# New vivarium 325l (85g) - Frog recommendation?



## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Hello,

I'm a new dart frog enthusiast. I was working on the viv for the last month.
Background is from xixam panels. For the drainage i used 5cm aquarium blue sponge . Substrate is white peat brick.

The tree with roots was made from pvc pipes and great stuff. For coating i used elastopur sprinkled with peat substrate.


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Which frog would you put in here???
100cmx65cmx50cm


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

Hey welcome to the boards. First things first -- you should get some leaf litter to cover up that soil. It gives the frogs a place to hide and to hunt. Having them on the soil constantly will irritate their delicate skin. You should also get some microfauna (springtails, isopods) for your viv; they'll act as janitors and food for your frogs/viv. 

Do you have experience with keeping darts? Before you get your frogs you should have your viv totally set up (with leaf litter and microfauna), and you should have started culturing fruit flies to get some experience.

In case you haven't checked them out here are some thread I highly recommend you read:
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/beginner-discussion/11865-good-threads-read-beginners.html

Some good frogs fro beginners are leucs, auratus, and tincs. Leucs and Auratus do well in groups; tincs usually only do well in pairs.
Care Sheets - Dendroboard
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/care-sheets/14619-dendrobates-auratus-novice.html
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/care-sheets/13015-dendrobates-leucomelas-novice.html
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/care-sheets/14606-dendrobates-azureus-tinctorius-novice.html


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Thanks for the all the tips. 
This is my first viv.

In the space between the roots of the fake tree i am planing to put leaf liter. 
The springtails are alredy in the soil. I'm also coulturing fruit fly's and wheat lice.

I'm going to teraristic borse in St. Polten Austria. 03.03.2013. There i plan to buy the frogs.
I was leaning more to smaller frogs ranitomeya or oophaga. Or do you think they would be to big of the bite for me as a beginer?


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

I would really recommend putting leaf litter to cover the entire floor. I personally find the sight of soil very ugly, and the same goes for frogs that get covered in soil, no one wants to see that! You could also put some nice green moss over the soil, which many people find attractive; but definitely cover that soil up .

The species in the dendrobates genus are usually considered better for beginners for a few reasons. 1) They're bigger, so they're easier to spot; it's easier to show them off to guests or spot them from across the room. 2) They are generally hardier and more forgiving of mistakes by the owner. 3) They are usually much bolder and unafraid of people when they approach the viv (I'm assuming you don't want a frog that is hiding all the time).

I would recommend leucomelas actually. Your viv has a large vertical portion, and leucs would be better able to utilize that space. They are pretty bold, and they have very pretty mating calls.

I would also recommend adding some more plants or "furniture" on the front/right side of the viv. That space is totally open and is not being used to it's full potential. Frogs like places to climb and hide. The more places there are to climb/hide, the more you'll see your frogs out and about.

Here is a very well designed viv (utilizing a good portion of the "free space") by forum member grimm:




http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/65988-peninsula-60.html

Oh and I highly recommend getting isopods for your viv. They are excellent at cleaning up frog poop that springtails ignore


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Again thanks for the help
Well i dont like the soil either, if you look at the last picture you can see were will the moss be and on the open soil spaces goes leaf liter.

This is definitely not the final layout of vivarium. I'll try with some larger plants in the front right part of the viv.

I'm trying to get the isopods but unfortualy dart frog keeping is not well developed here in Slovenia. I'll try to get them on the fair in Austria.




> 2) They are generally hardier and more forgiving of mistakes by the owner.


Sorry for the noob question but what are the main mistakes you can do as a dart frog keeper?


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

Seriously, read through the Beginner Discussion - Dendroboard forum, it has lots of questions that newcomers to the hobby have.

Also read these:
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/beginner-discussion/4956-beginner-frog-faq.html
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/beginner-discussion/90123-beginners-guide-microfauna.html
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/beginner-discussion/17993-my-top-10-beginner-mistakes.html


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

I got the isopods white and grey from a local thumbnail breeder! The frogs are really small and even more beutiful than in pictures!

I read most of the guides and i'm glad to notice I tought of everything!


Just still dont know what to do with that open space, larger plant or root?


