopods in that enclosure in case they decide to chew on some of the décor. If you have a male and female in there it should take of itself. They're supposed to be the easiest species to breed, but they take a bit of patience (the definite theme of Amblypygi).


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## numbat1000 (Dec 22, 2017)

pannaking22 said:


> Food items about the size of the head (from what I've seen in mine they like prey a little larger), crickets, roaches, maybe isopods. The biggest issue you may have with feeding them crickets is that crickets are really dumb and will inevitably end up drowning if they aren't caught quickly. Not sure if you want isopods in that enclosure in case they decide to chew on some of the décor. If you have a male and female in there it should take of itself. They're supposed to be the easiest species to breed, but they take a bit of patience (the definite theme of Amblypygi).


Ok, so basically pretty similar care to diadema, just smaller. I think I'll use some tropical isopods for cleanup crew and small prey since they don't seem to drown as easily, and I'll just have to watch the crickets closely lol.
Thanks for the info!


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## pannaking22 (Dec 22, 2017)

numbat1000 said:


> Ok, so basically pretty similar care to diadema, just smaller. I think I'll use some tropical isopods for cleanup crew and small prey since they don't seem to drown as easily, and I'll just have to watch the crickets closely lol.
> Thanks for the info!


Yup, a diadema with more humidity! Those isopods should make a good cleanup crew, though they may to too small to snack on for the Phrynus. The positive is that they're also too small and timid to cause any problems when molting time comes around.

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## numbat1000 (Dec 22, 2017)

pannaking22 said:


> Yup, a diadema with more humidity! Those isopods should make a good cleanup crew, though they may to too small to snack on for the Phrynus. The positive is that they're also too small and timid to cause any problems when molting time comes around.


Thanks so much! I'm getting really excited about this now lol


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## Daniel Edwards (Jan 6, 2018)

Mine arrive Tuesday the 9th so i'll follow this thread!

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## LawnShrimp (Jan 6, 2018)

That is a beautiful vivarium. I've always wanted to keep mantids or amblys in a planted tank, especially small species that look good among mosses and liverworts. Any tips for starting my own vivarium (not paludarium) that is a lot like yours? Also, what is the small, dark green, leafy plant in the center of both photos?

I think this project is a great idea and can't wait to see the whipspiders in their new home!

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## numbat1000 (Jan 29, 2018)

Daniel Edwards said:


> Mine arrive Tuesday the 9th so i'll follow this thread!


How have yours been doing? My guy is extremely skittish and seems to like hiding slightly more than my damon diadema did. 



LawnShrimp said:


> That is a beautiful vivarium. I've always wanted to keep mantids or amblys in a planted tank, especially small species that look good among mosses and liverworts. Any tips for starting my own vivarium (not paludarium) that is a lot like yours? Also, what is the small, dark green, leafy plant in the center of both photos?


Thank you! I almost exclusively use planted tanks, I love watching specimens interact with a growing environment. Feel free to pm me if you have any specific questions about vivariums, but as evidenced by the month of silence, I don't check here too often lol.

I'm assuming you're asking about the small oval-leafed orchid in the middle - it's Pleurothallis grobyi 'Small', but it didn't end up doing well in such a humid environment with minimal airflow. I moved it to a different tank where it seems to be faring a bit better. This is my first time using miniature orchids in my enclosures, so there's a lot of trial and error involved lol.

I've since added a couple new orchids which should hopefully do better with the higher humidity, but it's only been a few weeks, so we'll see how they do.

The ambly came in a couple weeks ago, I wanted to get a few to start a colony but supply was limited. When they are back in stock I might buy a couple more after seeing how this one does. I have it in a separate enclosure at the moment as I try to work out a few kinks with this vivarium.

Will post updated photos soon, as well as pictures with the ambly as soon as it is introduced.

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## LawnShrimp (Jan 29, 2018)

numbat1000 said:


> I'm assuming you're asking about the small oval-leafed orchid in the middle - it's Pleurothallis grobyi 'Small', but it didn't end up doing well in such a humid environment with minimal airflow. I moved it to a different tank where it seems to be faring a bit better. This is my first time using miniature orchids in my enclosures, so there's a lot of trial and error involved lol.
> 
> I've since added a couple new orchids which should hopefully do better with the higher humidity, but it's only been a few weeks, so we'll see how they do.


I looked up Pleurothallis and I think I need... all of them.  The flowers are all so delicate and would look perfect with a little amblypygid curled up next to them. Would the species you have or other similar orchids be able to survive in a less humid environment? If I ever get around to making a planted tank it would have average humidity and might be more hospitable to Pleurothallis.

Glad the ambly arrived okay. I have seen them in the wild in Miami but they are incredibly hard to catch as they are fast and small enough to hide in the pores in the rocks. However I have seen two under the same stone so I am sure that keeping them together would be fine.

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## Daniel Edwards (Jan 29, 2018)

My 3 are plump and well. A strange behavior I saw... They will submerge under water for long periods of time!!! Thought it drowned. Pulled it out and it ran off. Seen it since but left it alone.

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## schmiggle (Jan 29, 2018)

Daniel Edwards said:


> My 3 are plump and well. A strange behavior I saw... They will submerge under water for long periods of time!!! Thought it drowned. Pulled it out and it ran off. Seen it since but left it alone.


