Hi folks! New here and im sure this has been asked before, but I need ideas... So I am building a paludarium. The plan is as follows= 1 water feature, 1 standing pool of water and roughly 3.5+ sq feet of solid ground. Plan to use 100gal tank ,350+ gph canister filter, automatic mist/fogging system, timer, thermostat, fans (if needed) and the best lighting money can buy. Money is no option. I can provide any further data that is required. The idea is to maximize the utility of a paludarium by having living plants (above and below water) and living animals which will utilize arboreal, aquatic and terrestrial landscapes. Co-habitation (while risky) could potentially be utilized. Now all that being said, just looking for ideas. I will not even approach a living animal until hours of study have been incorporated. any ideas for ? really want to do this pretty trick as its for my business. currently assessing chineese croc lizard, various gecko types with various hardy fish types, axolotls, archer fish with a breeding food supply and frogs.
looking for ideas.....
- Thread starter caliguy
- Start date
I've personally always wanted to do a large setup for African Reed Frogs. Your best bet will be to figure out which critter(s) you want the most, design the tank around them, and then see what(if anything) will coexist.
I agree with you on that. If you build for a specific ecozone, your limited those the animals that exist and thrice in that ecology.
That is why I am hoping for fauna inspiration. I like the reed frog idea, dont get me wrong, but i was really expecting to get a stream of ideas, lol.
And as far as critters i want... well, hah, lets just say there is just not enough time in the day to list them all!
I am really hoping to hear what other people have thought of, or have done (successfully) and go from their.
I currently have firebelly toads, anoles, house geckos, day geckos, tegus (Argentine) black/green/blue tree monitors, goats, dogs, cats, sheep, perakeets, ducks, geese, chickens, pot bellied pigs a salt water reef tank and 3 fresh water planted tanks and a beta in a fish bowl!
My wife is a veterinarian and rescues every homeless animal she runs into... Don't judge! lol.
So ya, looking for exciting ideas...... anyone?
That is why I am hoping for fauna inspiration. I like the reed frog idea, dont get me wrong, but i was really expecting to get a stream of ideas, lol.
And as far as critters i want... well, hah, lets just say there is just not enough time in the day to list them all!
I am really hoping to hear what other people have thought of, or have done (successfully) and go from their.
I currently have firebelly toads, anoles, house geckos, day geckos, tegus (Argentine) black/green/blue tree monitors, goats, dogs, cats, sheep, perakeets, ducks, geese, chickens, pot bellied pigs a salt water reef tank and 3 fresh water planted tanks and a beta in a fish bowl!
My wife is a veterinarian and rescues every homeless animal she runs into... Don't judge! lol.
So ya, looking for exciting ideas...... anyone?
the problem is that most of the small inhabitants that are good for tropical paludariums are either territorial and dangerous to others, or defenseless.
you could have frogs with fish, but the fish will likely eat the eggs or tadpoles, and deep water can lead to drowning for some frogs.
You could keep crabs, but they'll hunt almost anything else smaller than them in the tank.
There are also vegetarian species that won't pose a threat to others, but many of them would eat your plants. Such as Vietnamese walking sticks.
I've daydreamed about keeping neon day geckos, since they are primarily vegetarian but like fruit more than leaves. I think these could be kept along with fish and aquatic inverts but haven't done the research.
One species I've found to be great in paludariums, giving only benefit is the Nerite snail. They will travel out of the water to graze and explore, without eating the plants, attacking my crabs, or being attacked by my crabs.
The other thing to consider is poop. My crabs pick at the plants a little bit, not enough to really kill anything they aren't trying to kill for architectural reasons, but their feces browns a lot of leaves where they sit and travel. You can't always have the entirely green lush environment with an animal that is in a constant state of pooping.
you could have frogs with fish, but the fish will likely eat the eggs or tadpoles, and deep water can lead to drowning for some frogs.
You could keep crabs, but they'll hunt almost anything else smaller than them in the tank.
There are also vegetarian species that won't pose a threat to others, but many of them would eat your plants. Such as Vietnamese walking sticks.
I've daydreamed about keeping neon day geckos, since they are primarily vegetarian but like fruit more than leaves. I think these could be kept along with fish and aquatic inverts but haven't done the research.
One species I've found to be great in paludariums, giving only benefit is the Nerite snail. They will travel out of the water to graze and explore, without eating the plants, attacking my crabs, or being attacked by my crabs.
The other thing to consider is poop. My crabs pick at the plants a little bit, not enough to really kill anything they aren't trying to kill for architectural reasons, but their feces browns a lot of leaves where they sit and travel. You can't always have the entirely green lush environment with an animal that is in a constant state of pooping.
For aquatic critters you could maybe try an archer fish, african butterfly fish, or gouramis. From there just find any land dwellers that coexsist on the land above those fish. Or if you want to start from the top down you could try chameleons, tree frogs( plenty to choose from), or a small- medium sized snake.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
Sent from my SGH-T989 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
You could choose a terrestrial or semiaquatic critter you really like and base the setup around them, then choose a small fish or invertebrate that reproduces quickly and cannot harm the primary inhabitant. You could have dwarf shrimp or endlers that would possibly be eaten but will still be able to reproduce quickly or hide.
