My 55 gallon viquarium

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reptileguy2727

Not enough tanks, space, or time
Jan 15, 2006
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Northern Virginia
I used the old Tetra/SecondNature Water's Edge Viquarium kit. They don't even make it anymore, I have had this one for at least 8 years and had not had it setup for a few years. Lighting is one 4' fluorescent and one 30" fluorescent. There are four firebelly toads, 2 firebelly newts, 2 eastern newts, a bunch of guppies, and some small 'pest' snails from the plants. The plants include: anacharis, water wisteria (now growing out of the water too), lucky bamboo, pothos, english ivy, sandriana, java moss covering most of the gravel, and one unidentified house plant. I feed crickets for the toads and New Life Spectrum for the newts, fish, and snails. Look how dense that anacharis is.




 

Vicious_Fish

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Mar 6, 2007
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Seth
It looks real nice. Watch out with that ivy though, it's pretty toxic for some animal species. I'm not one for mixing herps, but whatever floats your boat.
 

reptileguy2727

Not enough tanks, space, or time
Jan 15, 2006
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Northern Virginia
The english ivy?

I have found that if selected carefully, all needs are met, and the enclosure is large enough and properly setup that mixing certain amphibians and reptiles is not an issue.
 

reptileguy2727

Not enough tanks, space, or time
Jan 15, 2006
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Northern Virginia
I will have to eventually, but it is a great setup for newts (their slender body and short limbs evolved for cramped, aquatic habitats with dense foliage) and the guppies like it too. It is a great shelter for their babies.
 

Vicious_Fish

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Mar 6, 2007
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The english ivy?

I think any species of true ivy is poisonous.
http://www.blankees.com/house/plants/e_ivy.htm

I have found that if selected carefully, all needs are met, and the enclosure is large enough and properly setup that mixing certain amphibians and reptiles is not an issue.
Yes, I agree that it can work in large settings like biotopes with similar species that come across each other in the wild.

I'd keep any eye on the toads. I've seen enough pet stores that have tanks containing both FBT's and FBN's. The thing is if you don't keep the toads well fed they bite the toes off the newts. And all 3 of these species give off toxins that permeate into the water. They are amphibians and I'm sure all those toxins are easily absorbed into their skin which can cause stress. Not to mention all 3 species fill about the same niche in the wild and probably look at each other as compaction for food and space. Just food for thought. :)
 

reptileguy2727

Not enough tanks, space, or time
Jan 15, 2006
1,799
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Northern Virginia
The problems with store tanks are they are baren, very overstocked, and the injuries actually usually occur at feeding time when newts happen to be out of the water when crickets are added. This is when the toads accidentally bite the newts while going for crickets on or next to the newt.

They do not constantly leak toxins, they keep them stored and quickly release them on to their skin when stressed. They are not constantly leaking them into the water column, poisoning the other tank inhabitants.
 
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