Is there a spider that can cohabitate with a desert hairy scorpion and beetles?

[Temjeito]

I am planning a desert invert tank and right now I’m thinking a desert hairy scorpion, blue death feigning beetles, a few other species of desert beetles, and maybe some velvet ants. I’d love to include a spider, but can’t find any info about what desert species, if any, could safely cohabitate with these guys. Would love to hear your thoughts/suggestions!

 

[DreadMan]

Depending on the size of the tank, you could put a six eyed sand spider or a wolf spider or even a black widow. The only problem with communal tanks like those is they have to be MASSIVE to work. Currently the closest thing I have to that is a temperate forest environment which I keep in a 13 gallon tote bin. The only reason it works is because the species in there are small, and most of them are herbivores. I do keep a few wolf spiders and centipedes, but hide and dig underground for the most part. The major difference of what you are asking and mine is that mine is mostly self sustaining because of the live plants in there. I am guessing your tank is not going to be self sustaining, and you don´t want your bugs to be eating each other. Desert species (especially hairy scorps) tend to move around a lot at night. with a 13 gallon tank like mine there would be a 100 percent chance of them bumping into each other. For something like what you are asking would take at minimum of 100 gallons, and it would HAVE to be glass tank. As for cohabiting, no confrontation between a scorpion a spider will go well, which is why you will need a big tank. If you are perfectly fine with buying a 150-200 gallon tank, then getting a desert blonde or camel spider would be somewhat safe. As for beetles, you should be fine. I will soon make a thread on making self sustaining ecosystems, so you might wanna tune into that.

 

[Temjeito]

Hey, thanks for the detailed response! I’m inheriting a 20gallon tank, so I’m moving my blue death feigning beetles from their current ten gallon and adding more critters. Sounds like I should leave spiders out of it. Maybe I’ll set something up in the 10 gallon.
I’ll look out for your thread on self sustaining systems that sounds really interesting.

 

[chanda]

I have Steatoda grossa that cohabit with my hairy desert scorpion and death feigning beetles. It wasn't on purpose. The Steatoda have made themselves at home in my bug room, and frequently infiltrate tanks as slings, then grow up fat and healthy on a diet of poached feeders. They don't seem to bother each other - the Steatoda have a corner at the top of the tank and the underside of a bark slab hide, while the scorpion prefers to dig her own burrow in the sand. (Of course, I also don't really care if the spider gets eaten - an attitude you might not share, if the spider in question were an actual pet and not just a freeloader.)

 

[Edan bandoot]

Orb weavers

 

[DreadMan]

Hey, thanks for the detailed response! I’m inheriting a 20gallon tank, so I’m moving my blue death feigning beetles from their current ten gallon and adding more critters. Sounds like I should leave spiders out of it. Maybe I’ll set something up in the 10 gallon.
I’ll look out for your thread on self sustaining systems that sounds really interesting.

Sounds good! As long as you only have one large predator, everything should work out. Make sure to take out the scorpion when its molting, because the beetles will attack and possibly kill it.