Homage to Plastic Tubs

[i_love_necturus]

Mark, do you keep any permanently aquatic salamanders (not larvae) (i.e axolotls, sirens, [small]amphiumas) in setups like that? I would think that it would be possible, especially with smaller ones like dwarf sirens and one-toed amphiumas. Also I didn't include Necturus beacause of the need for current.

 

[Mark]

Hi Ryan, small aquatic species would be fine in tubs this size. I took a few photos of some semi-aquatic tubs today.

C.asper lives in here - you can see one on the right with a yellow stripe on it's back.

N.strauchii nearing metamorphosis lives in here.

Desmognathus quadramaculatus lives in here.

Eurycea guttolineata lives in here.

Desmognathus conanti lives in here.

 

[i_love_necturus]

Nice setups they look so perfect. Maybe I'll try that someday with dwarf sirens, I would think they would be the best suited 100% aquatics.

 

[onetwentysix]

Nice setups they look so perfect. Maybe I'll try that someday with dwarf sirens, I would think they would be the best suited 100% aquatics.

This is exactly how I have been keeping my younger dwarf sirens, and I see no reason why it wouldn't work for adults.


Nice setup there, Mark. Looks like a nice, organised way to keep a number of species comfortably. I've used something similar and less elegant for terrestrial salamanders, but never considered it for aquatic adults. How many liters do those tubs hold?

 

[kj1]

Have you got a run down off all the animals you keep in these tub's ???

Also do you heat any off the tops if so how ??

Thanks KJ.

 

[i_love_necturus]

Sounds good, thanks for adding that Peter.

 

[coendeurloo]

Looks great Mark, how do you keep your moss alive and thriving?

 

[kj1]

Bump, do you heat any off these tubs other then from the heat the lights give off ???,
If you used a heat mat under the tubs would this not leach chemicals into the water of the plastic is my main worry, but im not sure as if it is food grade plastic that must mean it is alright ???

 

[i_love_necturus]

Kieron: There really wouldn't be any reason to heat caudates. They like it cold. I think to do so would just be a waste of electricity, unless of course you live in a very cold area.

 

[kj1]

I was just thinking of things like fire bellied newts that need to have water temps of about 15 to 20 degrees, but if there in the garge how will i get these temps. ??

 

[i_love_necturus]

I think it would depend on how cold the garage is, temps can get pretty low for caudates. Am I wrong?

 

[Jennewt]

For any situation where you need a heater, I think you should use glass tanks, not plastic. For a species like C. orientalis, it may be easier (and safer) to achieve 15-20C indoors rather than in a garage.

 

[foff]

Could I keep T. verrucosus in boxes like these? I keep my S. s. fastuosa and some different Ambystoma spec. in terrestrial boxsetups!

 

[flyangler18]

I know this is an older thread, but I will also sing the praises of tub setups! I've been at odds with myself recently, trying to decide on whether to eliminate organic substrates entirely (a full clinical setup) with the fossorials and use lots of hides or to continue using organic substrates and encourage live moss growth on the bark curls.

 

[flyangler18]

For Ryan-

A dwarf siren enclosure in plastic:

Here's a shot on one of the typical aquatic enclosures- 64 QT Sterlite, planted with java moss, hornwort, creeping charlie and duckweed. Pea gravel substrate with some leaf litter. This one houses 4 Pseudobranchus axanthus (dwarf sirens). I'm installing 'easy siphon' systems to facilitate easy water changes once this and several others like it go up on racks this weekend.

 

[i_love_necturus]

Thanks Jason. That's a nice setup and looks like it would be quite effective.