ember

Tree frog set up, 2017

The three southern leaf green tree frogs (L. nudidigita) are currently housed in a 90x40x60cm fish tank which I have fitted with a hinged mesh lid (to allow penetration of the UV light). The frogs are supplied with branches for climbing and a pile of rocks for hiding and where they can find cool spots. There is no heating (I have a small water heater for winter if needed), as they are a heat-sensitive species which need to be kept below 23 degrees celsius. The water is filtered, and the tank is home to 6 white cloud mountain minnows (non-native) which are lovely to watch during the day when the frogs are quieter.

For this set up, I was inspired by the first place I saw this species in the wild, which was a slow-flowing wide stream amongst tall, white ti-tree trunks and some kind of dense, climbing lomandra-like plant. Some java moss was put in to grow at the base of the rocks and there’s some hanging moss I am experimentally trying from the top of the diagonal branch. A fresh wattle branch is added weekly for cover on the left side. Some sedges and water grass are also growing, with a different species of water grass recently planted before these pictures were taken. Some water snails are working to keep any algae down.

“ball pythons hate enrichment”

“ball pythons will break their bones if they climb”

“this[top] is better than this[bottom]”

gargoyle gecko and a canna flower