Water Dispenser Vivarium

[C Rae]

Yeah, I added holes. They seem to be quite content in there. they are very bold and active. there's lots of visual coverage offered by the plants. I have larger aquariums ready to go in case any problems arise with this set up.

[michael novy]

Thats a great idea!! Looks great.. If you are interested in any Vanzolini, Just let me know...

[IrishRonin]

Well it came out great, can't wait to see pictures of the new inhabitants, hint hint

[C Rae]

Thanks guys! I'm glad you like my set up. I'll see what I can do about pictures. They boldly stick to the glass until the camera comes out, then they duck for cover. And, Michael, those Vanzolini sound pretty cool! Not sure If I can add more frogs to such a small viv. Do you think a pair of those would cause problems for my vents in there? If I can get my 29 gallon tank re-sealed over the break I'm sure I would definitely have room for a pair of Vanzolini, and maybe even some Auratus. ...That reminds me, I need to get my Red Eyes back into their 30 x high viv.

[flybyferns]

wow......looks great, but um, 2 frogs in less than 3 gallons of total volume? that seems to be a bit cramped, don'tcha think? and just out of curiosity, you added ventilation holes in the top, right?

I have one of these Bill ( plants only) , it's not air tight if the plastic/sealer in the rim of the lid is removed( if there is one) .

[C Rae]

I borrowed Mom's iPad and managed to snap these photos. These are pictures of the larger frog. Since I've had it, it has begun to swell slightly in the belly just above the legs. The other one was lurking in the shadows snapping up flies, so I couldn't get any good pictures of it. The other one is much smaller, and doesn't have the plumpness of the this one. As you can see, they are very bold in their little enclosure. They are almost always right out in the open, and spend a lot of time together. They tend to follow each other around, and often bed down in the same leaf axil at night. On a side note, I have a question about fruit fly culture media. I've read a lot about people using mashed potato mix. Could you use freshly made mashed potatoes instead of the instant stuff? Does the type of potato make a difference? I was thinking of making a mashed potato mix out of sweet potatoes, and mixing in some vitamin and calcium powder along with brown sugar, cinnamon, and some active dry yeast. Do you think I should kill the yeast before adding it to the culture medium? I was thinking of making a large batch and freezing the stuff I don't use right away. Any thoughts guys?

[flybyferns]

Personally, I would not take the chance. You could end up with mold, mites, and no FF.
The pre-mixed stuff works like a charm. Small investment for the peace of mind....knowing you will have an on-going food supply for your new charges.

Melanogaster Culture Kit WITHOUT Flies (SMALL KIT) - Feeder Insects & Supplies | Josh's Frogs

[C Rae]

Okay. That sounds a lot less complicated. The guys at Zoo Keeper gave them high recommendations on their fruit fly media. Do you think this could be a pair based on the size differences?

[C Rae]

Alright, here are a couple of pictures of the smaller frog. When you put a picture of him along side the other, the size and shape differences are obvious.

[Heatheranne]

Welcome C Rae. What a fabulous idea! A table top vivarium. I love it! It turned out great!

[Heatheranne]

The ff media from joshsfrogs that Lynn has mentioned works great. I have both melanogaster and hydei cultures made with their culture kits and they're multiplying like crazy.

[deranged chipmunk]

repashy ff culture medium is supposed to be outstanding as well.

[deranged chipmunk]

sorry, it's called repashy superfly. there is also this home grown ff culture that a friend sent me. he has been using it for about 5 years now and never had a problem (or so he claims)
1 cup banana (about 2 bananas)
1 cup apple sauce
1/8 cup vinegar (or 2 tablespoons or 15 ml)
2 cups oatmeal
Put the banana and apple sauce in blender or bowl and mix until the banana
is liquefied. Heat in the microwave for approximately 2 min. or until hot
enough to kill off any wild fruit fly eggs that were in the bananas, and to
reduce mold. Add the vinegar and mix in oatmeal until it becomes firm, but
still moist. I then put the mixture into a large freezer bag and keep it in
the fridge.

When it's time to make a culture, I scoop what I need and put it in the
culture container (usually microwaving it a bit to warm it up). I then sprinkle
a few pinches of bakers yeast on top.

[C Rae]

Cool! Thanks for the recipe, Bill! I'm glad everyone likes my recent build. I'm currently planning another one in a 29 gallon aquarium which sprang a leak. I'm going to section off half of it with plexi for a contained water feature (maybe I'll even throw a betta in there in the pond is big enough). I was thinking I could put together a nice background with natural cork halves, and create planting holes in them for small orchids and tillansdia. When I'm finished it will make a superb home for a pair of auratus, and a couple of thumbnails I hope.