I'm considering trying to build up a paludarium (a ways off in the future, but no point in not starting my research now), and wanted to get some opinions on how the inhabitants should be set up. The way I'll be constructing it is by using a tank and filling the bottom with water, then building a land base above that, so it should be a fairly simple construct. My question though comes up when planning what to keep in it. The way I think a good looking tank should be done is with a singular "focal" species, comprised of one or two animals that will be the largest in the set-up, accompanied by one or two "ambient" species, which would be groups of three or four smaller animals that would fill up the empty room in the tank. I'm thinking that I can fairly easily create a distinction between the focal and ambient species by making one the land-dwelling occupants and the other the water-based inhabitants. But this is where I've reached a roadblock - which should be which? Should I have a focal fish species, with several small frogs/lizards as ambient species, or have a larger lizard accompanied by several small fish, most likely a species of tetra? Let me know what you all think, any and all help is greatly appreciated!
What should be the focal point of a paludarium?
- Thread starter rudukai13
- Start date
There is no option for "either, they would both be considered paludariums".
but that would be my vote
but that would be my vote
personally would do a big lizard of some sort, like a basilisk or a water dragon, and some smaller fish
Sounds like a perfect setup for turtles. Turtles are awesome! So are Terrapins! Both are land/water and would suite the setup well.
I had considered a basilisk and a water dragon, but both are a little too big for what I was wanting to do. I'm thinking at the largest the tank I'll go with will be 90 gallons, but much more likely to be around 40. Whatever size I go with, it will be half filled with water, so a fish that does well in a 20 gallon and a land species that does well in a 20 gallon would be what I'm looking for.
Not the easiest subject to advise on. However I believe it depends on the focus your trying to achieve. Within the realm of personal preferences.
To put that in perspective, im working on a themed setting. Amazonian Creek Paludarium. In which stategic preference is given to plant species from the region, as its the first thing that draws your eye to the entire scope, then followed up by creek design, then finally inhabitance (apisto pair).
This is how the eye is drawn into the setting by default, so i believe there lays the answer to your question as to what scope are you trying to achieve!
To put that in perspective, im working on a themed setting. Amazonian Creek Paludarium. In which stategic preference is given to plant species from the region, as its the first thing that draws your eye to the entire scope, then followed up by creek design, then finally inhabitance (apisto pair).
This is how the eye is drawn into the setting by default, so i believe there lays the answer to your question as to what scope are you trying to achieve!
I think if I build something like this it will be constructed with a central "island" for the main land base, sprouting out of the surrounding water. Based on the results from the poll so far, it seems like most believe there should be shared weight between the land and water inhabitants, and that should be fairly easily accomplished with this type of structure. I've attached an example of what I have in mind.
