Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all,

It seems that the more I research and learn and enjoy the resources available on the web, the more my imagination gets carried away.

So I must ask, what is everyone's opinion on combination vivarium/aquarium setups? (For instance, similar to the ones that timsviv has posted in the photo gallery.) I've long held an interest in South American and African cichlids and kept several myself, and with my interest in boids from these regions blossoming as well, I'm curious in how probable it would be to combine the two hobbies into one setup.

I can see a lot of inherent problems and benefits with a setup that has a lagoon portion and a land portion, but I'm not sure if they're entirely valid - so I'm looking for everyone's opinions. The reptile species I am interested in are green tree pythons, rainbow boas, or ball pythons; for the fish, Apistogramma sp. (gold and blue rams, etc), or Malawi or Tanganyika natives.

The tank would be quite large, but probably a space-saver as opposed to keeping a large cichlid tank and snake enclosure in a midsize apartment.

It's probably a ridiculous proposal, but I'm curious, so any information/opinions would be greatly appreciated.

I know the pics you're referring to, and I agree, they're quite grand!

I think it's a fantastic idea, and I've heard of more people doing it recently. From what I've read, the most important part is getting it right the first time, so do a lot of research before you start. In my view, the closer we as hobbyists can simulate the animal's natural environment, the better we can appreciate the animal. It's one thing to see a tree boa on a parrot perch in a near-bare tank; it's another to gaze around a lush, tropical environment and suddenly spot it, inches away, nearly hidden in the leaves. It's a very cool aspect of the hobby.

The biggest problem I've heard of people having with this is leaks if they try to build the water enclosure themselves with glass and sealant. The best route I've heard of is to place a small aquarium inside a larger aquarium, and disguise the sides of the smaller one such that you can't tell it's separate from the rest of the tank. Spillage into the dry side of the tank can result in plant loss, mildew and even animal sickness - not to mention dead fish.

Hope this was helpful in some vague fashion ... good luck!

(Oh, one last thought - if your tank is sufficiently big enough, and your apartment is upstairs, make sure the floor can handle the load. Few tank mishaps could be more disastrous than your tank dropping in on your neighbors.)

Hi,

Thanks so much for your encouragement! After thinking about my idea a little more, I've come up with a rough image in my mind that would maximize both land and water area as well as provide adequate climbing and hide spots for both reptile and fish.

My main concerns at the moment are the snake soaking and/or defecating in the lagoon, which could spell disaster for the sensitive Cichlidae sp., or the snake suddenly deciding that the fish look tasty. ^_~ Also, balancing the following factors might prove tricky:

-proper temperature and humidity for reptile
-proper temperature, pH, dH, and filtration for fish

It may also be difficult to reach the fish for feeding and water maintenance, and equally difficult to clean the reptile's enclosure without disrupting the fish. I've been toying with the idea of a pull-out shelf for the tank in my mind, which seems practical, but difficult to integrate.

Anyway, thanks again for the input!

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