...ah, yes-yes, and becoming the first breeder would be my (distant) dream, ha! Chances are, someone else will get there first. But yes, like with any other species, establishing a (steady) captive-bred population would be prime! And, of course, it would decrease the need to import these gems which often suffer hypothermia en route overseas. ...leading to imminent death. As much as I love WC specimens of any herp, I don't believe in it...at least not on a mass-basis, and prolonged. Id est, not just for the particular concern of hypothermia with Acrochordus granulatus do I want to see a (steady) captive-bred population established, but also just so they don't have to caught. Period.

Yes, 85 is good. Regal Reptiles, where I happened to obtain Flaps from, has always kept theirs at 82. I would recommend this as the absolute lowest! And, again, up to 95 is fine. But I have been doing good at 86-88.

I don't believe I had actually stated how often I do water changes, and how much...? (I know I did in reference to healing "white spot fungus".) Yes or no, the implication of Your response happens to hit the nail on the head: I do perform them almost every day, and near-100% unless Flaps is in his right cave which becomes afloat when the water level drops below a certain point. This means having to take it out and re-sink it (-awkwardly, then repositioned of course), and this would of course be difficult with him in it...heh. Then, water changes are only ~60% or so. Anyway...

I perform water changes so often because I still haven't been able to complete the Bacteria Cycle - still in the ammonia (NH3) stage! But I recently (early July) realized it's due to lack of flow/circulation in the tank which is due to SO MUCH CRAP in there (LOL!) but which Flaps LOVES and makes use of it all. I was able to cure this for about a week via cleaning the filter better than previously (do so every 2-3 weeks - it's only a Zoo Med 318), and I got the NH3 down to ~0.25 one day!! Today, however, I will be setting up my old xP1 filter from my first try with Acrochordus granulatus back in September/October 2004 - this will cure the issue!

Robert, head of www.acrochordus.com, and I have been theorizing that, because the genus of Acrochordus don't actually breathe the water, despite their permeable skin, they may have some resistence to NH3 *which had hung around ~3-5 for nearly three (3) months, do note, and he has been eating and being normally active all along.* As well, he looks as beautiful as when I purchased him. But yes, they may have some resistence or be unaffected by NH3 and possibly nitrites (NO2). NOTE: My pH is usually around 6.4 by the way, and kH (carbonate hardness) around 2, but I use R.O. water, so it's the softest one can get.

NO conclusions regarding NH3 can be made just yet, though, but again, my NH3 has always been up there, and Flaps has been doing GREAT!!

Sincerely,
Timothy

>>I would agree with the majority of what you said. I have also kept A. granulatus in the same manner, rather successfully. I do beleive the higher temps is also important...85 is my target temp. I don't do water changes at near your stated rate. I generally target 30-50% H2O change on a weekly schedule.
>>
>>
>>It would be nice to see these bred in captivity on a regular basis thats for sure.
>>
>>Cheers!
>>T-
>>-----
>>It's what you learn AFTER you know it all that counts!
>>
>>Terry Phillip
>>Curator of Reptiles
>>Black Hills Reptile Gardens
>>Rapid City, SD.
>>
>>www.reptilegardens.com


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T.J. Gould

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