# seen my afs dive underwater. is it normal?



## dr slevin (Aug 17, 2016)



Reactions: Like 1


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## Nir Avraham (Aug 17, 2016)

It can drown... Why is the water so high? Put a small and low water bowl, and put some rocks inside, so it's not gonna drown...

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Toxoderidae (Aug 17, 2016)

Yeah... why does it have a pond?


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## BarkScorps (Aug 17, 2016)

They can drown.Move them to a set up with only a small water dish not a pond.There are severe consequences to immersion in water to scorps so take it out immediately.


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## G. Carnell (Aug 17, 2016)

Is that H.swammerdami?

I've heard stories of scorpions immersing themselves 100% in water bowls

How did you guys find out that scorpions can drown?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## dr slevin (Aug 17, 2016)

he knows his way up if he wanted to. ive seen this happen 3 times which happens at night. could he be attracted to the fish? ill post my vivarium. there is actually a wood in the pond where he can use to climb up.

Reactions: Love 2


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## dr slevin (Aug 17, 2016)

ye


G. Carnell said:


> Is that H.swammerdami?
> 
> I've heard stories of scorpions immersing themselves 100% in water bowls
> 
> ...


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## Pipa (Aug 17, 2016)

Nice looking swimming pool !


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## Galapoheros (Aug 17, 2016)

Wow that's quite a pool there!  I've seen imperators go completely under water, obviously a deliberate move, but only in shallow bowls of water.  I'd guess what's happening with yours is that it is roaming around and falls in the water.  I'd be a little nervous with that set up, but if you like it you might think about putting more at the corners in the water so that it could climb out easier.  It's probably by chance that it's finding it's way back up again.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## brolloks (Aug 17, 2016)

Must be one of the most unique setups I have seen in a long time.
As everyone above mentioned, it might just be by coincidence that he finds his way out of the pool which could spell disaster sooner or later.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Formerphobe (Aug 17, 2016)

I've seen a couple of my Emperors in their water basins over the years. I've heard of them submerging, but haven't seen it. Just make sure it has plenty of escape routes from the "pond".

Reactions: Like 1


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## dr slevin (Aug 17, 2016)

cant upload the video here. uploaded it on youtube instead u can check the link

thanks for the input i may put additional scape routes just in case.

Reactions: Like 3 | Dislike 1 | Love 9 | Award 2


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## JoshBC (Aug 18, 2016)

Wow that video is awesome. I had no idea scorpions would/could do that. Doesn't look accidental at all. Thanks for sharing.

Reactions: Like 1


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## G. Carnell (Aug 18, 2016)

ditto, that video was AWESOME!!!  he seemed to remember where to get out

perhaps he was drawn to the vibrations from your water spout thing?

Reactions: Like 1


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## Shawnee (Aug 18, 2016)

Wow that's definitely a first, never seen that before. He definitely climbed in there on his own accord AND went back out the same way. Freakin awesome

Reactions: Like 2


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## dr slevin (Aug 18, 2016)

saw it again last night. 4 days in a row at almost the same time. maybe they really know how to dive but i guess few have tried the way i set up my vivarium. but im new to this hobby so i really appreciate all comments and suggestions.


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## chanda (Aug 18, 2016)

Wow. That was amazing! I've seen scorpions in water before - but they'd fallen into swimming pools and either drowned or been discovered and fished out in time. This is the first time I've seen one going into (and out of) the water on purpose!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Najakeeper (Aug 18, 2016)

Even though it is quite the risky set up, that's one of the coolest things I have ever seen regarding scorpions.

Reactions: Like 1


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## brolloks (Aug 19, 2016)

Very cool video, you might have just started a new craze on the forum now. Ok everyone, start building your new enclosures in..3..2..1!

Reactions: Like 2 | Funny 2


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## BobBarley (Aug 19, 2016)

Lol, the fish are like "What the heck is this thing!?"

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 1


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## WeightedAbyss75 (Aug 19, 2016)

I would love to see the day when there is a video of a scorp climbing into the water, catching a fish, coming back and eating it on land. THAT would be majestic

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 1


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## Biollantefan54 (Aug 19, 2016)

It's not going to drown, as long as it has a way out, it will be fine. Heterometrus will submerge themselves in water dishes all the time, during the rainy season, they can be under water for hours and hours on end.

Reactions: Like 1 | Informative 3


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## dr slevin (Aug 19, 2016)

WeightedAbyss75 said:


> I would love to see the day when there is a video of a scorp climbing into the water, catching a fish, coming back and eating it on land. THAT would be majestic


thats wat im hoping for. my friend suggested to take time lapse. started taking it last night but he was just scanning the whole place.


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## JumpingSpiderLady (Aug 19, 2016)

I'm curious, which came first, the scorpion or the platies?


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## dr slevin (Aug 19, 2016)

Biollantefan54 said:


> It's not going to drown, as long as it has a way out, it will be fine. Heterometrus will submerge themselves in water dishes all the time, during the rainy season, they can be under water for hours and hours on end.



thanks! im so relieved to hear that. do you know if they also hunt fish?


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## dr slevin (Aug 19, 2016)

JumpingSpiderLady said:


> I'm curious, which came first, the scorpion or the platies?


scorp came first. i already have the scorp before i planned to creat the tank


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## JumpingSpiderLady (Aug 19, 2016)

dr slevin said:


> scorp came first. i already have the scorp before i planned to creat the tank


I like it!


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## dr slevin (Aug 19, 2016)

JumpingSpiderLady said:


> I like it!


glad u liked it!


