Live Plants

[SamNabz]

Not sure if this is the right area of the forum to post this, but I was wondering if anyone keeps live plants in a vivarium and if so what species.

This is probably best suited for frog keepers to answer, but any info. and some setup pics would be great.

 

[Red-Ink]

Not sure if this is the right area of the forum to post this, but I was wondering if anyone keeps live plants in a vivarium and if so what species.

This is probably best suited for frog keepers to answer, but any info. and some setup pics would be great.

Mr. Blue (Sceleropages) keeps live plants in his set ups... best I've seen around.

 

[Justdragons]

Tru dat ^^

 

[SamNabz]

Yeah but the blue man is hard to reach... Inbox is always full and he seems to be M.I.A at the moment

 

[leamos]

I've tried it a few times, seems they aren't very suitable in enclosures with overhead heating, ie basking lights and particularly CHE's, as they are very drying. In an enclosure with underfloor heating, or damper situations like frog tanks and GTP setups, they'd go pretty well

 

[Kc_read]

Quite easy to get running, i found that the broader leaved plants do alot better. The bromeliad i put in is thriving its already tapped into the tank water table. And the other plant i have is going great. My only problem is fungus growth i might have to do a repot of the tank

 

[cheekabee]

If you want live plants to thrive in your enclousure first you need proper lighting, the best lighting for plant growth is F5 bulbs and the second thing you need is proper soil.

 

[No-two]

I have devils ivy in some of my chondros. Has been growing well for a pretty long time.

 

[Mulgaaustralis]

Broms are easy,
Java moss also looks great

 

[SamNabz]

Cheers for the replies all. Yeah Hayden Devils Ivy has been recommended by a few people now so will check it out at the local nursery this weekend along with Broms and any rainforest type of small plants they can recommend.

I have had a search through other threads on this subject, most of which were for snake tanks and people complaining about the plants getting destroyed, being unsuitable and overheating etc. but this is not a snake tank and correct lighting/heating will be provided.

Some vivarium setup pics will be good.

 

[James_Scott]

Parlour palms are great for vivariums as are air plants and bromilliads

 

[Bluetongue1]

Parlour Palms have to be allowed to dry out periodically, a bit like Bird's Nest Ferns, otherwise they develop problems. But apart from that, they are great in low light conditions and limited air flow. Also the minature variety of the Weeping Fig (Ficus hilli), smaller Philodendrons (e.g. P. cordatum, P. erubescens ‘Red Wings’), Spathyphyllums (Peace Lily), Arrow Head Plant (Syngonium podophyllum), Baby Tears (Soleirolia soleirolii or Helxine soleirolii), Cornstalk Dracaena or Happy Plant (Dracaena fragrans massangeana), Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana), Spanish Moss or Old Man's Beard (Tillandsia usenoides), Cretan Brake Fern (Pteris cretica), Spider Plant (Chlorophytum cosmosum), some mosses... I stop there. Hopefully that gives you a bit more to choose from. Should want any more suggestions just PM me.

Blue

 

[Pythoninfinite]

I've had good results with Devil's Ivy (Pothos) and Arrowheads (Syngonium) in GTP enclosures, they will live happily in low-light for 2-3 weeks as long as you keep them moist (water in the pot dishes). Both these plants will actually live in water, so they're ideal for frog enclosures too. Easy to propagate from cuttings, so you can have any number of them and use on a rotational basis, 2-3 weeks about. When I worked at the Museum in Perth, I had Devil's Ivy in a 6 foot frog tank (Litoria splendida) and had to cut it back almost every two weeks.

They are very hardy in normal use, but like any live plants, won't fare well if they're exposed to heavier, active reptiles. GTPs are good because they move around so little compared to carpets and other large snakes.

Jamie

 

[fourexes]

would it be feasible to do away with the dirt and run vermiculite or clay balls? From a hygiene perspective.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

would it be feasible to do away with the dirt and run vermiculite or clay balls? From a hygiene perspective.

What would the hygiene problems be with normal potting mix? None that I'm aware of.

Jamie

 

[SamNabz]

Thanks Blue and Jamie, nice list of sp. there.

In regards to potting mix, I've been told to look for pesticide free top soil - is this necessary?

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Most pesticides have a fairly short life once added to the environment, and I know of none that are routinely added to potting mix. Even if they were, they would be well & truly neutarlised after bagging and storage over time. The only additives are likely to be some slow-release fertilizers and maybe some wetting agent, neither of which will harm your animals. Don't forget that people have to handle the stuff as well, so they can't be made toxic. The warnings on the bags relate primarily to inhaling dust and the possibility of contracting Legionnaire's disease as a result, and this won't happen in your enclosure.

If you do go down this path, when you add new mix to a repotted plant, flush it well with clean water (as you would anyway), and make sure you use a good quality name-brand mix - never get the cheap mixes because your plants will go backwards if you do. Good potting mix is a wise investment in plant vigour.

Jamie

Just as an aside - live plants are very good at removing noxious organic gases fron enclosed environments. If they are plentiful in offices for example, there is a measurable drop in vapours such as formaldehyde and vinyl outgassings from such things as synthetic carpets, particleboards, furniture covers etc. If you can keep them healthy in an enclosure, the same benefits will apply...

Jamie

 

[James_Scott]

I try to reduce weight in the exo terras and therefor use the first layer of hydroponic stones. they weigh next to nothing and help with drainage. Then mix orchid mix 30% potting mix 30% and river sand 30%. this stops the stagnant smell.

 

[SamNabz]

Cheers James. Are hydroponic stones the same thing as hydro-balls? And if so, can they be bought at nurseries etc? As I'd much prefer to get from there than the reptile branded ones..

Also with the orchid and potting mix, are there any particular things to look out for when buying them? Or should I just buy the good stuff..?

 

[James_Scott]

Hydro balls are the same thing as far as I can tell. I get 2 litres for $4 at a local nursery. In regards to orchid and potting mix. Avoid the fertilizer and pestisides. The cheaper the better.