Using real plants?

[abacabb]

My gf said she read something online that states that using real plants in the vivarium is bad for the frogs because it causes a lot of bacteria to grow and makes the frogs sick.

Is this true? Did they take into consideration that maybe we are adding plants that are native to the frog's natural surroundings? I read online that using real plants was good because they recycle the frog waste and help create a mini ecosystem.

any ideas?



FYI I have 3 red eye tree frogs and 1 tiger leg in the vivarium.

[Tropicok]

Frog keepers use both live and artificial plants in their set-ups. Have your gf find the article she read and then get the true facts. There is good bacteria and bad bacteria, there is good mold and bad mold, there is good water and bad water. Read all the articles posted on forums such as this one and ask questions. Unless some one is experienced in keeping frogs (or other kinds of critters) do not act on that information. Use it only as a source for research and debate.

[Socrates]

A point to remember is that bacteria is EVERYWHERE! haha. Plus having bacteria and other microorganisms are beneficial to a healthy terrarium/vivarium. This is because these microbes help cycle the soil, which prevents/hinders the growth of potential pathogens and helps the plants grow healthy and strong. Plus live plants help increase humidity via transpiration as well as filtering the air by removing excess CO2, which can be toxic at high enough levels. Likewise, this decrease in CO2 will help prevent stagnant air from forming, which can make a nice growing environment for opportunistic microbes/pathogens.

[Kurt]

FYI I have 3 red eye tree frogs and 1 tiger leg in the vivarium.

Also its not a good idea to mix species, if that tiger leg is a Kassina maculata.