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## dr slevin (Aug 19, 2016)



Reactions: Like 4 | Love 1


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## Biollantefan54 (Aug 20, 2016)

dr slevin said:


> thanks! im so relieved to hear that. do you know if they also hunt fish?


I have no idea if they hunt fish, I doubt it though, maybe they forage for prey though? Not sure.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Staehilomyces (Aug 20, 2016)

Seems the eurypterids have come back from extinction.

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 3


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## Galapoheros (Aug 20, 2016)

Do you know exactly what species it is?


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## dr slevin (Aug 24, 2016)

im no longer sure im used to call it asf didnt know there are several heterometrus species. 
can anyone tell?


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## ArachnoDrew (Feb 25, 2017)

Super old thread but by far the coolest one I've ever seen!!!! I have an AFS would never imagine they can do this..... WTF!!!!


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## soldierof4cheese (Feb 27, 2017)

dr slevin said:


> cant upload the video here. uploaded it on youtube instead u can check the link
> 
> thanks for the input i may put additional scape routes just in case.


That is one sweet jungle setup, that would be cool in a 55 gallon tank, super size..

Reactions: Like 1


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## alex346 (Feb 27, 2017)

Awesome video and awesome tank!


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## Pipa (Mar 2, 2017)

This definitely makes your mind stretch a bit and think outside the box . haha ...


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## darkness975 (Mar 2, 2017)

Where is the hiding area?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Collin Clary (Mar 3, 2017)

While I can appreciate documenting this behavior as much as anyone (probably more, actually), I'm really tired of people keeping their terrestrial invertebrates like a terrapin.

This is no different then when people give their _Hysterocrates_ species very little substrate to burrow in, but have a massive pool with fish in it.

Yes, the scorpion can and will occasionally completely submerge itself. That does not mean you should give it a water filled enclosure to live in. _Heterometrus _and _Pandinus_ species typically construct and live in quite extensive burrows. They do not go under water and hunt for fish and other aquatic animals. They are totally unsuited for it.


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## HybridReplicate (Mar 3, 2017)

I'm curious if you put something to break the "burble" of the waterfall if it would continue to engage in this behavior. It does seem intentional, but appears to be trying to get at the turbulence of the water. Perhaps it simulates something found in nature? (Other than water, that is.)


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## Nephila Edulis (Mar 3, 2017)

with a setup like that you might wanna move the scorp to another setup and put something along the lines of a water spider in there


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## Ratmosphere (Mar 3, 2017)

That setup is legit!


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## soldierof4cheese (Mar 17, 2017)

*Resistance to submersion in water*
*Observations in the laboratory have shown that scorpions are capable of long stays under the water. Some Central and North American species of the genusCentruroides resist three to four hours submerged in water without affecting them. The French arachnologist Max Vachon recorded a higher resistance for some African scorpions. This resistance to submersion may be interpreted as adaptation in order to escape from floods.*

Reactions: Agree 1 | Informative 1


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## ArachnoDrew (Mar 17, 2017)

Awesome info I still wonder if he was drawn to something in the water . Or if it actually likes to naturally take the swim


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## soldierof4cheese (Mar 17, 2017)

Here is a link to the info, this website is full of great info and ideas. 

http://www.tropical-hobbies.com/vivariums-inverts-scorpions

Reactions: Agree 1


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## DubiaW (Mar 28, 2017)

I caught a _Veajovis_ sp. in a crawfish trap in a canal in Arizona. I thought that it must have been an accident. Later I tried to feed a _C. sculpturatus_ to a catfish. It crawled around holdihng onto a brick ancased in a thin layer of air for a week or more before I pulled it out alive. It may have had access to the bubbler. 

Could it possibly be hunting? Have you seen it take a fish yet? Have you tried killing a fish to see if it can find it underwater?


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## Collin Clary (Mar 28, 2017)

It is likely an adaptation to allow them to survive flooding. It has been documented that certain species can remain underwater for  a several days at a time. Comparatively, some species from very arid areas will actually drown in freestanding water.

And no, they do not hunt underwater. They are totally unsuited for the task.

I also want to point out (again) that just because they can survive and go underwater, that does not mean that you should keep them in a semi-aquatic enclosure. This is an extreme condition for them, not an ideal one.

Of course if you provide an enclosure that's mostly water it's going to go in it. It's likely searching for more suitable for a habitat.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Smokehound714 (Mar 29, 2017)

Alot of Heterometrus species live in regions where it can rain for several weeks at a time and only have access to burrows during the dry season. During the wet season they're mostly stuck on cliffs or trees and are forced into arboreal or lithophilous behavior.  One can actually find heterometrus in cracks and crevices in their native habitat

 A paludarium would be a good enclosure for heterometrus IMO so long as it has a dry shelter and plenty of walking room


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## Acro (Apr 16, 2017)

I started a thread back in 2012 that might be of interest:  http://arachnoboards.com/threads/aquatic-scorpion.232644/


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## Outpost31Survivor (Oct 7, 2019)

I have to bump up this 3 year old thread as it features two awesome Heterometrus videos.


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## Scorpionidad (Nov 20, 2019)

Very interesting and entertaining. Scorpions have openings called spiracles that can open and close. Some species can survive 20 minutes submerged. Very problematic as some insecticides are useless because of this "seal"(I would catch them and keep them. It's ok don't freak on me )


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## Poonjab (Dec 1, 2019)

Clearly you have a crayfish and not a scorpion haha


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