# 180 gallons for Ranitomeya Variabilis



## bebert (Oct 19, 2011)

So my friend and I decided to setup a 180g tank for my thumbnails. I will post all the work in progress shots as well as the final product and links to videos on youtube. this is our first attempt at building a vivarium so please be nice all comments and critiques are welcome.

this is the empty tank:









My friend sculpting the tree trunk out of PVC pipes and GS:
























silicon on the background:





GS on the background as well as placing all the roots:





putting peat on the GS:













ventilation system:


Lighting system:




final shots:





Video Links: coming soon


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## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

Tiny pictures... but looks nice from what I see.


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## Gwba (Nov 9, 2010)

Nice work, but larger pics won't harm anybody


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

thats a LOT of tank!!! i bet a group or P. terribilis would love it ... damn thumbnails get all the love


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## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

those pics are freakishly small and I con't make much out lol.


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## bebert (Oct 19, 2011)

sorry about the small pics. realized what i did wrong. i will have the larger ones posted by tomorrow.


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## bebert (Oct 19, 2011)

here are the pictures !
































































































































the vent system with a pc fan 

































the light fixture is a usa orbit 8x 39w t5ho maybe a bit too much i am doing temperature test right now and maybe removing 2 will help lower the temp
http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/7070/img0087bx.jpg
final shot !








a nice orchid that already shoot me bunch of flower!








here is a shot where you can see my crystal red shrimp aquarium and my killies under the main tank


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## bebert (Oct 19, 2011)

oh forgot 1 !


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

How many friends are gonna go in the viv?


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## bebert (Oct 19, 2011)

I currently own 3 Variabilis 1 male singing 24/7 and 2 fat females i saw a tad a week ago in my smaller tank so will know how much i have when i transfer them in a couple of weeks and will add more plants from time to time


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## WeeNe858 (Sep 13, 2010)

That thing would look amazing stocked to the rim with broms!


Good looking!


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## bebert (Oct 19, 2011)

I got a nice surprise this morning! here are the pic!


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## bebert (Oct 19, 2011)

my Variabilis!


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## bebert (Oct 19, 2011)

no comment recommendation? or just a its nice would be appreciated


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## Azurel (Aug 5, 2010)

Love the back ground.....I would add a bunch more leaf litter like live sand oak, live oak etc some of the smaller leaf litter....More leaf litter will help them hide while the plants grow in as well as help the microfauna population.... Love the R. variabilis....You add a few more if you wanted to with a tank that large they would be fine in a larger group....Tank is gonna look really nice once it gets grown in a bit.


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## davidadelp (Sep 29, 2010)

I would add to that group specially with a tank that large. I just sold my variabilis I loved them they was always out and in sight so I can just imagine with a tank that large if you had a large group


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

bebert said:


> no comment recommendation? or just a its nice would be appreciated


I like the biggest root structure. They are going to love playing in a viv that big! I do have two recommendations. First, how about a nice ghost wood structure about 3/5 from either end. Just NOT dead center. I think it would give it some visual impact and they would love the addition of the "jungle gym". Second, if you look at the viv (as pictured below) just as an overview, what I see is an almost completely even shelf of green just barely above halfway up. It looks like most of the green plants are mounted at or close to the same level. I know when you look closer, there are others scattered around, but I think it would look more natural and just be more aesthetically pleasing to break up that shelf. Move a few up and down 6 or 8 inches. 


bebert said:


> oh forgot 1 !


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## frog dude (Nov 11, 2011)

WOW. You could probably keep a bit more then three thumbnails in there.  About 33 more, if you follow the one dart for every 5 gallons.


