New Project

[CassCats]

I am tentatively looking forward to visiting a distant lfs within the next two weeks and I've had a tank sitting that I've used off and on over the years for various things from fry rearing, quarantine, and even a dwarf crayfish tank. It's even been set up as a terrarium for a bit of time. I've been wracking my brain to decide on a stock option.

I've spoke with some others and picked brains and have finally decided on something.

I shall leave it up as a surprise as to what I chose. It is not something I have kept before. It will be a species only setup, because while it may look larger, it's a unique sized tank for its shape. So it is limited.

I went with a Congo biotope inspired scape for this one.

Tank measures 18"×6.5"×7"

I need to replace the old heater it had because it malfunctioned couple weeks back, I'll need it for winter for sure at least.

GH 5°
KH 3°
pH 7
TDS 123ppm
Temperature to range between 75-78F depending on season.

 

[MorganJamesSimpson]

It is beautiful but If you moved the taller plant to the right side behind the driftwood it may look better

 

[CassCats]

It is beautiful but If you moved the taller plant to the right side behind the driftwood it may look better

It gets too tall for the tall substrate in that spot, the tall plant will eventually out out floating leaves as well and can grow as long as the entire tank easily (it's an Aponogeton)

 

[MorganJamesSimpson]

It gets too tall for the tall substrate in that spot, the tall plant will eventually out out floating leaves as well and can grow as long as the entire tank easily (it's an Aponogeton)

Oh okay yeah but it does look good especially with the tannins

 

[CassCats]

I added a couple more anubias plants, tried my best to limit any snail hitch hikers from my other tanks, though did transfer over a couple limpets, which are cool so they can stay. They won't cause any issues with bioload or such since they're so tiny. Good glass cleaners too!

A macro photo of one of the limpets, using a 25x phone macro lens

 

[CassCats]

I changed up the light to an LED and added bolbitis heudelotii from another tank.

Also: the inhabitants are in!


They had quite an adventure on a long long train ride with me home from vacation, but:

Meet Hubert

And Sherbert

 

[CassCats]

Even brine shrimp is a challenge to eat

 

[Seisage]

I hope you have a blast with these guys! They're so much fun to watch. Cute names too

My only word of caution is that it looks like some of that gravel is small enough to be swallowed, but large enough to potentially cause impaction. I use a very fine-grained sand because, as I'm sure you've noticed by now, they aren't particularly bright creatures. They will strike at and try to swallow almost anything, including each other. But that does mean they regularly bite at the substrate, even when no food is actually present. Most of the time, they spit the sand out, but inevitably some of it gets swallowed. The small grain size allows it to pass through their digestive system easily.

You can reduce the frequency of substrate ingestion by tong-feeding (my preferred method) or putting their food on a glass or un-glazed terracotta dish, but they will likely still ingest at least some substrate regardless. Some people have kept them on gravel successfully, but I personally just didn't want to take that risk.

 

[CassCats]

I hope you have a blast with these guys! They're so much fun to watch. Cute names too

My only word of caution is that it looks like some of that gravel is small enough to be swallowed, but large enough to potentially cause impaction. I use a very fine-grained sand because, as I'm sure you've noticed by now, they aren't particularly bright creatures. They will strike at and try to swallow almost anything, including each other. But that does mean they regularly bite at the substrate, even when no food is actually present. Most of the time, they spit the sand out, but inevitably some of it gets swallowed. The small grain size allows it to pass through their digestive system easily.

You can reduce the frequency of substrate ingestion by tong-feeding (my preferred method) or putting their food on a glass or un-glazed terracotta dish, but they will likely still ingest at least some substrate regardless. Some people have kept them on gravel successfully, but I personally just didn't want to take that risk.

That was something I checked into as I've heard about it. Ironically the substrate is a pool filter sand... except these guys are so very very tiny, still have a hint of a tadpole tail left! So the grains look larger than they are. The shop said their supplier sent them extremely small this round, and I picked the 2 larger ones in that batch at that.

