# plants from Madagascar?



## Guest (Sep 25, 2004)

I'm currently researching a Mantella tank and am having a really difficult time finding plants to use in the tank that are indigenous to Madagascar. Does anyone know of any somewhat common plants for vivs that come from the island?


----------



## jhupp (Feb 27, 2004)

Which species of Mantella would be useful to know. I know there are many xerophytes and few orchids from Madagascar I see fairly often, but as for viv-able stuff I am not famliar with much if anything.


----------



## Guest (Sep 28, 2004)

Check out Andy's orchids (http://www.andysorchids.com). You can do a search on his website by country and environment (temp, humidity, lighting) requirements.

Donna


----------



## Guest (Oct 2, 2004)

I forgot to mention that, jhupp. It was originally for M. aurantica. However, I was having a hard time finding ANY plants from the island, so I figured any would be better than extremely specific. But, given the fact that aurantica are going to want it much cooler, it would be best to find plants more suited to that environment.

Thanks Donna. I had checked Andy's, but I was primarily looking for something besides orchids, even just 'plain' vegetation to fill in a lot of the tank.


----------



## jhupp (Feb 27, 2004)

The way I understand it that species comes from swamp forest dominated by Pandanus. I don't know of any plant avalible from that habitat, nor have I run across a list of species that occur there. Infact I have only run across one good pic of the habitat. It showed shallow bodies of water and a lot of tusok like clumps of vegitation. The Golden Mantella Handbook lists a few plants that the author suggest are suitable for Mantella setups, but none are from Madagascar.

I have always thought that they would look great in a Pterido/Bro-phyte setup (ferns and moss). Cover the back of the tank with a dripwall and place lots of twisted root like branches going down into the substrate. Use peat for the sustrate, half burry several pieces of wood in it and form many shallow depresions. Plant the whole thing with java moss and a few liverworts. Once the moss establishes well on all the roots and background, seed the tank with as many different species of fern spores as you can get your hands on. Then plant Salvinia in the open water and Java fern in any high flow areas on the background. In the end you would have a lush green swamp, studded with bright orange frogs. A stunning combo.


----------



## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

*Aurantiaca setup*

Just keep in mind that if you are doing an aurantiaca setup, that they do not prefer heavily planted vivariums. They like a still water source, with lots of logs and rocks focused around it. Moss would be good also. THey live around swamps with clearings, where they actually baskin the sunlight during cool mornings. My group of aurantiaca always prefer hiding under logs, and rocks over the plants I have along with them. Low ground cover plants would also be good for them, such as selaginella's. Anyway, good luck,
Ed Parker


----------



## Guest (Oct 11, 2004)

heres a plant i found at home depot thats from madagascar, unfortunatly i forgot the name... it was thicker when i purchased it and i didnt mist my terrarium as much because i was just planting the terrarium not getting it ready for frogs and it began to die, but with the misting its began to grow again...maybe someone can identify it for you...


----------

