Vivarium for Fire-Bellied Newt - Generation 2

[Merviso]

Hi there,



Just tore down my Generation 1 Newt Vivarium last saturday to make way for a new scape... ... The last vivarium lasted 4 months, from November 2007 to March 2008.

Here's the old photo...

One problem that I had with the old scape is that the water volume is too limited. There are very limited spaces for the fish to hide from each other, and many of the Clown Killies that I have put in earlier died from the persistent stress from the alpha male. Water quality surprisingly is not that bad even thou I seldom change water, since the cherry shrimps has been actively multiplying inside.

Second problem is that there are too many hiding area for the Newts. This may seems to be good for the Newts, however, there are great difficulty to ensure that the Newts are getting their food. It is also difficult to inspect the Newts for any diease or sickness.

Third problem is that the filter inlet is not covered and the shrimplets get suck into the Eden filter. And since I only wash the filter once in a long long time, there are more than 30 over shrimplets inside the small Eden filter when I tore down the scape.

Therefore, the objective for the design of the new scape is to create more water volume, with lesser hiding places for the Newts, and a way to prevent small fish and shrimplets to get suck into the filter.

Here's the initial picture for the new design. Hopefully the moss will grow well and cover the whole plastic mesh...

Here are some information for this vivarium:

Tank Size: Length 1.5ft x Width 1ft x Height 1.5ft (custom ordered)
SubStrate: Water - Fine river sand; Land - Gex Soil for Plant
Lighting: 18W PL Light
Filter: Eden 501 with Undergravel filter and sponge at inlet
Ferts: None
flora: Spiky Moss and other local emersed moss, Downoi, Glosso, Cryptocoryne wendtii, Selaginella erythropus and some unknown plant.
fauna:
Already in: 30 over Cherry shrimplets saved from filter with 2 young adults
Yet to put in: 6 Fire-Bellied Newts, a few pair of Clown Killies

Please kindly comment on the setup. All suggestion are greatly appreciated... Thanks...

[DanNiErSi]

New one bro!=) try add some floating plant =)
Best regards
Dan

[Merviso]

Hi DaniNiErSi, I like to add some floating plants too. However, the size must be right. Duckweed too small, Water Lettuce and Water Hyacinth too big... the rest I don't have for now..

Any bro can suggest something suitable that won't grow too fast?

[DanNiErSi]

Hi DaniNiErSi, I like to add some floating plants too. However, the size must be right. Duckweed too small, Water Lettuce and Wate Hyacinth too big... the rest I don't have for now..

Any bro can suggest something suitable that won't grow too fast?

ya true but with a mid size water lettuce will be fine

[BFG]

Salvinia I think might be useful. Larger than duckweed but smaller than water lettuce.

[David Moses Heng]

Salvinia I think might be useful. Larger than duckweed but smaller than water lettuce.

i tihnk i have them...

[Merviso]

Hi DaniNiErSi, water lettuce will eventually grow too big, like the one in my clown killie tank..

Hi bro BFG, Salvinia sounds great. I have never try it before thou. Thanks for the suggestion.

Hi bro Altum_lover76, hehe... maybe we can do some bater trade soon...

[David Moses Heng]

Hi bro Altum_lover76, hehe... maybe we can do some bater trade soon...

no need. you can have it for free.

[Merviso]

haha... thanks Altum_lover76... that's nice of you..

Actually, I'm thinking that I will soon be pruning out some excess plants like Blyxa japonica and Tonina sp. 'Belem', and maybe we can have a small meet up and do barter trade of plants while waiting for AQ's Spring Sale event.

[DanNiErSi]

Hi DaniNiErSi, water lettuce will eventually grow too big, like the one in my clown killie tank..

Hi bro BFG, Salvinia sounds great. I have never try it before thou. Thanks for the suggestion.

Hi bro Altum_lover76, hehe... maybe we can do some bater trade soon...

i show the one in your killies tank and i like it too that why i ask you to put that , i think you put one in enough already, it will look nice =)