Mike’s Fish Tank – Paludarium

Combining herp/fish habitats has become exceedingly popular. This mixing of fish, plants and newt, frogs etc. is called a Paludarium. The definition of a Paludarium is “An aquarium system that combine both terrestrial and aquatic environments.” They include plants fish and herps. They are almost always freshwater because it is extremely
difficult to maintain brackish water without an aquatic surfactant in an enclosed system. Paludariums will contain components such as basking shelves for reptiles, ponds for fish and amphibians, waterfalls, foggers and cleverly hidden planters for plants such as bromeliads.

The first and most important element of any paladarium is the tank itself. Always use glass. Acrylic will become scratched and hazed and won’t work. With a mixed-system setup you’ll have to perform duties required for terrestrial as well as aquatic habitats. And because most paludariums include plant material, ongoing maintenance, necessarily requires gardening. Here are some of the specific care recommendations:

• Change water weekly.
• Remove uneaten food and fecal matter.
• Remove yellowed and diseased leaves and dead plants.
• Prune back or replace fast-growing plants to ensure that light reaches all the plants and animals.

Paludariums with their vibrant displays of plants and interesting creatures can be quite a conservation piece.

Pets A Plenty is located in the Blockbuster Video Plaza, Rte 281 Cortland, 753-9213. Open 7 days a week. We now have a website. www.petsaplety.biz. check it out. I post care sheets, coupons, new animal arrivals, contests and more. Any questions, email me at friskyy@hotmail.com

[mappress mapid=”2″]