# Communal Tarantulas for a 180 gallon tank?



## batest (Feb 12, 2013)

I have a 180 gallon aquarium that I would like to set up for a communal species of tarantula.

Question is, other that H. incei, is there any species anyone would recommend for a community setup?

I just want to start out with 4 or 5 slings and let it take off from there.

I appreciate any input.   THANKS!!1


----------



## JZC (Feb 12, 2013)

Depends: Terrestrial or Arboreal? Anyway, some communal species I have heard of are p.murinus, most pokies, maybe some avics


----------



## psohn703 (Feb 12, 2013)

U can try balfouris  or I hear heterothele villosella are really good communally. Heterothele gabonensis is my dream but they are super expensive and I read that villosellas do better communally. As jcz said some pokies too, perhaps go all out and go metallicas. Lol id be too scared of cannibalism with the mets tho.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## xTimx (Feb 12, 2013)

lol...if i was you, i would tip that tank on its side and make it upright! you'd have a HUGE arboreal enclosure, and you'd definitely be able to fit some nice pokies in there!  OR you could divide the tank in half and use some high strength aquarium silicone/glue and make two arboreal enclosures and have one for pokies and one for avics      you wouldnt put very much substrate in, but just think of all the really cool decorations you could put in  
i'm in for pics if you do this! Good luck!


----------



## McGuiverstein (Feb 12, 2013)

I've read H. gigas can be communal, but if I recall correctly, they're one of the species that works best communally if the inhabitants are sacmates. Either way, that would be awesome if you pulled it off! In an aquarium that size you could have one hell of a swimming pool

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## grayzone (Feb 12, 2013)

why does everybody keep talking about communal avics? Which sp. of Avicularia is communal? Ive never read of any.
Possibly ones from a LPS that were housed together, and for some lucky reason they werent eating eachother. Those ones are usually ones that die within weeks of being bought too :sarcasm:

---------- Post added 02-12-2013 at 06:29 PM ----------

if there are any i would really like to know...

---------- Post added 02-12-2013 at 06:34 PM ----------

also, i just read that the dimensions for a 180 gal are 72Lx24Wx25H? that is massive haha. 

I would agree with splitting that tank into at least 2 arboreal tanks and have 2 Poeci communals
... maybe regalis and subfusca?

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## McGuiverstein (Feb 12, 2013)

^^I've been wondering that also. As of late a lot of people have been saying some species can be communal, but I've never heard of an actually successful communal setup with any avics.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## LuiziBee (Feb 12, 2013)

Google search scarab monocentropus balfouri!! Read his threads on his communal. It's a great read! 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Niffarious (Feb 12, 2013)

I absolutely love tarantulas, or I wouldn't be here.

But man. If I had a 'spare' 180 gallon that would be a gecko habitat or planted aquarium FAST.


----------



## Curious jay (Feb 12, 2013)

grayzone said:


> why does everybody keep talking about communal avics? Which sp. of Avicularia is communal? Ive never read of any.
> Possibly ones from a LPS that were housed together, and for some lucky reason they werent eating eachother. Those ones are usually ones that die within weeks of being bought too :sarcasm:
> 
> ---------- Post added 02-12-2013 at 06:29 PM ----------
> ...


I've seen a couple pictures of A. minatrax setup in a communal username 'Poxicator' I think he uses this board too try and PM him for some pics.


----------



## grayzone (Feb 12, 2013)

i will look into that. I bet that it was short term, or it eventually proved to fail.. leading to separation. If it worked out, its ONE attempt out of a LOT. Either way it will be a good read.
Thanks jay


----------



## BrettG (Feb 13, 2013)

A.minatrix are tolerant of each other.  We are starting a communal with our next sack

Reactions: Like 3


----------



## McGuiverstein (Feb 13, 2013)

BrettG said:


> A.minatrix are tolerant of each other.  We are starting a communal with our next sack


Sounds interesting! How many are you planning on having together, and in what size enclosure?


----------



## Tarac (Feb 13, 2013)

Oh come on guys/gals, H. incei or Pokies for a 180?  Have we all forgotten the fairly recently updated Pamphobeteus sp. "Arana pollito" thread by Abraxas?  A communal of HUGE spiders that you can actually see.

