The starting of my Tomato Frog Vivarium Build

[Poly]

Hey Guys!

Over the next few months, I will be building a Tomato Frog vivarium. (Was going to get a Pacman, but decided a Tomato better suited me )

I want it to be as close to it's rain forest habitat as possible. I will be using a 20 or 30 gallon long.

I am going to use a mixture of soil and wood fibre (it's like a REALLY soft, wet wood fibre) for substrate.

For plants I wanted to to use climbing/crawling large leaf vines like "Creeping Fig", "Variegated Creeping Fig", "Miniature Peperomia" and finally, which I think would look great, a couple Nerve Plants. I think the bright red, large leaves and low, large ground cover would attract the tomato to the Nerve plant!

I also wanted to use some Bromeliads, and the small ones with broad, large leaves, I was thinking of the following five: Vriesea rodigasiana, Neoregelia 'Fireball', Neoregelia 'Lilipet x Fireball', Neoregelia 'Mosquito', and lastly, which I think would work great with a heigth of 4" and a width of 7" the Vriesea racinae.

Not sure which of the above I want, but I am leaning toward one Vriesea racinae and one Vriesea rodigasiana, because both are short, and cover a large diameter.

I will be ordering my plants from here: www.hawaiianbotanicals.com

Anyone have experience ordering from them?

I was also thinking of giving it an aquatic set-up, maybe 1/4 of the tank devoted to water, not sure how to go about it though for a Tomato frog...?

And after what happened to one of my toads, I'm not so sure moss is a good idea either...?

I'm also wondering... will any of the Broms last with the burrowing that Tomatos do?

Thanks Guys,

Really excited about this, it's going to be my first, "real" vivarium build!

~Royce

P.S. So far I have one, wild, climbing vine plant... I know it's not much, but it's a start!

[Poly]

I have been doing more research, trying to find videos of Tomato frog enclosures, the ones I have found so far are pretty bare, some soil or coco-fibre, a few hiding places, and that's it, nothing like the rain forest habitat they come from!

Found this one video though of a Tomato frog set-up, that is 1/3 aquatic, would this be a good set-up for a tomato (minus the almost 4" of water, that the frog flipped over in and + maybe 2-3" max?)
To see the water area, fast foward to 4:48.

I am considering a 1/3 aquatic setup for my (to come) tomato, but wondering if I can do it without using a pesky aquarium filter...?

Wonder how to clean it? I guess I could "aquarium vacuum" the water out of it. How long will the water last in the tank without being filtered?

~Royce

[Poly]

Okay, so I'm looking at a 55 Gallon tank for a lot more room for the tomato(s), here is the guys ad:

I have a 55 gallon aquarium for sale. It comes with rocks, plants, filter, carbon for filter, food, air pump, and a giant catle that covers one third of the tank. I also have a pump that hooks up to your tap to clean the bottom of the tank, its about 25 feet long. I am asking 300 or best offer.

I think his price is a bit high, so I offered him 100$ with just the cleaning hose, hood and lights. He said he's going to leave the ad up for another two days, and if he can't get someone to buy it, he'll accept my offer. Does that sound like a good price for that tank?

I think the tomato's would enjoy a bigger tank, plus it would allow A LOT more room for me to plant the Broms and vines.

~Royce

[Badger]

I think that is a reasonable price, considering petco sells em for 150 new without anything other than the tank and screen top. I think it's gonna turn out great, good luck!

[Poly]

TANK UPDATE:

Okay, so I found another tank, he wants 175$ for it, but he will deliver it to my home for 200$. It's a 55 Gallon, comes with twin double light hoods, etc. etc.

Good price?

[Heatheranne]

For stand, tank, hoods? I think it sounds like a good deal .

Even with the dollar per gallon sale at Petco, I've spent $55 tank, $139 stand, $20 or $25 (can't remember). And I don't have my hood yet.

Can't wait to see it all set up !

[Poly]

Haha well I'm going to buy it if I can get the money!

[Heatheranne]

Awesome! I'll cross my fingers for you!

[Badger]

I'd offer 150 for it, but either way it's a good deal. nice find!

[coffeebaron]

Hey Poly, I'm currently starting a viv build, for a single false tomtato frog and a seperate on for some FBT's. I'm using a 6 gallon faunarium for the FTF, and i'm planning on going with a self contained body of water, as like you I don't wish to make this too akin to keeping fish. I figure a shallow tub of de-chlorinated water changed each day should suffice,and with some careful planning should be able to be intergrated into the natural looks of the viv. I'll post some pics once I'm done

[Poly]

I'd offer 150 for it, but either way it's a good deal. nice find!

Well, I'm paying 175$ for everything, then another 25$ for the 110km delivery.

Hey Poly, I'm currently starting a viv build, for a single false tomtato frog and a seperate on for some FBT's. I'm using a 6 gallon faunarium for the FTF, and i'm planning on going with a self contained body of water, as like you I don't wish to make this too akin to keeping fish. I figure a shallow tub of de-chlorinated water changed each day should suffice,and with some careful planning should be able to be intergrated into the natural looks of the viv. I'll post some pics once I'm done

A shallow tub is great, but I wanted to actually make a 70-30 tank. Of which, 30% would be water, held by the actual tank, not a water dish.

[Poly]

Plant Update:

I recently got my crawling ground cover plants in, but since I don't have the 55 gallon yet (thought I would by now) I have no where to plant them!?

I have no suitable containers to plant the ground cover plants in, and I will have to wait at least a week for the aquarium, is their any way to keep them alive without planting them?

I was thinking of washing off their roots, and placing them on damp cardboard in a sunny location outside/inside?

I know this is FrogForum and not PlantFourm, but hopefully, someone's got an idea.

Thanks,

~Royce

Here are the plants:

[Lady medusa]

Hey in my mind frogs n plants go hand n hand! Keep em coming.

How do u post pics w ur post? I know its off subject but i havent figured it out yet.

[Badger]

Hey in my mind frogs n plants go hand n hand! Keep em coming.

How do u post pics w ur post? I know its off subject but i havent figured it out yet.

When posting there is a image icon next to the video and link icons on the toolbar, click this and then select the files/enter the URL then upload/hit ok.

[Poly]

When posting there is a image icon next to the video and link icons on the toolbar, click this and then select the files/enter the URL then upload/hit ok.

No Dalton, that's not how I do it.

Hey in my mind frogs n plants go hand n hand! Keep em coming.

How do u post pics w ur post? I know its off subject but i havent figured it out yet.

All you have to do, is upload any photo you want to use to "PhotoBucket" (Just create an account on the site, and your ready to go, it has REALLY fast upload speeds, especially if you use the "Bulk Uploader"), then copy the "IMG" code from the image, paste it to the thread/reply your making, and when you hit preview/post it shows up as an image, it's really simple.

[Badger]

Sorry,I only tried to help

[Poly]

Sorry,I only tried to help

lol When I think about it, the way you do it, and the way I do it are the same, instead though of you actually inserting the images "IMG" link, you just insert it's URL link, do you upload your photos using FF uploader, or do you use another site?

[Badger]

Either FF uploader of Photobucket like you. Photobucket for lots of pics, FF for a few.

[Poly]

Cash Update:

Whoo! Selling one of my atvs today! Wish me luck!

[Poly]

Okay, so after doing some more research, I found a few videos like this:



That tank apperas to have a rock-type backround? Any idea what it was made of (It's black, so I can't see it being "Great Stuff")? Would this type of backround work for tomato frogs?

Thanks,

~Royce