thinking of doing a sweet emp setup

[JungleGuts]

once my currrent emp dies(which im not expecting or hoping for anytime soon) I want to make a really sweet set up for a small emp community. Whats an ideal number of emps for a 20gallon long? Im planing on doing a false bottom setup and some deep coco fiber to allow for burrowing and such. Along with plants and decor. Any suggestions to make it sweet?

 

[intrinsic_scorp]

Wahoo!

Nice, Emperor communities are fun! My current setup is a 20 gallon long tank. Man I wish I had a digital camera around here; I would take you some pictures of it.

I use a 20L undergravel filter. First, that was placed on the bottom, with both tubes attached to provide moisture from the ground up. Next, I did a 1-inch layer of aquarium gravel. Followed the gravel with 1/2 inch of Jungle Substrate (from the pet store), then a healthy 3-4 inchs of coconut fiber.

I stress the importance of using coconut fiber. I have tried other types of substrate, but nothing beats it. Coconut fiber holds an amazing amount of moisture for a LONG period of time. You can buy it in dry brick form. For my current setup (20L long), it took 3 and 1/2 bricks to get the desired depth.

I put some tiny fake plants surrounded by polished rocks (nice touch). I put a long hollow log with fake plants coming out of it. One Hubba Hut on the right side.

Inside the tank in the back-middle I put a Hygrometer (which reads anywhere from 80-90% ALL of the time). On the left and right, inside of the tank, I put a thermometer to provide a temperature gradient. On the far right, the scorpions get about 88 degrees. On the far left, they get about 75 degrees.

A 5.5" clamp lamp with a 50W bulb hanging about 2-inches from the surface of the screen at a 45-degree angle to it, provides the temperature I described, above. This light is left on 24-hours a day and does not dry the substrate, even if I leave for the weekend. Half the screen is covered with plastic to hold in the moisture.

Now for the best and final part. Something of great importance that I wish I would have done, originally (and will still do as soon as I get the time). I built an artificial burrow for the Emps. This was done with 3 FloraCraft, Styrofoam GentleGrip blocks that I carved out. I carved them out so you can see the inside of the burrow once they are pressed against the glass. They work amazing and you can place a black light facing the burrow to check out the scorps while they are hiding. Above the entrance I put one of those Exo-Terra fake reptile caves. ONE PROBLEM: my male scorp claimed the burrow first. My female tried to get in their twice. The first time she was chased out. The second time she was dragged in backwards by her leg and tail, and I had to poke him so he would let her go. He STINGS to protect that burrow of his. Any object inserted into it will receive nice thwacks (provided the ceiling is high enough in the area of the burrow he is being prodded). So, she is evicted to the surface. Obviously, I will make her a burrow of her own in the near future.

Anyway, if you have read this far then you must not find my description too boring. If you have any questions or need more suggestions let me know. I will try and acquire a camera to post some pictures in this forum.

Good luck,
Luke

 

[JungleGuts]

sounds like a nice setup i wish i could see some pics. Yea i agree cocofiber is the best for emps, ive used jungle earth i think it was called but dosnt compare. So what do you think is a good number of emps for a 20g long? how many do you have in yours?

 

[Evil Juggalo]

Here is mine.. Pretty big tank.. Not sure of size.. Takes 3 bricks to till with 3" of soil..

Have 2 vine plants burried in dirt, fogger, 2 houses, water dish, daylight cycles and a moonlight cycle, Flatrocks, and a 100w clamp bulb suspended about 5 inches over top, The lid leans on the light and a towel covers thetop all around forming a tent.. Kepes it at about 88-102F, 65-90% humidity...

At night the Burried heat rock and heat pad keep the tank at a comfy 79F flat @ 40% humidity..

I pretty happy with my setup.. Need more scorps tho.. Thinking of seeing if my friend at petco can get me like 10 more for 20$..

But I think my GF would either kick me out or move out if i did that.. I already have a monster ;P

 

[Thaedion]

A general rule of thumb for emperors is 1 emp per 5 gal that is what I read. I've also read of forum members putting more in a 20L. I have 4 in my 20L and they all seem fine but they tend to congregate in the space of 3 gal, they all occupy 1 hide. So I am going to purchase at least 6 more and introduce them to this set up, and that'll be ≈ 1 emp per 2 gal. Just make sure to have enough hides to allow all their own space, (8 emps 8 hides ...)

Thaedion

 

[jeroenkooijman]

I have a setup of 1 by 1 metres, containing at this moment 7 emps.
More emps will follow.

I use coco peat for substrate and have decorated it with wood and bark.
It is great to have a large communal setup with emps.

 

[orkimedies]

i keep a main communal tank which is 50 gallons and has 11 hides as well as tunnel networks that the emperors themselves have dug out, currently i have 4 emperors in there and they usually all share the same burrow and if one leaves for a new burrow shortly after the others will follow in train(wierd huh?)

i have kept other species of scorpions in there as well from time to time with out incident, and within the next few days i will be introducing a group of 5 emperors to my exsisting emperors once i clean the substrate.

i use peat moss of varying depths for my substrate in places it is up to 7 inches deep (which the scorps love for digging) and a false bottom set up.

 

[P.jasonius]

So the peat holds burrow structure pretty well? I've always used coconut fiber, and the burrows don't seem to last. I'd like to have a tunnel network, and have considered constructing one in some form, against the glass so I can observe them.
I have a 40gal long, BTW, 3 emps and 1 red claw.
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Hey juggalo, I'm in Arlington too. What petco are you talking about?

 

[JungleGuts]

So the peat holds burrow structure pretty well? I've always used coconut fiber, and the burrows don't seem to last. I'd like to have a tunnel network, and have considered constructing one in some form, against the glass so I can observe them.
I have a 40gal long, BTW, 3 emps and 1 red claw.
-
Hey juggalo, I'm in Arlington too. What petco are you talking about?

the redclaw dosnt get agressive with the emps?, it didnt work out when i tried.

 

[P.jasonius]

the redclaw dosnt get agressive with the emps?, it didnt work out when i tried.

No; the only time I had problems was with a female (red claw). I separated her into a KK. They all lay on top of each other just like the emps do, I haven't seen any battles, or evidence of any. There were two P. cavimanus in there at one point, but one died of unknown causes. He was quite large as red claws go, so the death was from old age, presumably. I'm not ruling out the possibility of stress caused by the mixed community, but since there were minimal, if any, confrontations, it's not likely. I was running the humidity a bit low for a while, around 50-60, as I was having problems with the humidifier I built, and could have dried out his lungs. Problem is fixed now, though.

 

[Duc de Blangis]

i've been keeping two emperors on dry peat with just a water dish and one hide in a large kritter keeper at room temperature for a year and a half now and both seem healthy.

 

[Crono]

i've been keeping two emperors on dry peat with just a water dish and one hide in a large kritter keeper at room temperature for a year and a half now and both seem healthy.

Definitely not recommended or ideal, but if it works for you...

 

[Duc de Blangis]

yea i know. i had them moist for a while and they got mites. i've had them dry ever since. i'm going to try again with a false bottom setup soon.