Vivarium care and cleaning question

smaug · #1 (**permalink**) 06-14-2008, 05:12 PM

Now that I have a vivarium,the question arises for me how do I maintain it.it has a false bottom with 2.5" of water circulated by a small pump through a watercourse and into a small pool.It will be home to 2 frogs and it will be planted as heavily as I can get away with [alot].Can you all give me some heads ups about what to keep my eyes open for for cleanliness issues?Thank in advance.

Jason · #2 (**permalink**) 06-14-2008, 08:00 PM

If you dont have a Heavy misting system get a hand held garden sprayer, home deopt has one that holds a gallon of water and can hand pump air into it for like 7 bucks, and blast the poop off the plants and into the soil to break it up. if you keep the water soft you can avoid spots on the glass. other then that Viv cleaning is no easy task if you let it get outta hand, i blast and polish the plants every day and check for new mold breakouts

Rainfrog · #3 (**permalink**) 06-16-2008, 05:57 AM

what sort of frogs?

smaug · #4 (**permalink**) 06-16-2008, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rainfrog

what sort of frogs?

tree frogs of some small sort,2 I would think.I dont have any yet,i do have some pics posted in the frogs section of 2 I would lke to get though.The pS calls them fancy tree frogs,I know ,I know

more specific would be better!

Green Ghost · #5 (**permalink**) 06-16-2008, 10:08 PM

Tiger Leg?

smaug · #6 (**permalink**) 06-16-2008, 11:55 PM

Thats it!Tiger legs and clown tree frogs,you guys are wonderful.So,what do you all think,Ive done some reading tonight about clowns and I have since looked over tiger legs as well.My tank suits there needs and although I know its not looked upon as the best practice,would these 2 be a good choice for me if my viv meets there requirements?Any special requirements that you all know about that could help me with my decision?

Green Ghost · #7 (**permalink**) 06-17-2008, 09:11 PM

Next question I would ask you is have you ever kept either of those species before?

Green Ghost · #8 (**permalink**) 06-17-2008, 09:22 PM

I'm not really against keeping a mixed species tank but really only if you know exactly what you're doing.

I have two mixed tanks which are my showtanks in my dining room. (My other tanks hold only individual species) The thing is I kept each species of frog in the mixed setup individually for, hmmmm, at least 2 years before I tried mixing. Personally I really like this hobby and I tried to mix species with as much knowledge beforehand as possible.

I picked up crickets and silkworms at the LPS today and I saw two dead (and rotting!!) water dragons in one of thier tanks. I just think it sucks to see your pets die due to inexperience or lack of knowledge.

smaug · #9 (**permalink**) 06-17-2008, 09:39 PM

No I haven't,thus the questions

I am an experienced pet owner with many years experience in fw planted tank aquariums,we have had fbt for about 6months now and I have done as much research as I can about living vivariums in the past few months.I am an avid researcher when it comes to keeping animals of all sorts.My question to the forum was for information that I have not gotten yet.There is only so much to be learned looking species up on the net.I am here to learn from my peers.So,is there anything special I need to know about these particular frogs,things learned from actual keeping experience of clowns and tiger legs?I am very much at a loss for lps in my area that keep tree frogs of any type,these 2 are available to me,are they a good choice for a vivarium keeper that is willing to do the work?

Green Ghost · #10 (**permalink**) 06-17-2008, 10:02 PM

Well let me say beforehand since you haven't kept either of these species on thier own individually I wouldn't recommend starting a mixed viv with them.

I'd have many many really logical reasons for saying that but I digress

My word to the wise is to keep them individually for a little while. Personally there is no way I would introduce a new frog into an established tank (meaning any frog including adding a new GTF to a GTF only tank for example) because from experience I know they need to be quarantined for at aleast 60 days. New frogs have to be dewormed and treated for chytrid.

I have no previous experience with clowns so I can't help you there. Tiger legs have similar care to RETF's. Again it's really important to know how each species behaves individually and on thier own before mixing them. You won't see the warning signs the frogs are sending unless you know what to look for.

If you want to be really wreckless

and just throw them in together and see what happens then don't expect too much. Not really the way I would do it, though. That's my take on it...

You could try your best to match the recommended temps and humidity levels then see if they can survive together.

Any help I can give, I'll try.