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

Maybe both? I would suggest looking through other members vivs to get some inspiration
Member's Frogs & Vivariums - Dendroboard


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

I got the root's today and alredy put them in viv. it relly looks better!!! tnx hypostatic for the suggestion!!


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

I got in contact with some breeder that are going to be in st. polten treristicborse and by guidence from the local breeder i will most likely go with Ranitomeya imitator varadero. 

Do you think a group of 6 will do well in my viv?


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## ICS523 (Mar 10, 2012)

lovely tank! It is a big enough viv, and with enough broms that six could probably work. that said you will want to watch for aggression. Also keep in mind veradero are super bold (at least mine are) and you might not need six to enjoy them. (Basically you may be able to save a little, without losing any of the benefits).

EDIT: your frogs will probably benefit if you add even more leaf litter.


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

That is what i wanted to hear. So i'll go with a smaller group 3 or 4, for now.

I orderd leaf liter online should get it soon, becouse here in Slovenia is winter and there is some snow in the forest and i cant get to the leaves. But I spoted some nice magnolia and oak trees where I'll get leaf liter next autumn.
Till then i'll just orderd it.


I have pretty strong ventilation that blows air from outside in to the viv. So as you probably figured it dries up fast, so i have to mist 5 x 60seconds a day. I have exoterra hygrometer in the first 1/3(on top of the root) and it shows 75-80(day) - 95(night)%. 

If I trust hygrometer than it should be OK, but I would rather get an opinion from the experts.


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## ICS523 (Mar 10, 2012)

You may want to cut down on misting and reduce ventilation. Always having water on the leaves isn't very good for plants (causes rot). If you are using any circulation fans you don't need to have them running all the time either.
It is a good Idea to utilize the time you have to experiment with ventilation and humidity.
Good Luck!


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## TheCoop (Oct 24, 2012)

Love the build, great job!


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Tnx. 

Today i found an old root from my tank in the basemant and put it in the viv.
I'll post some pics when i get leaf liter!


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

ICS523 said:


> It is a good Idea to utilize the time you have to experiment with ventilation and humidity.
> Good Luck!


Yeah, you should make sure the viv works well before you add the frogs. Make sure the temperature doesn't get too high when the lights are on; that the misting system is working properly; that it doesn't get too wet (you want the humidity relatively high, 60%+, but you don't want it sopping wet), etc...


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

I agree 100%, the tank has to be well prepeard before i put in a living being. 

I had some problems with analog hygrometer, but now i got digital end everything seems ok. 80% to 95%

The day time temp are 77 degres at night it goes to the room temperature wich is 71.

The upper part(4inch) of tank does heat up more, 80 degres, Is that ok or should i do something to lower it?


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

I believe that temperature range is fine. Oh, I also recommend you check out this care guide for imitators. It's the best care sheet I've seen for dart frogs on the internet:
Frog Forum - Imitating Dart Frog, Ranitomeya imitator / Dendrobates imitator (Schulte, 1986) - Care and Breeding


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Here is the pic with new root on the left botom.


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## Ranitomeya Jack (Nov 11, 2012)

Looks excellent!


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

ranitomeya jack, tnx for the compliment.


I got frogs today. A group of 3 Ranitomeya imitator ''varadero''

Here is one of the beauties


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

I also got alot of plant ill take picture soon!


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Some pictures of the frog in the cup when it was relised in viv. And a promised picture of the viv.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

What kind of lighting are you using for the viv? Everything looks sort of purple?


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

I take picture with my phone and they are not the best quality.
I try to fix them and i did not noiced that they were so purple.

I plan to take pictures with my camera tomorow.

I will have to look at the bill to tell you what kind of lights do i have.. but i can tell you that 2 are bluish and 2 redish

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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Varadero eating springtail

I noticed that they prefer spring over FF. Sometimes they ''stick'' on the fly and then spit it out. Is that normal?


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## VenomR00 (Apr 23, 2010)

My O.P. Black Jeans do that usually. Just keep feeding them with the FF's but wait until the FF's are stunted as the culture hits 1 month or so and then they will eat them easily.

Then as they get older and use to it they will eat the FF's normally.


