55g Himalayan Foothills Paludarium

[jaylach]

With rifle shooting, we sometimes say the problem isn't in the scope; it's about three inches behind it.

Never did much rifle shooting but loved a Ruger Blackhawk 357 magnum with a 4 inch barrel. Actually, when I lived in Texas I would visit friends in Cottonwood Arizona on long weekends. Next valley over in Prescott there was a Ruger factory. Could have taken a job there as a machinist but ended up passing. Not really sure why I didn't take it. Not my piece below but nice. I don't own any gun at all but, if I were to get one, it would be a Blackhawk. Don't really know how they do it but the thing is 'duel barrel' whatever that actually means as there is just one barrel. What it boils down to is that it can fire .357 or .38 rounds.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Never did much rifle shooting but loved a Ruger Blackhawk 357 magnum with a 4 inch barrel. Actually, when I lived in Texas I would visit friends in Cottonwood Arizona on long weekends. Next valley over in Prescott there was a Ruger factory. Could have taken a job there as a machinist but ended up passing. Not really sure why I didn't take it. Not my piece below but nice. I don't own any gun at all but, if I were to get one, it would be a Blackhawk. Don't really know how they do it but the thing is 'duel barrel' whatever that actually means as there is just one barrel. What it boils down to is that it can fire .357 or .38 rounds.
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I'm not much of a pistol guy. Honestly not much of a rifle guy either; they're more of a necessity now and then. I love my bows, though. I really want to get a bumper sticker for my truck that says "They can have my longbow when they pry it from my cold, dead fingers."

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I'm going to change the name of this journal, as I've moved away from the tea garden theme.

Did a water change this morning. While wringing out the prefilter sponges, I was alarmed to find one of the firebelly toads in the rinse bucket! He must have been resting on top of the spongs, and I didn't see him somehow. He was quickly restored to his home and all is well.

I added a big pile of sand behind the big rock outcrop. Most of my fish just hand out back there where I can't see them, which makes for a rather boring tank. Hopefully this will encourage them to take advantage of some of the cover up front where I'll actually be able to watch them. Also ordered a strip light to go on the front of the tank, to illuminate that dark back wall.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

A slightly bewildered frog after his adventure.

This is the area of the tank I'm hoping to get more light into. It is behind a big rock, and under the planter islands. I dumped a bunch of sand in, which helps, but I think some light back there will make a huge difference. @jaylach I ordered one of those strip lights you recommended, a 19 incher. Should do the job.

 

[Magnum Man]

Otherwise you could get ( they are cheap ) an led spot… I had 3 in my original football tank to highlight things like the logo at 50 yard line… only reason I’m not running one now, is they grow algae pretty heavy, but you could turn it on only to view, or let it provide more Hillstream food

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Check out the tank with the new light. Terrible pic, I know, but it shows the color. Much more natural, and the fish are out and about a lot more; I don't think they liked the pink light, either.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Just going to drop this here for future reference; a plant I'm thinking about trying if the Himalayan ferns don't work out.

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/murdannia-keisak/

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Starting to worry a bit about my firebellies. In the past several days, I've only been seeing two of them; the other two are nowhere to be seen. I don't think it is possible that they escaped, and I've read that when they die, they tend to just crawl out in the open and go stiff. So that means they are probably hiding somewhere. I've searched through the folliage, and no sign of them, but their habitat is complex and there are any number of places they could be hiding out. The thing that worries me is that as long as they're hiding, they aren't eating. Temps in the water are in the upper 60s F; air temp in the tank is probably about the same.
@Herpin Man , you ever keep this species? Any insights? These are just little tiny guys.

 

[Herpin Man]

Starting to worry a bit about my firebellies. In the past several days, I've only been seeing two of them; the other two are nowhere to be seen. I don't think it is possible that they escaped, and I've read that when they die, they tend to just crawl out in the open and go stiff. So that means they are probably hiding somewhere. I've searched through the folliage, and no sign of them, but their habitat is complex and there are any number of places they could be hiding out. The thing that worries me is that as long as they're hiding, they aren't eating. Temps in the water are in the upper 60s F; air temp in the tank is probably about the same.
@Herpin Man , you ever keep this species? Any insights? These are just little tiny guys.

No, I have never kept fire bellied toads. However most amphibian species will be hiding most of the time, if given the chance. If you are leaving crickets or other small prey in the enclosure, they are almost certainly eating. They most likely come out at night. As an example, I keep a few blue spotted salamanders. I rarely see them, unless I dig through their vivarium looking for them, which I might do once or twice a year. They are always fat and healthy looking when I see them. So, there’s probably nothing to worry about.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

No, I have never kept fire bellied toads. However most amphibian species will be hiding most of the time, if given the chance. If you are leaving crickets or other small prey in the enclosure, they are almost certainly eating. They most likely come out at night. As an example, I keep a few blue spotted salamanders. I rarely see them, unless I dig through their vivarium looking for them, which I might do once or twice a year. They are always fat and healthy looking when I see them. So, there’s probably nothing to worry about.

They're supposed to be diurnal, but maybe they didn't read that book. ha ha

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I really think I've lost two frogs, because I'm always seeing two. Not one, not three. If they were just hiding out, I would think the numbers would change. Other than that, I'm quite happy with how this tank is going. I'll try to get a decent video made soon.

 

[MuddyWaters]

I really think I've lost two frogs, because I'm always seeing two. Not one, not three. If they were just hiding out, I would think the numbers would change. Other than that, I'm quite happy with how this tank is going. I'll try to get a decent video made soon.

They might still be in there. I've gone through that so many times with fish, shrimp, etc. I will swear they're dead and one day out of nowhere I see them all. I put tons of plants in my tanks, which I like, but sometimes I wish I just had an open tank so I could see everything LOL.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

They might still be in there. I've gone through that so many times with fish, shrimp, etc. I will swear they're dead and one day out of nowhere I see them all. I put tons of plants in my tanks, which I like, but sometimes I wish I just had an open tank so I could see everything LOL.

Yeah, I hope you're right. I really did the research on the frogs, and it should be optimum conditions for them, unless I really missed something. I keep hoping they'll get hungry and come out in the open. I only saw one yesterday and couldn't find any this morning. I don't know what they're up to.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Wherever the first two were hiding out, the other two found them...I searched through all the vegetation and nary a frog did I see. No way they could have escaped unless they can assume gaseous form, and I would think if they died I'd have found a body. I do have springtails and isopods in there, but to eat four whole frogs without a trace? Unlikely. So, they're probably hiding out somewhere. Hopefully they'll get hungry and come out at some point.

 

[jaylach]

Ya know.. In nature these frogs (ya, they are actually frogs, not toads.) DO hibernate. I don't know if this is climate initialed or part of their cycle. Anyway, it is not impossible that they went into hibernation.

Oriental Fire-bellied Toad Care Sheet | Reptiles' Cove

The oriental fire-bellied toads are small, semi-aquatic species of frogs found in Korea, Russia, and northeastern China. They can be called frogs, despite

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