Good to know about the "hormone boost" ...this makes sense. I'll continue to keep a very close eye on them (aka: HIM). Sounds like we have about the same setup (55 gal) at the moment. I'm with you on the 150 gal tank though. The bigger the better. No matter how large an enclosure we provide, we'll never be matching the freedom to roam that they would have in the wild. That said, a nice big tank could make for a very nice setup. Not sure whether you'll be able to keep your trio together. I would guess it depends a lot on your male's personality (and hormone level). Its worth a shot though. Just tell your wife you need the tank to protect the ladies' virtue (and if it doesn't work out then you'll just have to buy more tanks!).

Curtis, it sounds like we're aspiring to the same outdoor pond setups at a future date. In the meantime, I'm considering a simple sweaterbox setup (w/ sphagnum) that I can take them outside in during nice days (on the balcony away from predators). Incidentally, I've seen some great deals on used pond liners in the Farm/Garden section of Craigslist.

BTW, you didn't mention whether that injured female dropped her eggs yet. If she's at the vet anyway, you might consider giving her an injection to drop the eggs. I would think that would eliminate some stress from nesting and might help her out. You'd be getting into sticky legalities again though. Maybe just transport the eggs to a man-made nest in your "sanctuary backyard." Got any pictures of hatchlings emerging from under your nest screens???

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