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

I played this video to the frogs. 




2 of them did not mind the calling and just seat in their bromeliads minding their own business. But the other one, it is the baldest of the trio, went all crazy in there and started to jump around and trying to locate the caller. Then he/she started to blow the neck but no sound came out, it looked like calling to me but with no sound.

Is it possible that he is to young and he's yet to learn to do the right call? Or is she a female and females do that?


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Hi, i have an update on my varaderos. 

First the bad news, i did not see the smallest frog for 2 weeks now and i belive it is dead. It was the smallest of the trio and still had a little bump where tail was, so i think it was younger than the other two. That wss my bad becouse i didn noticed that when i bought them. 

The other two are eating nice and hanging out in broms and are looking ok. 

Today i heard a one of duo calling and i can comfirm one male. Now i just have to wait for the other to tell me witch sex it is.

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## GP dynamite (Feb 19, 2013)

It looks beautiful. Nicely done Lukasem


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Picture update


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## kitcolebay (Apr 7, 2012)

Just read through all of your thread. Sorry I missed it until now! You've come a long way and the end result looks great! Nicely done!

-Chris


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## ICS523 (Mar 10, 2012)

Lovely tank! good to see that your frogs are doing well.


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## goof901 (Jan 9, 2012)

what is the plant that looks like a palm? it's the first picture on post #32


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Biophytum sensitivum
http://bens-jungle.com/Biophytum-se...rrarium-Dendrobates-azureus-Oophaga-pumilio_1

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## eyadinuae (Apr 9, 2013)

Amazing Tank , 
But I have one question in the first page you use an adhesive material can you told me what it's name ? and it is safe with vivarium environment ?


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Here is an article about elastopur, i hope it will answer your questions.
http://www.dutch-rana.nl/v2/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=89&Itemid=99&lang=en 
It is safe dutch-rana(european importer from panama and UE) uses it in all of their vivarium even in uder water feature.


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## chacmhaal (May 17, 2012)

Nice viv, i like it congratulations


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

new pics!

Male is calling but female still not interested aprox. 6 months old.


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Damn!

Female is not female! I ended up with two males. That is a real bumer since I'll probably have to wait till fall for fairs to get a female and even then it's going to be mission impossible.


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

Well, I have four females! What bad luck!


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## JCK (Jul 8, 2013)

Great tank, I love the Biophytum, got mine from Ben as well. I am using Elastopur as well, it is basically a 2 component Polyurethan, similar to Great Stuff, but since it is 2 components it's more safe to harden through completely and due to its consistence you can add pigments during the stirring to make it more natural if any of the peat coating should ever fall off..


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

*Re: Male or Female?*

What do you think?


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## kitcolebay (Apr 7, 2012)

Beautiful!


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)




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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)




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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

While waiting for female we had a friend come over and take some photos.


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)




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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)




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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

it's looking very nice!


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## Sammie (Oct 12, 2009)

It's growing in nicely, at first I thought that it was a different tank


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

I'm glad you like it, now i know i'm on the right track.
I sold my aquarium(oldtime hoby) to be able to build more vivariums that's how great this hoby is.

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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

*Females are in the building*

woohoo!!!

Thanks to my friend I got two new frogs from Terraristika Hamm!

They are probable fremales so I have my fingers crossed for some eggs soon

Here's one of the new beauties:


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

Glad to hear! Fingers crossed and hope for the best!

P.S.: Has your friend some pics from Hamm to share us?


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

No I think he has no pic. But he sad that there was a great number of frogs there. So next time I'll go too.

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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Hi all,


It's been a long time since I last posted here and a lot of stuff happened in between.

I lost all my frogs, probably from some kind of disease. So with the job and some other stuff happening, I decided to store the tank in basement and wait for better time to start over.

A year ago I moved to my own place and was planing to set-up the tank.
I finally got it from my parents basement cleaned it and prepared it for a second go. 


That is how it looks now:









I'm looking for some plants, if you are from EU and you have any extra trims left, please don't throw them away, I'll post a wanted add with all detail.


Br Luka


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Hi 

Today I picked up a pice of driftwood. this is how it looks for now.