 

[Seisage]

That was something I checked into as I've heard about it. Ironically the substrate is a pool filter sand... except these guys are so very very tiny, still have a hint of a tadpole tail left! So the grains look larger than they are. The shop said their supplier sent them extremely small this round, and I picked the 2 larger ones in that batch at that.

Wow, no wonder a brine shrimp was so difficult! How large are they, roughly? Mine were also fairly small when I got them, and they stay small. My two adult males are at most an inch long. I probably got them at roughly 3/4". Also, I can tell from the video that their "tadpole tail" is just their actual tail. Unlike most other frogs, ADFs do have tails as adults! They're just really small little nubbins.

Anyway, hmm... with that taken into account, I think your best bet right now is to use a feeding dish and watch them. I'm sure you'll be watching them a whole lot anyway (I could sit in front of my ADF tank for hours), so keep an eye on them to see how they behave. Maybe some frogs aren't as keen to eat sand as mine are. But if you do see them go for the sand, you might consider keeping them in a bare-bottom tank (or get an even finer sand) until they're a bit bigger.

 

[Lcc86]

Yay more ADF's on TFF! Love your setup, it looks great! How big is the tank? It looks big enough for a couple more if you ask me

As @Seisage says they're not the brightest, I feed using a pipette and even then depending on how they move they can miss the food entirely lol. I very very occasionally give a piece of algae wafer, they seem to have no issues with that lol. You can train them to an extent, I tap my glass very lightly and call out to them when it's dinner time, and they soon appear.

Mine love live food, I originally bought it for my betta and thought I'd try it with them, they go crazy for it. Be careful about overfeeding, I've never seen an ADF turn down food even when they've just eaten they're always looking for more!

Good luck with your little guys, they're so much fun to interact with.

 

[CassCats]

Wow, no wonder a brine shrimp was so difficult! How large are they, roughly? Mine were also fairly small when I got them, and they stay small. My two adult males are at most an inch long. I probably got them at roughly 3/4". Also, I can tell from the video that their "tadpole tail" is just their actual tail. Unlike most other frogs, ADFs do have tails as adults! They're just really small little nubbins.

Anyway, hmm... with that taken into account, I think your best bet right now is to use a feeding dish and watch them. I'm sure you'll be watching them a whole lot anyway (I could sit in front of my ADF tank for hours), so keep an eye on them to see how they behave. Maybe some frogs aren't as keen to eat sand as mine are. But if you do see them go for the sand, you might consider keeping them in a bare-bottom tank (or get an even finer sand) until they're a bit bigger.

A flat stone is on my list of decor still, as are some botanics in the mail! I want to use the flat stone as a feeding platform. Artificial dishes will take away from the natural look, but I want to make an easy spot to eat from--so A flat stone spot will work for both!

Theyre maybe half inch body length, not counting legs stretched out.


Little nubby tail!

I am using a pipette to direct food in a certain spot for them. I'm offering food 2x a day right now because they are a little skinny and need some extra calories. Rotating with betta pellets and the brine shrimp for the time being. I don't have a ton of options for live foods where I live though. Used to do live mosquito larvae, but I live in a apartment building with a *shared* backyard and between my neighbors dumping my mosquito bucket last year and then using pesticides this year, I'm not risking that route anymore. Not until we move.

Now live food is just baby brine shrimp hatched for my small fish and crickets, earthworms, and mealworms for my large fish.

These guys are too small for most worms right now, except maybe Dero worms (microfex) which I do have in other tanks, but they live in the substrate a lot so they'd not be a good option in this case.

Yay more ADF's on TFF! Love your setup, it looks great! How big is the tank? It looks big enough for a couple more if you ask me

As @Seisage says they're not the brightest, I feed using a pipette and even then depending on how they move they can miss the food entirely lol. I very very occasionally give a piece of algae wafer, they seem to have no issues with that lol. You can train them to an extent, I tap my glass very lightly and call out to them when it's dinner time, and they soon appear.

