# bbt tank



## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

reading on IUCN's website it says that they come from grassy areas with rocky outcrops. so the next logical Q is.....

what are some nice grassy plants that will work for these guys?

james


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

people are still trying to figure that out, there was s discussion in the chat room about this the other night, but there is not much to choose from.


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## Eric Walker (Aug 22, 2009)

in the last few weeks I have come accross a few pic of tanks with bbt's from a few years back and some looked alot like what you might expect to see a few terribilis in. also it looked like the humidity was much higher than what most have been saying to keep them at, one or two even with water features. again another broad range of care .


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## TDK (Oct 6, 2007)

Are you guys talking about Bumble Bee toads??


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## TDK (Oct 6, 2007)

I see you also posted on the thread started as Bumble Bee toads. I'm setting up one Exo Terra tank 24" long x 18" high and deep also another maybe 40 gallon tank. I'll post what I set up on the other thread when I finish. Can you tell me how you searched the IUCN?


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

TDK said:


> I see you also posted on the thread started as Bumble Bee toads. I'm setting up one Exo Terra tank 24" long x 18" high and deep also another maybe 40 gallon tank. I'll post what I set up on the other thread when I finish. Can you tell me how you searched the IUCN?


http://www.iucnredlist.org/

there you go.
james


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

there are dwarf carex grasses that stay under 1 ft high,Id try those


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

I would have missed this if I hadn't accidently clicked on it as I had not idea what a bbt was.... 

Unless you are really trying for a biotopic tank, then grassy plants aren't really needed.. but one should be able to use Liriope as a substitute. 

In habitats like those where the toads are from, the clumps provide a different microclimate as the clumps retain higher levels of humidity under the clump than the areas of soil between the clumps. (Somewhere I have a paper where this was considered as part of the reason for pyramiding in tortoises as the young tortoises shelter under materials like grass clumps and the higher humidity changes the growth pattern.. (off topic but the documentation of higher humidity are what is important)). The clumps manage this through several factors such as sheltering/shading the soil from the sun, and providing a collection surface for rain and dew... 
As with other bufonids, a substrate that is equally wet is going to be a problem in the long run as it may affect osmotic balance in the toads so ideally a moisture gradient is going to be better for the toads then one that does not include a moisture gradient. 

Ed


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

maybe a sand/coir blend to allow easy burrowing and good drainage


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Sedges like Carex sp, Pipeworts (Eriocaulon), Xyris sp............. Rushes like corkscrew, zebra, etc............also Acorus and many emergent aquarium plants.

Another cool one that is found all over North and South America is Smartweed (Polygonum hydropiperoides).....

All would be appropriate in terms of looks and general habitat, more so then the typical rainforest plants we usually use.


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

Has there been any discussion about ventilation/air movement in the enclosures for these guys? What about UV light?


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

i'd like to hear it all, but if so perhaps the thread could be moved to the general discussion portion. or a new one started! 

issues to adress;
lighting 
temp ranges, rates of change, times
supplements
feeders (what will they eat)/what do they need
lifespan
plants for the tanks
water features
humidity and how to maintain it at optimal.
substrate (do they burrow?)
and breeding.

james


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## trow (Aug 25, 2005)

Lighting reptisun 5.0
Water I have a small water feature with a sponge filter to help maintain humidity but not drench the aquarium.
There is never any condensation on the front of the glass.
Half the lid of the 40 long is acrylic the other half is screen.Air movement is essential
Substrate on the dry side is a mixture of coco fiber and shredded leaves(i Have unlimited access to these so it is what I prefer.Keep it moist but not saturated(that is what the rainchamber will be for.
They eat just about anything you have to experiment a little but termites all castes are eagerly taken.Especially alates.
Plants are pothos I dont have any desire to create a bio type it's not needed in order to reproduce them.
I have never witnessed mine burrow usually they will lodge up underneath cork flats and coco shell's.They may actually burrow underneath these but I dont really mess with them to much so I cant say 100 percent.
Lifespan I got my original group 6yrs ago and they are still kicking and going strong they were subadults when I got them.
Supplements I use repashy calcium plus icb
Temp ranges are wide they can take a huge range with no ill effects.I would stay away from extremes in either direction though.
Breeding once they have settled and have been properly conditioned(brumate) 
a slow increase in temps and food along with a trip to the rainchamber will induce amplexus fairly quick but they are not always successful you need enough to create a frenzy they are communal breeders.
This is what has worked for me I am very sure that other methods could and should be applied.
goodluck


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## frograck (May 1, 2005)

philodendron wende imbe 
is small, clumpy, and has narrow (Grassy) leaves.


