My Verrucosus set up

[gord]

Here's my verrucosus set up. I like looking at other people's tanks so I'll show off mine.This tank is the final result of much evolution over the past 2 years. When I first got my 2 Verrucosus, I was told they were a terrestrial newt (I was actually told by the pet store they were "mandarin newts" and didn't know any better).

Anyway, they started out in a completely terrestrial tank with a small water bowl and barely moved. They ate ok...but not great. When I discovered this forum and realized what I had, it became a semi aquatic tank. But they seemed in no rush to get in the water. Then I was given the suggestion to heat the water. Bingo. Within a month or two they were both primarily aquatic, and moving all the time. They are also eating twice as much as ever, and constantly beg for food. I've seen some tail fanning, but nothing more (I have 1:1)

The tank is a long 35 I've owned for 2 decades. It has a large piece of driftwood, a few silk plants on the back, and a very large partially hydroponic Pothos that comes from a pot on the land area. The plant is both in the water and suspended along the back by suction cups.The aquatic side has java fern, elodea and a couple other plants. No filter, but there is a heat stick. A very balanced tank and my most successful set up so far.

Gord

(Message edited by apples on January 18, 2006)

 

[kieron]

nice set up

 

[zuccone]

Very nice set up Gord !


I would suggest if you can of course to raise the water level for verrucosus. It would allow to increase their “life space”.

Zuccone.

 

[gord]

Thanks for the comments on the tank.
Sorry the pics are bonded side by side in the thread. Makes it hard to read.

zuccone:

I may add a bit more water as they are quite aquatic these days. I've got a pothos in a pot I have to deal with though..so that may take a little moving around. But yes, I think the newts would like a bit more swimming room. But I don't want to make it too deep either.

Gord

 

[michael]

Take the pothos out of the pot and just throw it in the water. It will still grow and root, I have not found a way to kill pothos yet.

 

[gord]

Yes..you are probably right. I could lose the pot very easily. I've got bits of that same plant scattered all over my other tanks.Pothos is like plague! Just a good,green plague.

Gord

 

[joan]

Pothos is great. I grow it in all my tanks. It's the only plant I have yet to kill off. It's amazing stuff.

 

[gord]

I just spent an hour pulling the pothos out of its pot and rinsing all the soil off.It was about 70% root ball anyway. Even found a couple nightcrawlers hiding in there.They have since been consumed by my newts. I made the land area a bit higher and put the pothos roots in the gravel. I assume it will do ok this way.The thing is huge and has roots all over. I also added about 3 inches more water. The tank is a bit of a mess now and the plants look a bit different and are not all pointing at the light. We'll see how the V take to the extra swimming room.

Gord