Red-eyed crocodile skink , finally caught him out and he didn't move when I turned the light on, of course he did two seconds later.

Hi everyone!

I'm planning my first paludarium and would love some advice on livestock, particularly for the terrestrial/upper section.

I'm currently considering two Exo Terra models:

• Small X-Tall: 45 × 45 × 90 cm (18 × 18 × 36")
• X-Small X-Tall: 30 × 30 × 60 cm (12 × 12 × 24")

My idea is to have a proper planted freshwater aquarium at the bottom, with a lush, tropical environment above it. Ideally, I'd like to maximize the aquarium section while still providing a suitable habitat for whatever lives above.

I'm relatively experienced with fishkeeping and shrimp, so I'm comfortable planning the aquatic section. I'm thinking of small nano fish and Neocaridina shrimp.

Where I'm completely lost is what to keep in the upper section!

I've been researching geckos, frogs, vampire crabs, and other unusual animals, but I'm struggling to figure out which species would actually thrive in this type of setup, especially with a substantial open-water section.

Ideally, I'm looking for:

• Something interesting or unusual to observe.
• Preferably a species that's active during the day.
• An animal that can safely coexist with an open aquarium below, without requiring a completely separate enclosure.
• Something that would make good use of the vertical space.

I'm also open to interesting invertebrates or other animals I might not have considered.

A few questions:

1. What species would you recommend for either enclosure size?
2. Are there any animals that genuinely do well with a substantial aquarium below them?
3. Would you recommend going for the larger 45 × 45 × 90 cm enclosure to have more livestock options?
4. Are there any unusual species I should look into?

I'm happy to design the entire paludarium around the needs of the upper-section inhabitants, as long as I can maintain a meaningful aquarium area below.

I'd love to hear about your experiences, especially if you have a similar setup!

Thanks in advance!

So I’ve been slowly getting a paludarium set up and didn’t realize the silicone I was using was expired, it’s been four days and it’s still wet and at this point I know it’s never going to cure so it’s there anything I can do to get it off? Or should I just rip the spray foam out.

Hello, I'm a complete beginner and I'm planning my first setup and I want some advice before I order anything. I'm planning on using a 20 gallon tank. I appreciate any advice or guidance you guys can provide.

The plan is to have a 3D printed (PETG, I read that it wouldn't be harmful) hardscape with an under water cave with a platform on top for terrestrial plants. The pillars holding up the cave/platform are going to be perforated and hollow so I can put filter foam in them so the plants have access to water/drainage. I am planning on having some sort of thin mesh between the terrestrial solid and the filter foam.

One of the columns is going to house the pump which will pump water up the filter/planter that hangs off the back with more plants (I really like the idea of plants being used as the filter for the water). The outlet of the filter/planter will go to the other side of the tank where it will go down a waterfall(I believe this will lead to good circulation since it is on the opposite side of the tank to the pump). I believe the waterfall should provide enough surface agitation(I read that's important for keeping the water oxygenated. )?

Also not clearly depicted but there will be a large gap/ entrance to the cave that the front wicking pillar doesn't show.

I really want to add filter feeders and cleanup crew eventually like small shrimp, snails or springtails but I know its important to get the setup right before adding animals.

My main questions are:

1. Are there any problems with the setup?
2. What kind of soil/substrate do you recommend for the 3 areas, underwater, terrestrial and filter planter?
3. What kind plants do you recommend for the 3 areas?

I appreciate any advice/recommendations. Thank you!

I am designing a vampire crab paludarium in a 20 gallon long, dimensions 12" x 12" x 30". I'd like to have a small population of cherry shrimp (understanding that some shrimps will end up as crab-snacks). I have successful experience in dart frogs, in a well-planted 55gal with a false bottom, and many freshwater (Walstad) aquariums. My main question for the paludarium design is how best to divide the land from the water?