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## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

Ah, there we go... looks good... I agree with Doug about the plant placements, etc


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## bebert (Oct 19, 2011)

I got some plant in today I got 5 ficus sp. panama cuttings and 3 selaginellas sp. central peru
I plan to put a couple more bromeliads in there but cant find any here in montreal that are suitable for my tank I'm looking for small neos i guess i will make a thread in the wanted section.

for the plant placement it doest really look like you guys said when you are sitting in front of it but i got the point!
Iwon't move the plants since the bulbophyllum corolliferum already started to establish i guess that when they start to invade the gs and branches it will less look like they are all at the same height

the little small orchid look really happy it send a lot of aerial roots into the gs in no time and there's 3 flower coming it's a kefersteinia mystacina really adapt really quick 

The only advantage in living here in Laval is the orchid paradise a green house with thousand of orchid of a bunch of species 

I have now 2 tads for sure in the smaller tank maybe a lot more that i cant reach with my eyes i will transfer the frogs in a week or 2 maybe more so i will get the tads out in the transfer progress

Should I put all the frog in at the same time if i plan to buy another 1.2 trio soon?
since they are breeding right now will they stop after the transfer since it will be another adaptation ? 

my only concern for the big tank is the temp its 78.2 oF at the hottest is it too high? Its not a light problem, I find out that the room temperature is higher even during night(75.1oF)in the other rooms of the appartment it's 72.5 for the day n 67.9 for night except for where the tank is so i guess its my heat system in my appartment the problem

thank you for all the comment i enjoy reading them!
P.S. : could I put the link of the green house web site for my french canadian frogger ? or its forbidden? and where should i put it ?


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## DCgecko (Dec 18, 2011)

we gonna need some bigger frogs


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

I would put all the frogs in together so they each have a fair chance at finding their own favorite places and establishing territories. If you are getting another trio, I trust you know to make sure they are the same morph? i.e. Don't mix Southern Variabilis with Highland Variabilis. 78 F is not too hot. Especially as you say that is the hottest spot. There will be cooler spots down lower that they can always go to. I have spots in vivs that can hit 85 F but there are other microclimites down lower for them.

You can NOT link your orchid site and say "These guys are really great and I highly reccomend them. You CAN link the orchid site and say "I found my orchid here". The difference is in the first example you provided feedback. In the second example you give NO feedback but simply give a potential source for orchids.


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## bebert (Oct 19, 2011)

the other trio will be from the same breeder and the same morph I'm not mixing don't worry so i should get the other trio the same day i transfer the frog ?
what if i don't have the money or they are not available now from the breeder?
when my tad morph and get bigger i can put them in the tank when they reach a reasonable size ?
what happen when you insert a new frog to a establish colony?

Do you think that they will stop breeding when i transfer them in the bigger tank untill they adapt ?

For the orchid green house here is a link leparadisdesorchidees | les orchidées | Phalaenopsis | Cymbedium | orchid care - Galerie


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

bebert said:


> what happen when you insert a new frog to a establish colony?


Depending on the established territories and niches, there is a significant risk of fighting. Usually the established frogs will hold onto thier territories and the new frog(s) end up being pushed out of them if there is unclaimed territories... If there is no unclaimed turf they can end up being chased all around the tank by the different residents until it dies. This does vary depending on the sex and the species of the frogs. 



bebert said:


> Do you think that they will stop breeding when i transfer them in the bigger tank untill they adapt ?


Possibly until they acclimate. 

Ed


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## bebert (Oct 19, 2011)

Ed said:


> Depending on the established territories and niches, there is a significant risk of fighting. Usually the established frogs will hold onto thier territories and the new frog(s) end up being pushed out of them if there is unclaimed territories... If there is no unclaimed turf they can end up being chased all around the tank by the different residents until it dies. This does vary depending on the sex and the species of the frogs.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Is ranitomeya Variabilis one of thosse specie Ed?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

bebert said:


> Is ranitomeya Variabilis one of thosse specie Ed?


I haven't worked with that species yet.. so I'm going to defer to others with more experience.... Doug (Pumilio) may have some good suggestions for you (as may others with more experience with that frog). 

Ed


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## bebert (Oct 19, 2011)

ah oh ok ! if anyone have experience with a colony of R.Variabilis or behavior after introduction of frog in a tank that already have establish specimens please share!


