Need help re-doing our FBT tank. Newbie here!

[jajeesh]

Hello. We inherited 3 fire bellies a few months ago that we created a home for in a 10 gallon tank in my daughter's room. They are named after SF Giants....Timmy, Pablo & Buster....based on the lovely orange and black bellies! The woman we adopted them from thru Freecycle, simply handed us a plastic box with the 3 lil' guys and told us to give them a tank with a little bit of water and feed them crickets from the feed store. They've done very well in the environment we created but amateurs that we are, we didn't do it right. One of the 3 whom we think was a girl, Timmy, managed to escape without our knowledge. We found her a few days later deceased. Lesson learned about watching for gaps after feeding and checking that everyone is present daily. Anyways, the other 2 were so sad they stopped singing. We decided to get them a new girl but since it is so hard to figure out the FBT's sex, we opted to take 2 based on what little we could figure out from the net. They are Willie Mays and Wilson. Thus came mistake number 2....we now have 4 froggies in a 10 gallon which I now read is not recommended. Well they are all ok with the crowd apparently and the singing has begun again. After purchasing the other two at a nearby pet store we noted the environment they came from is much different than the one we have. We need to incorporate more water rather than a plastic pool of water 2 inches deep! They have rocks to climb on and hiding places, but I'm sure they would be happier in a more red bellied toady-like environment. I have looked at images and videos on the net and see that we should have at least 1/4th of the tank with water and rocks giving them some dry land areas. I know they would not live in an environment like our gold fish, but wondered if anyone can give us more advice on this. i.e.. Where to get and what kind of rocks and plants? Where do you find rocks that I see in some of those images? What kind of plants? The kind that live in water only or dry land only? I assume the place we bought them would have some of this stuff but they already mis-sold us on a warming bulb that makes the tank much too hot. After 15 minutes they all ran for cover! I do not trust the store's advice! Also, what kind of filter should I consider for the water? In our fish tank we also placed nylon stockings filled with coral to keep the water condition healthy for the fish. Does that work for these guys? Lastly, where is the best place on the net to find this stuff? The store we got the new guys from is far and I'm really mad that they won't take back the bulb based on their bad advice!

Sorry for the long post and thanks for your help!!
Jacquie

[Odica]

Can I see pics of the toads

[s6t6nic6l]

without giving an extensive answer to your queries by anyone here, it will be well worth your while spending some time going thru the bombina part of the forum you're on now and you will get a vast amount of ideas for your setup and all relevant posers set by you answered duly.

good luck with the husbandry.

[jajeesh]

That's my problem...having read many suggestions to proper tank set up here and on other forums, I am quite confused. I need a list of goods to get me started. What kind of rocks? What kind of filter? what kind of plants? Our current set up allowed one to escape though I'm not sure how. How do I make the water deep enough and yet allow land for them that is not lifting them so close to the escape hatch? These are my basic questions. The Pet Club is a far distance to travel without a list.

[BigBlue83]

hello. sorry to hear about your frog that got away. I have three firebelly toads, one of them Urlacher (mine are named after the Chicago bears. lol Urlacher, Hester, and Forte) as i was saying urlacher got out, i dont know at what time if night, but when i woke up the next morning i came out of the bath room and he was on the floor in front of the door. he was wrapped up in cat hair and dry as a bone and lifeless. i cleaned him off of the hair and put him to soak in a carrier container with water. after taking some other steps and caring for him he pulled through and still lives to this day. (that was about a month ago)
as far as filters go i dont like them. i dont trust them. a frogs water is VERY important! In my case i used a piece of plexiglass that i cut into a divider, so i have half land half water (although its more like 60/40) i use a transfer pump to pump 95% to all of the water out and refill every couple days... thats just me though im sure someone else will comment on filter.

as for the rocks, i used a bag of turtle rocks. thats exactly what the bag said turtle rocks. they are small but not small enough that the frogs could swallow them while eating a cricket.

as for light, i may get crucified for this but i dont use one, nor do i heat my tank. i mist it every day or two. when i first got urlacher, he had a light and it was too bright he stayed in the corner under a plant and would not move! the light was too bright. then i got the second frog about five months later. they were in a plastic funny shapped like 5 gallon tank, with a aquarium lid. then they got upgraded to a twenty gallon the one i previously told you about with the turtle rocks. they have been in there for over a month with no light or heat and have been fine.

also as youve learned dont take the advice of pet stores too truly. Ive discovered that one as well...

i hope i helped a little.

[jajeesh]

Thanks Big Blue. Very helpful. Gives me ideas of what we need to change our tank. At least this gives me a starter list. Love that you have Chicago Bears frogs. You made me wonder if our escapee might've been alive when we found her, but she was pretty stiff and not moving. There was no hope. If we'd known she was out, we'd have left her a bowl of water to attract her back to the tank. I have no idea how long these guys can live without water. She was only a few feet from the tank when we found her. My son said he heard a lot of extra chirping the night before. Makes me so sad!

Anyway, when you put in the plexiglass what did you do to seal it in place? I'm wondering if there's an easier way. I do not have the tools to cut any plexiglass but wonder if there's something I can buy fitted or go to a Home Depot to ask them to cut to size. I assume you used some kind of fish tank sealant to secure the water out of the dry side? Was also thinking perhaps I could find some high piled rock structure then just fill the water to below the level of the structure. Then I wouldn't need to do anything that involves tools or glue. Problem there, I wonder, is the algae build up from anything that sits in the water. I'd have a lot more regular work just to keep it clean!