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

trow said:


> Substrate on the dry side is a mixture of coco fiber and shredded leaves(i Have unlimited access to these so it is what I prefer.Keep it moist but not saturated(that is what the rainchamber will be for.


A homemade clay-based soil substrate sounds like it could work well for these guys.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

That is what I'm mixing up for mine... Including pockets that contain a mixture of leaf litter, coco fiber, long fiber sphagnum and clay.. to allow for some different invertebrate habitat.

Ed


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## trow (Aug 25, 2005)

It will work great.Like I said I just dont set my animals up that way.I am a minimalist 
goodluck


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## billschwinn (Dec 17, 2008)

Ed took my idea, Liriope, also you may try fountain grass, maybe some relative of pampas grass, if you wanted an anual grass try sprouting and growingthe different millets in cage bird seed. Bill


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

found some pics of Melanophryniscus from Paraguay on grass, and it looks strikingly similar to common lawn grass, although the pictures could have been taken on someones lawn i guess 

SPOTTED RED-BELLY TOAD Melanophryniscus fulvoguttatus FAUNA PARAGUAY

james


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## jeffr (May 15, 2009)

you might want to look into Mondo Grass


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## flapjax3000 (Jul 4, 2009)

James I can give you some of the mixture substrate that I am making for my tanks. I have plenty of extra clay. Just need some more fir bark. Also Mondo could work, but I think its fairly aquatic. The tank would have to be fairly saturated for it to survive which may not be good for toads.


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

well look at that.... i have extra fir bark. 

thanks lee, just give me a call today.
james


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## TDK (Oct 6, 2007)

I heard someone state somewhere "Tanks are often set up for the keeper not the kept". I personally like a natural setup, as most do, but there are also benefits for a minimalist setup as TROW prefers. Easy to clean, locate, replace substrate whtere soiled or too wet., easy to find eggs. And there is no reason you can't have a breeding tank(s) set up along with a display tank as well. 

A couple of plants that I would reccomend becasue they are small and should be well suited to a less humid enviroment would be Leptinella (looks like a small fern)and Acorus minima (looks like a dwarf Mondo grass). I posted photos on the other Bumble Bee toad thread as well. I believe both will require high light to be grow indoors in a tank. I have grown outdoors, potted in full sulight but not inside.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

TDK said:


> I heard someone state somewhere "Tanks are often set up for the keeper not the kept". I personally like a natural setup, as most do, but there are also benefits for a minimalist setup as TROW prefers. Easy to clean, locate, replace substrate whtere soiled or too wet., easy to find eggs. And there is no reason you can't have a breeding tank(s) set up along with a display tank as well.


A well set up "natural" tank requires little or no cleaning when done properly as the ability of aerobic soil microbes are very very efficient at dealing with waste material. 

Ed


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## RarePlantBroker (Aug 3, 2008)

flapjax3000 said:


> James I can give you some of the mixture substrate that I am making for my tanks. I have plenty of extra clay. Just need some more fir bark. Also Mondo could work, but I think its fairly aquatic. The tank would have to be fairly saturated for it to survive which may not be good for toads.


We use several varieties of Mondo grass in the landscape here in FL. Provided they're not in full sun, they survive just fine in sandy soil w/1x per week watering....


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

any comments about the pics on what looks like some common lawn type grass that i posted?

james


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## SethDoty (Feb 7, 2010)

james67 said:


> any comments about the pics on what looks like some common lawn type grass that i posted?
> 
> james


It is probably just that.


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

if you look at the rest of the amphibian pics on the site they look to be in-situ. but i guess it wouldnt be out of the question for this to have been taken on a lawn, in paraguay.

james


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## SethDoty (Feb 7, 2010)

james67 said:


> if you look at the rest of the amphibian pics on the site they look to be in-situ. but i guess it wouldnt be out of the question for this to have been taken on a lawn, in paraguay.
> 
> james



Well the pic says where it was taken, here is a broader view of the area from the same web site. 

http://www.faunaparaguay.com/KANGUERYx.jpg

Maybe the toad pic was taken in the short scruffy roadside grass and that is why it looks like a lawn.


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