Mine love live food, I originally bought it for my betta and thought I'd try it with them, they go crazy for it. Be careful about overfeeding, I've never seen an ADF turn down food even when they've just eaten they're always looking for more!

Good luck with your little guys, they're so much fun to interact with.

The tank itself measures 18 inches long 6.5 inches wide and 7 inches tall. It comes up to about 4 gallons on volume calculator. It's a very interesting but tricky size to work with. The length allows more leeway in terms of stock options, but it *is* small. So been wracking my brain on what I'd like to put in it that will actually live comfortable in it. ADF fit the bill well, they're also something different. It's shallow for them to get air easily, plenty of space to check out still, and they won't have much issue with finding food. And not kept with fish so they won't be outcompeted.

Filter is a jar filter filled with ceramic media, sponge, and filter floss (all air powered like a sponge filter with a lift tube too) but it's buried in the sand behind the decor on the right so it doesn't show and also is gentle for the frogs.

I don't use heaters in the summer because it gets warm here, but winter I have a nano heater for them that will be put in.

 

[Lcc86]

A flat stone is on my list of decor still, as are some botanics in the mail! I want to use the flat stone as a feeding platform. Artificial dishes will take away from the natural look, but I want to make an easy spot to eat from--so A flat stone spot will work for both!

Theyre maybe half inch body length, not counting legs stretched out.


Little nubby tail!
View attachment 347909


I am using a pipette to direct food in a certain spot for them. I'm offering food 2x a day right now because they are a little skinny and need some extra calories. Rotating with betta pellets and the brine shrimp for the time being. I don't have a ton of options for live foods where I live though. Used to do live mosquito larvae, but I live in a apartment building with a *shared* backyard and between my neighbors dumping my mosquito bucket last year and then using pesticides this year, I'm not risking that route anymore. Not until we move.

Now live food is just baby brine shrimp hatched for my small fish and crickets, earthworms, and mealworms for my large fish.

These guys are too small for most worms right now, except maybe Dero worms (microfex) which I do have in other tanks, but they live in the substrate a lot so they'd not be a good option in this case.



The tank itself measures 18 inches long 6.5 inches wide and 7 inches tall. It comes up to about 4 gallons on volume calculator. It's a very interesting but tricky size to work with. The length allows more leeway in terms of stock options, but it *is* small. So been wracking my brain on what I'd like to put in it that will actually live comfortable in it. ADF fit the bill well, they're also something different. It's shallow for them to get air easily, plenty of space to check out still, and they won't have much issue with finding food. And not kept with fish so they won't be outcompeted.

Filter is a jar filter filled with ceramic media, sponge, and filter floss (all air powered like a sponge filter with a lift tube too) but it's buried in the sand behind the decor on the right so it doesn't show and also is gentle for the frogs.

I don't use heaters in the summer because it gets warm here, but winter I have a nano heater for them that will be put in.

Yeah I have to order live food as don't have anywhere to grow it either. I tend to put it right on top of their noses and even then they can still miss it I did twice daily feeding as well for the first couple of months just to help bulk them out.

The tail nubbin can help differentiate between male and female when they get a bit older and get a bit of size on them.

 

[CassCats]

Yeah I have to order live food as don't have anywhere to grow it either. I tend to put it right on top of their noses and even then they can still miss it I did twice daily feeding as well for the first couple of months just to help bulk them out.

The tail nubbin can help differentiate between male and female when they get a bit older and get a bit of size on them.

Didn't read about the tail thing, I know males get the little nubs under the armpits though. Mine are a little small and hard to see when they're moving their arms to see anything. The blonde one (Sherbert) might have nubs under the arms but I can't tell 100% sometimes I see something sometimes I don't.

 

[CassCats]

Oh, and this is the pool filter sand for anyone curious.

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