Anyone else with suggestions for how to do this is most appreciated!

Thanks again for your input!

[BigBlue83]

no problem, its a little upsetting when you have a forum like this and post a question or concern and nobody responds....
as far as the plexi glass goes, the home depot i went to in CT. wouldnt gut it. however i didnt use any special tool to cut the piece i got. i scored it with a razor blade then just snapped it. however my method of set up does require a way to get the water out and refill. thats why i use a transfer pump. i bought it at the automotive store (they sell them other places as well) it has two hoses that meet at a cylinder with a hand pump. one hose sucks the fluid (in this case water) up the other hose spits it out. cost like 8 bucks. before i upgraded to the twenty gallon i told you about, i simply had a water dish from the pet shop. i would change the water every day. not sure how much you know, but frogs water is highly important. they dont drink it through their mouth they absorb through their skin. thats why handling isnt to found of and nomatter what always wash your hands thoroughly! because they can/will absorb what ever is on your hand through their skin. chlorine is a big no no. it will surely kill the frogs. tap water has chlorine in it. i use spring water or let tap water sit out for 24 to 48 hrs. i also have s sloution you should pick up as well. (just incase there every comes a time you need to use tap water in a hurry, or to make the water you have sit out that much more safer) theirs no set solution its water treatment for chlorine. the sell it at the pet shops. as far as what i did to seal it in place, while i was at home depot i picked up some silicone, but you cant use just any silicone. if its ok to use it will state SAFE FOR AQUARIUMS on the product or package. i cut it the width of the tank and about two to three inches high. then i put the siliconealong both sides of the bottom and along both sides of both sides. lol if that makes sense. i know it sounds funny both sides of both sides. as for plants, you can put both water and land plants, real or fake. also a nice hiding spot is nice. when i just had urlacher and hester i got some nice size river rocks from out side that i thoroughly cleaned before putting in the tank due to bactaria in the wild. and i built them a hut. put one in the back corner then two on the sides of that and a nice flat one on the top. at one point i even had packed some eco earth (its a brand of coco husk ground substrate.) and used it as mortar to make a nice home. now i have a log hut its a log that was cut in half and hallowed out in like a half moon shape ( i bought it at the pet shop) i have a fake plant that i put in the water its nice they LOVE it!!! they sit under the leaves and even on the leaves. if theres anything else dont hesitate to ask.

[NatureLady]

To start off, I don't have FBT, but I have made a 70/30 tank before with things I already have.

You can find river rocks at lowes or home dept (the ones they put into decrative ponds that are smooth and about the size of your thumb) on the entire bottom of the tank. Find some large rocks to make a shore line, the thought is to hold back the land.

Land portion: Fill with more rocks of your choice up to the top of desired water line. Place sphagnum moss (make sure it is frog friendly) into some treated water and soak. Squeeze excess water from the moss and lay over the desired land area. Then top moss with either eco earth or other type of frog friendly soil. Plant real plants (will need some light) or use fake plants. Add decorative rocks or if your daughter is like mine something cute, decrotive, and frog friendly.

If you are going to use a filter...I have a little one (filters I think 10-15 gallons) I purchased at walmart that has suction cups on the back and just sits in the corner of my 70/30 tank. It has very small intake holes and a waterfall (more like dribbles) over the top of clean water. To keep the inhabitants of this tank stay away I place larger rocks around the intake, to keep them away, but I don't block the flow either.

Does this make sense? I'm sorry I am trying to type in a hurry, but wanted to offer my help. I'm new here too and welcome!!!

[jajeesh]

Many thanks to all who responded! We have redone the tank and the toads are happier than ever. They sing, they hide they swim! Will post a photo soon. Cheers!

[Shade38]

Hi jajeesh, glad you have found solutions. Just want to say that I love the SF Giants too and love the names!! I was going to offer some supplies to give you since I'm near SF, and I used to keep fire belly toads. Happy to hear you found what you need. Make sure to change a portion of the water even if you have a filter because the toxins build up in the water.

Hope you post pics soon!

[jajeesh]

Hi Shade38....glad to see another Giants fan here! Thanks for considering the offer. And thanks for reminding me about changing the water. We decided to go without the filter because of the noise and the fact that my daughter already has a 30 gallon tank with one in her room. Here are some pics. The ones with the red pool in the background was from the before the redo. Didn't get one of the whole tank to compare.

[MantisMan]

Very nice!!! My toads like a huge variety of tanks, from a peat moss filled and fake vine setup with a shallow water bowl to an almost aquatic setup with just a small rock or Lilly pad for land and plenty of aquatic plants
I'm always redoing the tank but I have to wait to clean it on account of the fact they r now spawning
Good luck with these cute, hardy amphibians

[NatureLady]

So glad to see the pictures! They look really happy in their new digs!!!!

I just told my daughter that we would be getting her some FBT's in the near future! She was thrilled and I thought of you and your daughter.

[jajeesh]

So glad to see the pictures! They look really happy in their new digs!!!!

I just told my daughter that we would be getting her some FBT's in the near future! She was thrilled and I thought of you and your daughter.

They've never been so happy as is my daughter!! Your suggestions were perfect!

[NatureLady]

They've never been so happy as is my daughter!! Your suggestions were perfect!

Glad I could help!