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## ruairidh_ (Feb 9, 2016)

Oh damn this is looking cool, I suppose maybe a frog that would use the height aswell as the bottom of the viv? I haven't a clue about species though

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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Tnx. 
I'm thinking thumbnails, but I would like the ones that thrive in groups. Vents. Maybe?

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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

*Re: New vivarium 325l (85g)*

With leaf litter:

https://youtu.be/N1In4dslqYc

And with some plants:


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## ruairidh_ (Feb 9, 2016)

Oh damn I completely missed that whole section pre 2016, sorry to hear about the frogs, the tank looked amazing and without a doubt this one will be just as good if not better  loving how it's looking already 

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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Quick update with some new pants and vines


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Plants are growing but still no frog tho


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## kromar (Jun 6, 2015)

looks really nice! whats that plant in the top right? some kind of moss? ive never seen this before


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Tnx 




kromar said:


> looks really nice! whats that plant in the top right? some kind of moss? ive never seen this before


https://bens-jungle.com/navi.php?a=80&lang=eng

I ordered here


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## kromar (Jun 6, 2015)

Lukasem said:


> Tnx
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ah spagnum, never seen it so tall. I got some small spagnum sprouts growing in all the other moss, but it grows really slow.
I also order from ben, best service around!


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## rjs5134 (Feb 1, 2017)

2 for 2, amazing. What some of you do with these terrariums is incredible. I hope my 1st can be a fraction as nice. Absolutely beautiful.

Better luck with your next batch of frogs.


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

rjs5134 thank you... 

One of the bromelias is flowering...


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## Phxnoah (Sep 26, 2016)

Where did you get the vines from / what kind are they ? It really adds a nice touch to the vivarium!

Nice job overall, that awesome piece of driftwood really formed the entire viv.


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## rjs5134 (Feb 1, 2017)

Your tank is gorgeous...

Could you explain how you installed the door? I'm trying to decide on a future build.

Looking forward to more pics.


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Phxnoah said:


> Where did you get the vines from / what kind are they ? It really adds a nice touch to the vivarium!
> 
> Nice job overall, that awesome piece of driftwood really formed the entire viv.


Hej thanks.

I made vines from rope, brown silocone and some kind of substrate i think it was coco fiber. Remeber to take diffrent thickness of rope to give it a more natural look.


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

rjs5134 said:


> Your tank is gorgeous...
> 
> Could you explain how you installed the door? I'm trying to decide on a future build.
> 
> Looking forward to more pics.


Thanks...

Before i had transparent cable guide glued to vivarium glass and slimmer glass in between. Now I could not get the transparent so I went with aluminium profile 8mm width and glass door is 6mm. Now I get few drops of water when sprinklers are on. Previous setup with plastic transparent was better because plastic was curved and had a good grip on the glass, so there was now spilage when watering.

I'll try to find some pictures of the build....


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Mini orchid blooming, plants are really feeling great in the tank, hope frogs will too.

Sorry for the crappy phone pic...


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Update pics on this vivarium.
Also a good news, I'll finaly receive frogs.
A trio of oophaga pumilio bastimentos









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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Finally, after 2 years of waiting I have a pair of oophaga pumilio bestimentos ...

They are realy bold, male is calling after 5min in the tank....









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## harrisbt (Feb 19, 2013)

Good thing he's calling, otherwise she'd never be able to find him in a tank that big. Hopefully 18 months from now you'll have a handful of adults in there.

The tank looks beautiful!


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## rodzuf (Sep 11, 2008)

Amazing talent in plant selection and placement.


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

New member in the tank 
Hope it is a female...









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## Lucano (Aug 21, 2017)

Lukasem said:


> New member in the tank
> Hope it is a female...
> 
> 
> ...


Absolutely beautiful!

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## amac (May 9, 2018)

Lukasem said:


> Update pics on this vivarium.
> Also a good news, I'll finaly receive frogs.
> A trio of oophaga pumilio bastimentos
> 
> ...


Incredible tank! I love the ferns. Do you have a plant list?


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## Lukasem (Dec 11, 2012)

Tnx.

No I did not put it together yet. But i have all plants on the order lists so I'll do it in the near future and post it here 

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