Converting a Betta Tank into a Tarantula Enclosure

Brian S · Dec 31, 2004

First off, Hats off to Mike H for this idea

My Indian Ornamental (P regalis) will be needing a bigger home after its next molt. Tonight I got the enclosure ready for that day.
I started out with a Betta Tank like Wal-Mart and pet stores have.

First of all I need to make some ventilation holes for the lid. I normally do this sort of thing with a soldering iron just melting holes in the plastic. Tonite however, my soldering iron quit working so I had to improvise by heating the end of a screwdriver with my torch.

This being the end result

Now you will be wondering why I am super glueing these clips to the side of the tank.

As you can see...they hold a rubber band which in turn holds the top down so the spider can't escape

Next I add some peat moss, part of a stick and hot glue a bottle lid for water and this is the end result.

Lochala · Dec 31, 2004

I love your ingenuity, Brian. Your pokie will love that tank.

Brian S · Jan 1, 2005

Lochala said:
I love your ingenuity, Brian. Your pokie will love that tank.

Thanks, Like I said though Mike H came up with the idea and I'm just copying it. I was bored so I took some pics to show everyone. It's not very pretty to look at but it should be functional

Kaulback · Jan 1, 2005

Why is the water on the outside? Or is it just for humidity?

cdxrd · Jan 1, 2005

I think its just the angle.. if you look carefully, the cap is inside the tank..

Nice enclosure. I thought about using a beta tank, but i never did it myself.. yet...they are cheap... and tall... and perfect for arboreal species... hmmmm...... Now all I need is an arboreal species..

Brian S · Jan 1, 2005

Kaulback said:
Why is the water on the outside? Or is it just for humidity?

Huh? :? The water is on the inside. What good would it do on the outside of the tank? :?

Kaulback · Jan 1, 2005

Brian S said:
Huh? :? The water is on the inside. What good would it do on the outside of the tank? :?

Oh ok it's attached to the wood...the way I was looking at it I thought the wood was behind it and it was attached to the glass on the outside. Lol, stupid. Great idea btw. Being a newb, for some reason especially with visualizing sizes, up to what size of a T would fit in that thing comfortably? 4"?

David Burns · Jan 1, 2005

It looks good. You might think about making an opening, in the top, big enough to drop crix through and then maybe use a cork or devise some way to attach a screw cap to close it up. Perhaps hot glueing the top of a pop bottle w/ a cap to the lid. If an arboreal bolts it usually runs up and this might make feeding easier.

Brian S · Jan 1, 2005

Kaulback said:
Oh ok it's attached to the wood...the way I was looking at it I thought the wood was behind it and it was attached to the glass on the outside. Lol, stupid. Great idea btw. Being a newb, for some reason especially with visualizing sizes, up to what size of a T would fit in that thing comfortably? 4"?

lol!!! It is an optical illusion

Anyway, one up to around 4 inches could live in this I would say.

Brian S · Jan 1, 2005

David Burns said:
It looks good. You might think about making an opening, in the top, big enough to drop crix through and then maybe use a cork or devise some way to attach a screw cap to close it up. Perhaps hot glueing the top of a pop bottle w/ a cap to the lid. If an arboreal bolts it usually runs up and this might make feeding easier.

David, we must be reading each other's minds

I was just thinking of doing something like this :clap:

David Burns · Jan 1, 2005

Brian S said:
David, we must be reading each other's minds
I was just thinking of doing something like this :clap:

Great minds think alike.

pandinus · Jan 1, 2005

i may be the only one who does tis, but i dont burn holes. i always drill them. this way, i can control the size of the holes. i even went so far as to by a special glass cutting drill bit. is there something im missing, or is it just preference?

Kaulback · Jan 1, 2005

pandinus said:
i may be the only one who does tis, but i dont burn holes. i always drill them. this way, i can control the size of the holes. i even went so far as to by a special glass cutting drill bit. is there something im missing, or is it just preference?

I think some glass can't be drilled, even with glass drill bits...maybe people just don't want to risk it not knowing the type of glass they have? As for the plastic containers I hardly see what could be bad about drilling.

Freddie · Jan 1, 2005

Idea is good

I use coffee pots for juvie arboreals...

I hope it will work well.

OT: is someone really keeping bettas in those?

Israel2004 · Jan 1, 2005

Kaulback said:
I think some glass can't be drilled, even with glass drill bits...maybe people just don't want to risk it not knowing the type of glass they have? As for the plastic containers I hardly see what could be bad about drilling.

Your right about not being able to drill some types of glass, but almost all if not all fish tanks are plate glass which can be drilled. Tempered glass if the glass that can't be drilled. That shatters into little chucks when broken.

Scylla · Jan 1, 2005

I've been using the larger betta tanks for my slings, and the small desktop aquariums for my juvies. I do pretty much the same thing, but I like your idea with the rubberband! I've been using tape, and taping one side to act as a hinge and the other side as a latch to keep it closed.

I really like the idea about using the bottle top to make a feeding chute, but I think an arboreal species will probably web it up and use it as part of it's hide! I'm going to try it though.

Kaulback · Jan 1, 2005

Israel2004 said:
Your right about not being able to drill some types of glass, but almost all if not all fish tanks are plate glass which can be drilled. Tempered glass if the glass that can't be drilled. That shatters into little chucks when broken.

I just took a 75 gallon aquarium back to the store that was tempered glass...so don't assume anybody and ruin your aquarium/glass thing!

MrsT · Jan 1, 2005

I love it Brian, cool job,

shogun804 · Jan 1, 2005

thats a quality set up brian :clap:

brachymad · Jan 1, 2005

Very simlar Idea to yours . Thos one is made out of a spagetti storage container . The bit on the site is there as I was having problems getting the lid off to feed (Regalis all over it ) so I just put crix in the little pot and they all file through into the large home like little lemmings.

Converting a Betta Tank into a Tarantula Enclosure

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