Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does everyone here keep their plants in pots? or do you have some free growing? I was wondering the best way of cleaning a tank that has free growing plants. I need to do reconstruction on one of my vivs because a seal broke, turning my dry planted area into the wetlands. Surprisingly enough, the plants that I have, have thrived it wet conditions.

Also anyone have any reccomendations for buying live plants online. Thanks.

Definitely no pots. I can't think of any potted plants I've seen in a dart viv. Also, the only cleaning done is whiping down the glass and water changes. Not having to clean is kind of the point of a viv. I wouldn't have any if I had to clean them!

We usually like to remove the plants from the pots and shake off the original soil which often contains chemical fertilizers. As Skronkykong has pointed out, the whole object of a planted vivarium is to establish biological recycling of the wastes, encouraging various microorganisms that help do the job, as well. The only "cleaning" other than what he mentioned would be trimming back overgrowth and misting off detritus from the plant leaves. I also like to do a little top-dressing of fresh substrate once in a great while as the old stuff deteriorates, and add fresh leaf litter to the surface. Your original design will always be changing itself, and various plants may over-grow others over time. You may want to rip out some that either don't do well or do too well, but over-all, the vivarium will only look more and more "natural."

Check with the dart frog breeders and various vivarium/terrarium supply houses for plants. Black Jungle is a good source, as is Saurian, but there are also many others. They sometimes have deals in packages with a collection of appropriate plants for the vivarium. Some of the good bromeliads, such as Neoregelias don't need any soil at all and can be mounted on wood features such as branches or backgrounds, where they virtually live off the humid air and detritus. Here's just a few examples of stuff just growing on cork bark, some from resident spores, never planted at all.

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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

Dendrobates: auratus blue, auratus Ancon Hill, tinctorius azureus, leucomelas. Phyllobates: vittatus, terribilis, lugubris. Epipedobates: anthonyi tricolor pasaje. Ranitomeya fantastica, imitator, reticulata. Adelphobates castaneoticus, galactonotus. Oophagia pumilio Bastimentos. (updated systematic nomenclature)

That is a beautiful viv. I don't actually have darts, but I figured I would ask you guys because of your experiences with "growing" tanks. I have two thriving plants, and I am looking for some more to add to my watered portion and to my dry land. What are some of the plants you guys commonly use?

What you see here are: Photo 1. Bromeliads-Neoregelias. These particular plants are not showing their usual variegations and bright colors due to insufficient light for the purpose. The other plant is a fern that just grew on its own on the cork bark.

Photo 2. Java moss, Selaginella (fern like stuff on the left) Ficus pumila (climbing wood), Ficus pumila quercifolia (ground covering vine with tiny oak like leaves) Pellionia (watermelon vine with maroon leaf variegation's) and Fittonia--with white veins. Photo 3. Rhipsalis--the stemmy, leafless plant, which is a epiphytic cactus) Bromeliad is a Vresia, I think, and unknown fern--Some of the moss is sphagnum moss that has "come alive" from the dried state.

There are so many plants that will do well, it's hard to name even a good portion of them. Pilea, Peperomia, small ferns of various sorts, (although many may become invasive.) some Calathea will stay relatively small. Ricca moss is nice for waterways and wet places. I personally think small and avoid larger species commonly sold as house plants in Walmart, etc., but some people make these work for them.

One of the difficulties of growing the more colorful bromes and blooming tropicals is providing sufficient light for them while preventing overheating of the tank at the same time. So I always like to recommend starting with low-light plants for a first experience.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

Dendrobates: auratus blue, auratus Ancon Hill, tinctorius azureus, leucomelas. Phyllobates: vittatus, terribilis, lugubris. Epipedobates: anthonyi tricolor pasaje. Ranitomeya fantastica, imitator, reticulata. Adelphobates castaneoticus, galactonotus. Oophagia pumilio Bastimentos. (updated systematic nomenclature)