HOW TO HEAT A VAMPIRE CRAB PALUDARIUM
The best ways to heat a vampire crab tank
In this guide I explain the four most common ways you can heat your Vampire Crab paludarium this winter. While all three methods work well some are better than others and your current paludarium setup will determine which is the better option for you. Below are your target temperature ranges.
Water temperature: 22–25°C (71–78°F)
Air Temperature: 22–28°C (71–82°F)
Note: Overnight lows and daily highs are normal, so if your tank goes from 20–30c over a 24-hour period (slowly) that is perfectly fine. This is very similar to what happens in nature. Though you will need a heater for your tank during the colder months of the year. Also, soil temperature is more important than air temperature so if your air temps are a little low, check the soil temps using a thermometer and if they are within the correct ranges you don’t have to stress.
Aquarium (Aquatic) Heaters
These are the most common heaters on the market and also some of the cheapest. They are also the easiest to use and are reasonably energy efficient when compared to some of the other options on this list. Simply placing an aquatic heater in the water section of your Vampire Crab paludarium is usually enough to keep the entire tank at a nice stable temperature during the day and during the evening.
Aquatic heaters work best in tanks that have a full underlayer of water. Setups with clayball (leca) or filter foam substrates. However, you can also use them in other style systems as well.
The downside of Aquatic heaters is that they usually take up a fair bit of space and look quite ugly when they are visible. They almost always seem to come with super short cords as well so routing the cable can sometimes be a nightmare to get right especially if you don’t want to see cords.
Overall though if you’re new to Paludariums and Vampire crabs a small Nano Aquatic heater will work perfectly fine in just about any setup.
Heating the water section of a vampire crab tank
Heat Mats: My Preferred Option
The next most common method you can use to heat your Aquarium are heat mats. These come in a range of different sizes and variations and are the best option for people who don’t want to mess around with placing an aquatic heater outside. Simply stick one to the back or side of your tank where it won’t be visible then set the temperature you want and you’re done!
There are a few things you need to consider with heat mats though. The first is that you can’t place them underneath your tank, they need ventilation and room to breathe. Placing them under a tank or in a space without a gap will cause major issues.
🏷️ The Heat Mats I’m using Heat Mat
When purchasing a heat mat you don’t need to get something that covers the entire surface of the side or back of your tank. A small heater is capable of heating quite a large area. For example, I have a 30x30cm heat mat on the side of my 100x30x35cm Vampire Paludarium and it is enough to heat the entire tank perfectly. This also allows for a gradual heat gradient inside the tank so your crabs can move between warmer and cooler areas as they please.
heat mats to heat a vampire crab tank
As there are tons and tons of different heat mats on the market make sure you read the instructions on the one you purchase. Understanding how to safely use it is very important!
Heat Lamps: Not Common But an option
Heat lamps are the final option for heating your Vampire Crab paludarium and are the most difficult to work with. They are fairly cheap and reliable and create a ton of heat, however, they are also difficult to place nicely in a paludarium and will quite often dry out the atmosphere inside the tank which can cause issues for the crabs and particularly the moss and plants.
As a result, you will have to pay a lot of attention to placement and temperature. Unless you already have a heat lamp spare and don’t want to buy an aquatic heater or a heat mat I would avoid a heat lamp as your primary heating source.
TERRARIUM HEAT CABLES
While I haven’t personally used heat cables they are quite a popular option and I know a few other vampire crab and paludarium owners who do use them. They are very efficient but if something goes wrong with them it’s game over and you will have to strip the hole tank out to replace them. You will also need to make sure that you purchase one that is 100% waterproof and safe to use underwater. Other than that they are probably the most efficient option out of all the heating options.
Heating a paludarium using heat cables