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Hi Froggers:

I've been experiencing a great deal of Algae growth on the inside of my Imitator tank. Also, a gooey clear film builds up there within a week after I wipe it down. It started about 2 months ago and the 33gal. viv is about 4 years old.

Also, I have Humidity and thermometor sensors mounted inside and recently, I have seen a considerable drop of Humidity. The gage sometimes says 59% humidity, but I know that can't be because there is condensation on the inside that I can see. Also when I stick my hand inside it feels like a goo 85% humidity at least! Can the sensor prong be broken? What would you do to test it?

Thanks!

Maggie

Hi again, Maggie--

I think we both have very similar 33 gallon hexagonal set-ups for our imitators, and mine is about a year older than yours, making it about 5 years old now. I too, noticed more algae than usual forming on the glass last year, and there's an extra lot of it this winter, because the winter sun strikes one panel of it in the early mornings. But then, the tank hasn't changed position and this lighting has always occurred every year in the winter months before without excess algae growth. I really never gave it much thought except to wipe the glass more often than before until you posted this. I know my tank is probably due for a complete overhaul and replanting, as it's now pretty overgrown in spite of trimming back. I wonder if excess nutrients haven't built up over the years, even with wiping off the frog poop, enough to encourage more algae growth than usual. It's strange how we often have parallel experiences like this.

As far as humidity gauges, I gave them up a long time ago. Once the tanks are settled and maintaining the right humidity throughout the first year, nothing is really going to change unless you change the enclosure drastically, or your misting practices. Of course, there are different levels of humidity throughout any tank, and no gauge reflects them all, only measures the spot where it is placed while it's still working. The frogs can find a comfort level, even if parts of the tank are more dry. I find that like you, I can detect the over-all humidity level with my hand or face as well or better than any gauge.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
5 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
5 D. imitator
6 D. leucomelas
4 D. pumilio Bastimentos
4 D. fantasticus
4 P. terribilis
4 D. reticulatus
4 D. castaneoticus
2 D. azureus
4 P vittatus

Hey Patty:

Thanks for the response! It is interesting how we do find the same things happening to our tanks!! I agree that the humidity couldn't have changed too much as I have not changed to any great degree the variables that would affect it. As for the Algae, I asked my 12 year old son as to what he though it might be since he loves the sciences and I thought I'd ask you about his answer.

He said that he thought we were experiencing an Algae Bloom and asked me if I had seen more poop on the tank walls lately or had added fertilization. Since I had not done the latter, and have seen more of the first, he suggested that it may be due to all the poop on the walls. I told him that the 4th Imitator in the tank now was almost full grown and not only had I seen more poop but the poops seems to have increased in mass as well.

This will be the first year that the tank houses 4 adult Imitators vs. the 3 in the last 3 years. I had been wondering if a replanting was needed just as you had mentioned but had read that others like allowing a tank to "season". I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

Thanks Patty,

Maggie

I think over time, the glass may retain more of the nutrients that we only superficially wipe off, at best. Even glass has microscopic pits and pores in it. Perhaps even when we do a vinegar soaked paper towel scrub on occasion, which I do mostly to remove any calcium deposits, it may be leaving some stuff to encourage the particularly energetic algae blooms. While we always had a bit of it, as time goes by, we seem to have more of it. I think your son is right.

So far, I haven't worried much, except having to clean the glass more often than usual. It's only a visual problem for us, and not essentially one about the health and welfare of the frogs, but it isn't as much fun when things don't look as good as they used to. Five years of no major maintanance is a long time, so perhaps we are due to think about it. I hate to disturb a happy frog community, but I'm now trying to think about how to move them and to where and how to revamp the entire set-up.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
5 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
5 D. imitator
6 D. leucomelas
4 D. pumilio Bastimentos
4 D. fantasticus
4 P. terribilis
4 D. reticulatus
4 D. castaneoticus
2 D. azureus
4 P vittatus

I hate moving! I never delt well with moving myself and I can't imagine I'd feel better about moving such tiny frogs. But in the last few weeks, the thought has taken hold of me that it is well over due and I have to at least think about moving some of them out into another home if I want them to thrive. I believe I'd have healthier froglets if the tank was at least more spacious. I think I might have at least lost a few to overcrowding. It is a scary thought how I might try to catch them in my overgrown tank. I envision myself covered with sweat, arms jammed though the small front door, w/ a deli cup in one hand, and using the other to coax, face pressed up against the front of the tank barely able to see what I might be squashing.

Now there are new eggs, fertile and twitching in one brom. One fell out today(see post above). Maybe this will be the way I get them out-at least the babies!

Maggie