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/sho...-Chicken-Spider-Diary&highlight=arana+pollito

How can you _not_ want a communal like this?  After all, nothing beats Pamphobeteus anyway


----------



## McGuiverstein (Feb 13, 2013)

Tarac said:


> Oh come on guys/gals, H. incei or Pokies for a 180?  Have we all forgotten the fairly recently updated Pamphobeteus sp. "Arana pollito" thread by Abraxas?  A communal of HUGE spiders that you can actually see.
> 
> http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/sho...-Chicken-Spider-Diary&highlight=arana+pollito
> 
> How can you _not_ want a communal like this?  After all, nothing beats Pamphobeteus anyway


Haha good point! You now have me questioning my previous suggestion about H. gigas. The huge swimming pool potential though.. Difficult decision. Either way, I am super eager to see the finished product. OP, we NEED a follow up once the setup is complete!


----------



## Tarac (Feb 13, 2013)

McGuiverstein said:


> Haha good point! You now have me questioning my previous suggestion about H. gigas. The huge swimming pool potential though.. Difficult decision. Either way, I am super eager to see the finished product. OP, we NEED a follow up once the setup is complete!


It does sound really cool- an oasis of spiders.  Needs a floating tiki bar of course.  I don't have H. gigas or any other from the genus so I suppose I "need" to get one before I can judge.  I know that Pamphos are the supreme tarantulas above all other genera, I'm pretty sure it's written in the old testament somewhere... On the 7th day God looked out over everything he made and saw that it was not quite perfect, so he made Pamphobeteus


----------



## McGuiverstein (Feb 13, 2013)

Tarac said:


> It does sound really cool- an oasis of spiders.  Needs a floating tiki bar of course.  I don't have H. gigas or any other from the genus so I suppose I "need" to get one before I can judge.  I know that Pamphos are the supreme tarantulas above all other genera, I'm pretty sure it's written in the old testament somewhere... On the 7th day God looked out over everything he made and saw that it was not quite perfect, so he made Pamphobeteus


Hahaha the tiki bar is a phenomenal idea. But I'm going to go out on a limb and ask if Pamphobeteus is your favorite genus? Not sure why I got that idea, maybe just a hunch X).


----------



## grayzone (Feb 13, 2013)

BrettG said:


> A.minatrix are tolerant of each other.  We are starting a communal with our next sack


the word "tolerant" is a pretty vague area haha. I hope you start a thread on this, and keep it going. I am very interested to see how it works out.. all the recorded proof the better
Youre definitely doing the right thing by attempting this communal with sackmates that YOU aided in producing. 
Very cost effective:biggrin: Hope it goes well


A question for you would be, at what point do you determin it a failed attempt? If you house 10 ts (for example) per enclosure how many losses are you willing to take (assuming there will be) before you separate them, and comfirm the myth busted?


----------



## Tarac (Feb 13, 2013)

McGuiverstein said:


> Hahaha the tiki bar is a phenomenal idea. But I'm going to go out on a limb and ask if Pamphobeteus is your favorite genus? Not sure why I got that idea, maybe just a hunch X).


Me?  No, it's just the natural order of things since they are the undeniably best genus around.  Why bother with a pigeon when you are beholding a peacock?


----------



## BrettG (Feb 14, 2013)

McGuiverstein said:


> Sounds interesting! How many are you planning on having together, and in what size enclosure?


55 Tall with 10 or so. I have a bunch of juvies from our last sack that I may use instead,so they can breed in the tank once mature.


----------



## McGuiverstein (Feb 14, 2013)

BrettG said:


> 55 Tall with 10 or so. I have a bunch of juvies from our last sack that I may use instead,so they can breed in the tank once mature.


Very intriguing. You'll have to share the results!


----------



## Palespider (Feb 15, 2013)

I would strongly consider starting off with a smaller aquarium, if they're going to be slings. You may never find them again 

Also be prepared for tons of poo to clean off the glass if you decide to try an arboreal species XD


----------