They actually have an adaptation to hold an air bubble around their abdomen--it adheres to hairs, if I remember right. They live in habitats that are regularly flooded, so it helps them not to drown.

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## LawnShrimp (Jan 29, 2018)

schmiggle said:


> They actually have an adaptation to hold an air bubble around their abdomen--it adheres to hairs, if I remember right. They live in habitats that are regularly flooded, so it helps them not to drown.


Explains how the little guys can handle the hurricanes. The park that I found the few at was underwater for a long time last year.
I think there was an article on the "watertight cuticle of _Damon_" a while back too.

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## shutout2000 (Mar 22, 2018)

What do they eat, and how do they get it in such a large enclosure?


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## Daniel Edwards (Mar 22, 2018)

shutout2000 said:


> What do they eat, and how do they get it in such a large enclosure?


My trio are living large and well in a size XL Kritter Keeper fed twice weekly on the smallest crickets I can find. Once spring arrives here in VA (we are really behind) I will add isopods of various types. My 3 are well.

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## Lithobius (Mar 23, 2018)

If those are living plants then the air shouldn't be too much of a problem if there's no mold or anything. 

Mine are in a fairly large enclosure, I've never seen them eat, but I can't find any of the isopods I put in and the crickets I put in disappear pretty quickly. There are a lot of hiding spots which is supposed to be a no-no for amblys but everything I put in seems to go to the same hiding spots and they hang out in those spots too... so I think they're finding their food just fine... or rather, their food is finding them. I thought I'd kill them for sure but they seem to be happy enough and uh, breeding too.


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## VeryButch00000WhipSpider (Sep 4, 2018)

I'm working on planning a vivarium right now for a Florida tailless whip spider / phrynus marginemaculatus in a 10 gallon tank (is that big enough? Can I get a smaller one?). I've never had one before but am not new to cute creepy crawlies,  I'd use coconut fiber substrate, and add some different cork textures for molting. Does that sound right? What temp/humidity do they need? Your tank is absolutely wonderful by the way!


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## aphono (Sep 7, 2018)

Beautiful set up!



VeryButch00000WhipSpider said:


> I'm working on planning a vivarium right now for a Florida tailless whip spider / phrynus marginemaculatus in a 10 gallon tank (is that big enough? Can I get a smaller one?). I've never had one before but am not new to cute creepy crawlies,  I'd use coconut fiber substrate, and add some different cork textures for molting. Does that sound right? What temp/humidity do they need? Your tank is absolutely wonderful by the way!


Depends on how many you wanted to keep together.  IME, they are not super tolerant of each other. Very territorial- mine aggressively and physically repel all others from 'their own' side of slab.  10 gallon should be okay for multiples but would suggest multiple slabs/areas they could call their own. Instead of one or two large slabs for say, 5 marginemaculatus- that probably would bring on a lot of stress and fights plus cannibalism.  Basically set it up with the concept of having visual barriers between individuals.

For single housing, they don't need much space. 32 oz deli cup or food canister would be fine. One gallon vivarium/naturalistic set up would be great.  I'd be nervous having more than one in this, especially with two males but this species is hard to sex, so...

Cork bark and coco fiber will be fine. 

Room temps. They don't seem to mind slightly higher at 80F.   I don't measure humidity but it's clear this species appreciates high humidity.  Mist regularly & keep substrate moist. No need to let things dry out in between.


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## VeryButch00000WhipSpider (Sep 9, 2018)

aphono said:


> Beautiful set up!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I was planning on only housing one, this is helpful thanks!

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## aphono (Sep 9, 2018)

VeryButch00000WhipSpider said:


> I was planning on only housing one, this is helpful thanks!


Glad to help!   This is a pretty easy species to keep.  No problems of any sort after separating mine individually.


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## JoP (Oct 2, 2018)

Curious what others who keep this species use for feeders. I've never actually witnessed mine eating, but I assume it is because I've put in small crickets and dubias that seem to disappear, and it's been alive for nearly a year in my care now. I'm wondering if anyone knows whether they'd eat flies? I ask because I tossed a blue bottle fly in with mine earlier today that I had as a leftover after hatching a few for my mantids, and I don't see it in the enclosure anymore. Leads me to think it may have eaten it, but I don't see a bolus and can't be sure.


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## aphono (Oct 3, 2018)

Crickets for mine, including the ones just off their mother's back with pinhead crickets.  Red runner roaches is a relatively popular suggestion for amblypygi in general.  I've started the process of starting a colony by capturing wild females and collecting their ooths. Be aware this species is extremely invasive in mild winter climates. 

As for dubia, I've tried a few times feeding them to other amblypygi,  most were not interested in trying them out.  They clearly detected them- waved their whips over them but it seemed like they went 'ehhh not interested'. Then snap up a cricket the next day.  The ones that took a dubia often didn't show interest when one was offered again sometime after.  Also there were a couple instances I thought the dubia was taken, only to see it months later.  Made me pretty nervous, not sure if they pose a risk in some way, especially during the molts.   However despite all of that, there are some that do successfully feed various species on dubias- haven't come across anyone using them for this particular species.

As for flies- wouldn't be surprised. Probably take them at night.


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