# Carnivorous plant tank



## Matecho (Dec 16, 2013)

i was thinking of making a carnivorous plant tank just for display. Has anyone tried this? How does it work and how does the setup differ from a normal viv? Any other tips let me know. Thanks


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## VelvetDragon (Feb 13, 2010)

There are only a few carnivorous plants that really thrive in an enclosed terrarium so you'll have to research your species pretty thoroughly. I recommend the book "Savage Garden" or Sarracenia Northwest's awesome care guides. 

First, you'll be going for tropical carnivores, not temperate carnivores.

The temperate carnivores are Sarracenia pitcher plants, Venus flytraps (Dionaea), temperate sundews (Drosera), cobra lilies (Darlingtonia). These plants are cold hardy, and do best grown _outdoors_ as they need a winter dormancy. None of them require a terrarium and most would suffer in one. Many are native to the US.

The tropical carnivores are Asian pitcher plants (Nepenthes), tropical butterworts (Pinguicula), sun pitchers (Heliamphora), Australian pitchers (Cephalotus), and tropical sundews (Drosera). Nepenthes are further separated into Highland, Intermediate, and Lowland species, which have different temperature and humidity requirements (and therefore difficulty levels). 

All these carnivores need: Water that is free of minerals, ferts, and contaminants (RO or distilled); high light; a special potting mix that is free of fertilizer and decaying matter (I use a spagnum moss/perlite/orchid bark mix for my Nepenthes and a peat moss/perlite mix for my flytraps, Drosera, Sarracenia, and a slightly different mix for my butterworts! just make sure your source doesn't add fertilizer!). Because they are bog plants, water in their native habitats rinses all nutrients from the soil and leaves it acidic. That is why they adapted to take their nutrients from elsewhere.

There are also some more unusual, less commonly thought of species like both aquatic and terrestrial bladderworts (Utricularia -- actually, these often come as invasive weed when you get java moss, or in with your other plants) and corkscrew plants, which I was reminded of in another post, and these are actually better suited to terrarium life.

I have all of the above plants, and I do not have a single one in a terrarium. Keeping some of them in a terrarium will kill them. In addition, many get way too big for any but the HUGEST setups. However, it is possible with some species if you have the right setup. It's not necessarily the easiest way to do so however! You will have to maintain adequate ventilation and low humidity for most of them, they are not high humidity plants (despite what misinformation about them will say): Growing in a Terrarium... 

I know some people use fan setups. 

Most carnivores are bog plants, so many can have an awesome setup with water constantly soaking their feet but need air movement. Some, like Nepenthes, like to have consistently damp potting medium without standing water, so they'd do better sitting up higher in the tank.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

I just wanted to point out that Darlingtonia are perfectly capable of taking water with moderate mineral content. They live mostly in serpentine soils in nature. In fact, I was just reading that their roots are totally incapable of absorption of dissolved minerals, which is why the application of osmocote doesn't do anything for seedlings like it does in Sarracenia.

EDIT: also, many Nepenthes species are found growing on limestone.


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## AquaAurora (Jan 4, 2015)

This is a bit more on the wet side, but give [this thread] a read, has a bunch of emersed aquatic plants AND carnivorous plants in a open top viv/pauldarium style setup.


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## VelvetDragon (Feb 13, 2010)

epiphytes etc. -- You're right! It's of course more complicated than that, but it's true that some carnivores tolerate minerals in the water better than others. As a general rule, however, they'll all do fine *without them* but it will kill/burn many of them. So I usually err on the side of caution. 

Darlingtonia is... special. Hahaha. And "advanced". Some people find it grows best with a constant drip system through a quick-draining mix or in a cool tray. Fertilizer will still kill them.

Serpentine soils do lack in nutrients, and also have strange mineral content compared to other soils. That is why the plants that grow in them are specialists. Serpentine is definitely not necessary to Darlingtonia cultivation.

They tend to have high heavy metal content but the ratios of what we'd consider "healthy minerals" are also off from usual ratios. Almost nothing, including Darlingtonia, grows near the highest concentration of those metals, though. 

There are different kinds of Darlingtonia -- similar to highland and lowland, just like Nepenthes. For example, there's a lowland bog type that grows in places like Florence, Oregon (one of my favorite places!), and then there's the mountain type that grows in serpentine soils. It's usually the mountain type that's found in horticulture.

Nepenthes are definitely more forgiving of minerals than some other carnivorous plants. I water mine with tap water sometimes. However we do have very soft water here, I wouldn't recommend this if you live in a place with hard water. And of course it depends on the Nepenthes! So unless you're familiar enough with the species to know which ones can handle the minerals (and whether your tap water is awesome enough) I probably wouldn't do it. 

AquaAurora -- Now that is definitely a gorgeous way to do it! That is a great setup that allows the kind of air circulation the carnivores need. Although with my luck my cats would want to jump into it. :/ Too appealing.

The keeper of the scape was told that it was a mix of temperate and tropicals and acknowledged that and said they'd pull the temperates and fridge them for winter. That's dedication to a mix! Temperates are MUCH harder to keep healthy indoors; you can do it but it's just so much more work. The sundews and butterworts and the like do look kind of dry to me instead of sparkling with dew, but maybe that's just the photos? Just a stunning table. I love water features.


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## MasterOogway (Mar 22, 2011)

AquaAurora said:


> This is a bit more on the wet side, but give [this thread] a read, has a bunch of emersed aquatic plants AND carnivorous plants in a open top viv/pauldarium style setup.


You beat me to it. I love that thread, that is still one of the best, most amazing setups I've seen in a while.


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## Okapi (Oct 12, 2007)

I would read "The Savage Garden" cover to cover before I make any decisions if I were you. Most of the species are not going to last very long in a vivarium, as has already been stated. Those that will often grow too large for a vivarium. For example, Nepenthes are vines in nature that get huge and some of the coolest Drosera grow tall and lanky in the vivarium.

Tropical Utricularia species will do well, but their traps are hidden from view. A lot of people only like carnivorous plants for their traps. But Utrics grow fast under vivarium conditions and can be free flowering throughout the year if happy. Their flowers often rival orchids but they are usually super tiny. Some tropical Drosera species stay small enough to grow in a vivarium. Some smaller nepenthes might work if their vining end is cut back every so often, but they can be picky when it comes to temperatures.

Here is the most beautiful carnivorous tank I have found:
Some shots from my tepui terrarium - Carnivorous Plants in Cultivation - Carnivorous Plants UK

A documentary you might enjoy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBhjkBUec-4

If you do take the plunge into carnivorous plants, be sure to post pics  

(Attachment is 'Miranda' my favorite nepenthes of the three I have)


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