Option 1: "Horizontal divide". This is the more common option, I believe, where there is a few inches of water (4" preferred in my case) throughout the whole bottom of the tank, with the soil sitting well above the water on a horizontal platform (eggcrate with PVC supports beneath), and a shoreline of sorts descending into the water portion. This option is less preferred for me because in a tank 12" tall, this means that I'll have approx 6" vertical space to work with soil and plants. With crabs that need a few inches of soil to burrow, this is not a good or visually appealing solution for me, as only maybe 3" will be above water and ground.

Option 2: "Vertical divide". My preferred option. A watertight wall is placed between the soil side and the water side in vertical orientation. I've seen suggestions for a glass pane (cost prohibitive) or plexiglass pane (was told silicone will not stick to plexi). Another issue I have with this concept is that I do not need a flat surface, I plan to glue (silicone) rocks to the side to get a natural look regardless. Is there another vertical divide solution that has been effective? I've seen suggestions of spray foam or foam over egg crate, which introduces the potential appeal of a non-straight line, but these posts were in planning phase and I could not find any successful updates. I need the divide to hold 4"d x 4"w of water across 30"L of tank, will foam (applied to a silicone base to aid in adherence to the glass) hold back that much water weight? On the soil-side of the divide, I will still have a false bottom with a capped PVC downtube to the water level so I can siphon excess water, but the soil layer will be much closer to the bottom of the tank this way, meaning more room for plants above and burrowing below. This false bottom will be functionally separate from the water-side of the tank.

Questions about option 2: I want to incorporate a small stream, pump would be in the water side, and tubing would carry water to the top of the tank soil-side, and feed the stream which drains back down into the water side. I understand there will be some water wicking into the soil no matter how hard I try to keep the stream isolated, but would a small amount cause the soil to rot if I have a false bottom and fast-draining soil (ABG mix etc)? I figured the additional moisture around the stream would go a long way to support moss and groundcover plantings (Also, can crabs tolerate fast-draining soil?) (Also Also, this is part of the reason to have a PVC downtube, as the soil-side false bottom will be siphoned regularly, and lost water will get topped off in the water-side)

Will a spray foam wall stay structurally sound over time while consistently under water and also holding back the weight of the water? If I ziptie a bunch of crate into a "wavy wall", and then fill with spray foam, will that be more structurally sound? Do I coat the whole thing in silicone when I'm done? When do I add the rocks for the natural look? Is there another "watertight wall" material/solution that you suggest? I have a 3d printer if that expands our options!

Been slowly trying to raise water line to max.

Wicking is on constant watch but very manageable/natural.

Shrimp are breeding.

Snail population stabilized with reduced feeding.

Co2 injection is working with a weekly Fert.

Ask me anything

I am making an enclosed paludarium with 12 mm tempered glass. Dimension I am planning is 4 feet length, 1.8 inches width and 4 or 5 feet height. I want to have a 90 degree swing door in the front, where bottom glass will be 1.5 feet. So my glass doors will be approximately 2 feet by 2.5 or 3 feet. Since it's 12 mm glass I want to have drilled hinges. What's the best recommendation on brand and model?

Howdy, I have question. So unfortunately my beautiful ficus in my blue tree monitors enclosure died from whiteflies. I tried everything natural I could but it didn’t. Now I want to get a new tree for my monitor lizard, I’ve heard mangrove trees naturally prevent pests and aren’t poisonous. I’d love to put a ficus again it’s just the whiteflies sucked. That being said if yall think mangrove is the way to go I’d def do that! Just have to find some which is the hard part 😂. Any suggestions?

Thanks yall!

I literally spent hours trying to find signs of baby vampire crabs in my paludarium after I saw mama crab released most of them. I saw it by chance. This is my 1st batch of released babies.

So, I’m turning a 4x2x2 into a bp vivarium and want some advice. My current plan is to cover the back wall in silicone and then put spray foam on it before pressing in pots, sticks and substrate before ripping chunks off to make it look rocky, then painting it. I plan to make a pond in the back left with water flowing down rocks into a basin. On the ground, just layers of sticks and con for her to move through. On the back wall and on the branches, I plan to put air bromeliads, air plants, pothos, and other plants. Also, there will be hides covered in foam and substrate built into the walls. If you have any plant ideas or tips to improve, please give them to me.

