Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm brainstorming ideas for an empty 55 gallon aquarium that I have. I would really like to do some sort of plaudarium (water/land) type tank and base it on a Madagascar biotope. My problem is I cannot find much information on how leaftails would handle an area of standing water in the enclosure. Ideally I would like to keep mantellas, leaftails and dwarf cichlids in this enclosure. Dwarf cichlids are south american but require water temps perfectly in line with air temps for the leaftails and mantellas.

The water area will be roughly 1/3 of the 55 gal and 7-9" high giving around 8-10 gallons. I plan on having 2-3 submerged plant species along with some rock features and plenty of branches coming out of the water both to provide cover for the fish and escape routes should a gecko fall in.

The water feature would take up the middle area of the aquarium with land on left and right. I will be separating dry/wet areas with acrylic/plexi siliconed into place. This should allow me to slope one of the dry areas downwards (away from the water) providing more vertical space on one end, but I aim to house either satanics or eban's as they are smaller and will supposedly make better use of the horizontal space of the 55 gal. The cichlids require a decent amount of shade so there will be plants and branches suspended/growing over the water which will also provide more climbing areas for the leaftails.

So what are your opinions on having a water feature like this in a leaftail enclosure?

thanks
ac

Hey AC I am a bit busy and have to run for now, but I made this a HOT TOPIC, it's an (interesting thought) hopefully many will give their opinions. Mine is proabably not what you would want to hear

I don't like the mixing of the fish and what not in such a small enclosure. It would be difficult to keep clean, filtered, crickets drowning and FOWLING the water, tank sounds big to us, but it really isn't I would worry about BACTERIAL / FUNGAL problems. I will check back later tonight see what everyone thinks.
-----
PHEve / Eve

I dont know how the geckos would take that sort of stress. The geckos live depending on species in bushes and trees and hardly ever if not never come in contact with a body of water deep enough were they would have to swim. I never seen one but they most likely do not make good swimmers being arboreal and all. I dont know what species you were planning on using but the smaller species wouldnt be able to take a cichlid biting on them when they do fall in the water and get mistaken as a piece of food. If you want something like this a smaller body of water like a small creek like area just shallow enough for them to stand in might work. I wouldnt mix them with mantellas either just cause of their skin secretions and some of the bigger uros might be able to take down a mantella.
-----
Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation

Reptiles

1.0 Uroplatus phantasticus
2.0 Uromastyx malienisis
0.2 Eublepharis macularis
1.0 Chrysemys picta dorsalis
0.1 Physignathus cocincinus
0.0.1 Hemidactylus turcicus
0.1 Lepidactlyus lugrubis

I think uro would sink like a log and if not most of those animals would stress the hell out of them- mantellas too prob

as for your case, im sorry but i cannot help. the reason i am posting is because i am considering a similar project minus the water feature. to all the Uro fans out there: would a living terrarium be a good idea? are Uroplatus geckos suitable candidates for a terrarium like we are both thinking as long as there is adequate room and proper temps?

It pretty much goes without saying. A terrarium with live plants is the way to go with Uroplatus in general.