New to the hobby

[isu712]

Will do. I've been going back and forth between a pacman and these guys. I have the stuff to set up either (minus the tank, but that's usually the cheapest part). I know what you mean about hobbys becoming passions. I started with aquariums about 4 years ago and I've gone from simple freshwater with fake plants to a fully planted tank and a reef tank.

[bshmerlie]

Talk about Obsessions...I had a reef setup for 15 years. That hobby is endless. you can set up an equally beautiful vivarium for a fraction of the cost. I have both firebellies and pacmans. Go with the toads.

[poison beauties]

Get a bigger viv. FBT's do well in groups and they are not at all expensive. They need some sort of water feature as well so even a ten gallon is kind of small for a group. I havent kept anything larger than these frogs in a 5 gallon and they were one to a viv. Full grown:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/a.../Retics007.jpg

You cant go too big with a viv.

Michael

[isu712]

I've got one more question for everyone here. How often do you feed? I only ask because I'll be gone for a week in early March. According to the care sheet you should feed once or twice a week, so it sounds like I should be fine, but I figured I'd ask for a couple more opinions anyway. If it will work to leave them for a week then I'll probably pick up a 10 gallon this weekend and get this started.

[bshmerlie]

Firebellies will be just fine by themselves for a week. Just fatten them up before you go and they'll be fine. Many people only feed them once a week as the norm. I feed mine smaller meals more often because I like to watch them eat. But they'll eat as much as you feed them so don't let them get overweight. The best thing about FB toads is that they are always awake and doing something. They do need a water section and prefer a 50% water/land ratio rather than just a water bowl. Mine spend most of their time sitting on a rock in the shallow water. 2-3 inch depth is fine. Do make sure the setup is easy to clean as they are messy frogs. They will drag soil with them into the water as they get in and out 50 times a day. I use a small external canister filter to help keep the water clear. I think its the zoo med 501.

[isu712]

It sounds like these are the toads for me. I'll put a divider in the tank and make it 50/50 land/water. I have some small gravel that I can use as a base and drainage for the land side as well as some peat that I can put on the land side. I've also got a couple of 3" plastic pots that I can disguise and use as hides. Do they like hides that are close to their size, or do they like larger places to hide in? Once I figure out what plants I want to put on the land side I'll add a couple of those. Any recommendations? I've also got some leftover planted aquarium substrate that I can put in the water side and add a banana-root plant or two as well as some lily bulbs. There is also a small internal filter laying around my apartment so I'll just add that in as well. I've got some driftwood that I can put in there as an entrance and exit from the water.

How does this sound? Any other tips let me know.

[bshmerlie]

It sounds fantastic and I can't wait to see a picture when you're done. The one thing I would caution you about is to avoid using any kind of small gravel that they could swollow on the land side because they are crazy eaters. Pothos plants do well on the land and in the water.