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Thanks Ed but I've only had mine a few months and they've been kept together the entire time. I can tell you all 6 got along beautifully in a 10 gallon grow out viv. They just hit their real home today. http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members-frogs-vivariums/76581-pumilos-75-corner-viv.html


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## Azurel (Aug 5, 2010)

I have a group of 6 'Highland' that were separated during QT. In one holding tank was a 1.1 and the other was 1.1.2(no issues what so ever). They have been released into the home viv for about 2 months and I have not seen any aggression out of them. I have noticed that the 1.1 seem to have their little hiding spot and the others all have found theirs. Mind you I am not watching the tank 24/7 but I have seen them out and about and all are healthy looking. None have lost weight and seem to be eating well. Not a long term experience but has been fine the last few months.....I would make a solid bet that you could get away with it being that the tank is as big as it is.

I also have a group of 0.0.4 'Southern' variabilis right now in a 5g holding tank and they are doing and eating fine. They are still juvies but all have shown growth and good weight. I do have the opportunity to watch this group more due to them being in the living room and there has been no aggression. These have been kept together from the start by the person I got them from and me as well.


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## bebert (Oct 19, 2011)

hey guys here is a little update
I transferred the frog yesterday I only have a trio in there so far since my breeder didn't have some ready  
I will post pic when the light turn on I added 2 other varieties of kefersteinia:
vasquezii and laminata 
the old smaller tank will be morph in a grow tank for froglet
more to come 

bebert


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## seleçao (Dec 27, 2011)

Beautiful tank !!

What is the mix in the blinder ? 
Did you make tour background only with peat and sealant ?


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## bebert (Oct 19, 2011)

seleçao said:


> Beautiful tank !!
> 
> What is the mix in the blinder ?
> Did you make tour background only with peat and sealant ?


the mix was orchid barkand sillicone for the trunk
the bg is gs with sillicone andand a mix of peat and coco fiber

All frog or so bold like they never been i even open the tank to spread ff in it and didnt even move 
they used to be so shy that i was surprised of they size when i found them yesterday to move them lol 
now they jumping all over attempting to emit super man i got scared at the begining but they don't seem to hurt themselve since they doing it over and over trying to catch ff on a branch that is 1 foot away lol


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## bebert (Oct 19, 2011)

Here is a short video to show you how bold they are now compared at what they used to be i used to see them for 2 sec when i was going in the room where my small frogs tank and run out of view really quick and now they are in the living room with all the noise and activity that come with it and still can't believe the enormous change with them


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## Venutus1 (Feb 13, 2010)

bebert said:


> ....and now they are in the living room with all the noise and activity that come with it and still can't believe the enormous change with them
> 
> [/url]


Nice set up!

I am glad they have gotten bold for you. 

They look like they have bright blue legs!

Cheers,
Todd


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## bebert (Oct 19, 2011)

Venutus1 said:


> Nice set up!
> 
> I am glad they have gotten bold for you.
> 
> ...


thank you ! ya they are from UE !

Guess what? My male already restarted to call in less than 48 hour after the transfer he is moving around with both females following  i'm so happy right now ! and i just got the email from UE 6 more are coming my way!


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## Plantnerd (Dec 9, 2011)

Stunning frogs!.. And it is always great to see lots of cryptanthus.

What is the red plant on the viv floor to the far left? The camera goes by so fast


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## bebert (Oct 19, 2011)

Plantnerd said:


> Stunning frogs!.. And it is always great to see lots of cryptanthus.
> 
> What is the red plant on the viv floor to the far left? The camera goes by so fast


its a simple ludisia discolor
the crypt are all spinny they seem to be ok even if i saw sometime the frog moving the legs all over them like they were hitchy after jumping of off the cryp should i be worried?


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## bebert (Oct 19, 2011)

the littles guys have made it safe to my house enjoy !


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## boombotty (Oct 12, 2005)

Looks like they will be happy in there. Time to update your signiture


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