Just moved the plants into my first paludarium build. Still need to sort out the water area. Sand and plants and such. But I’m super pleased with how the main section has worked out. Bugs will be added tomorrow! Then the wait for it all to settle in before considering next creatures.

I glued a divider panel into the paludarium to separate the water section from the land section. Then I used expanding pond foam to create a natural slope into the water and coated everything with tile adhesive. Now my question is: is this setup okay as it is, or does it need to be sealed? I know that tile adhesive can raise the pH value at the beginning, but I’m worried about what happens if water gets into the holes of the foam. Will it rot, or does it not matter?

Hi! I will be done with my foam soon and have decided to carve and use silicone to attach a mix of sphagnum moss and coco coir substrate. They came compressed so I soaked them, how long do I need to let them re dry out in order for them to stick to the silicone?

Hey all, has anyone here had any success setting up a paludarium with several different species of animals? I figure it would work out as long as the general environmental needs of each animal is met, and they fill different ecological niches and trophic levels.

I was considering setting up a paludarium that has a yellow spotted salamander, some type of toad, and some small fish like tetras. This would be accompanied by springtails, isopods, shrimp, Daphnia, and copepods. I wanna go for a complete ecosystem.

What experiences have you had with setting up a paludarium like this?

Need hobbyist advice on what creatures would like living in my paludarium. I built it to be able to grow humidity loving plants and keep fish in the aquarium part. As a result I don’t have much ground space. I have misters, a fogger, fan, and FluvalAquaSky light on daily timers.
My research has told me this isn’t the best set up for dart frogs. Looking for something small (maybe a pair) that loves humidity and warmth. Typical air temp 76°, humidity 80%, water temp 80°.
36x36x18 tank. 15-ish gallons water space.

The black filter material on the base of the stump... I have tried several mosses, none seem to take. It is constantly wet, mb too shaded. Any ideas for that?

I can get pond liner relatively cheap, but then I still have to get all the seam sealing material.

I considered red guard or S1K, but neither are ratted for submersion, let alone animal safe.

I’ve got a pack of 12 black silicone tubes one the way, but apparently that’s not good.

Drylock doesn’t bond to wood, so that’s out

Liquid rubber or pond armour needs a special cleaner, then primer, then the coating. Then apparently it’s not that durable

Flex seal apparently has the durability of a lizard’s skin in shed

What can I do?

I’m preparing my first build right now and I am completely overwhelmed by the options. Initially I was leaning toward dragon stone, I’ve used it in previous aquariums and it’s one of my favorites, I also thought the texture might be nice for plants. But upon further consideration now I’m not too sure, I feel like dragon stone might be one of those rocks that looks better wet than dry. I’ve seen people use lava rocks as well. While I’m not crazy about the look I do like that the lighter rocks would make it easier to move in the future if needed.

What kind of rocks does everyone like to use? I’d love suggestions.

Or maybe someone to tell me its a bad idea.

I have experience keeping reptiles (two bearded dragons, a rosy boa, and lots of catch and release of native lizards and garters) and I've constructed a few large vivariums over the years. I recently acquired a 75g Imagitarium tank (48x18x23"), and I am looking for a project to keep me occupied while I wait for the species I am highly interested in, Thamnophis hammondii, to reappear on Morphmarket or on the Facebook groups I'm in.

This brings me to the idea for the Paludarium. I am thinking of having a significant water feature on the cool side of the tank, with roughly 10-15 gallons of usable area for both the snake and a stable\* population of fish. This would take up roughly half of the footprint of the tank including the more submerged end of the gradient from elevated basking area to the water. There would be multiple large stones above and under the water in this transitional area for the snake to use to get in and out of the water easier and bask in a cooler area.

I have some experience keeping fish, and I'm confident that I could keep a stable population of Platies or Mollies in a larger separate breeder, but an ambition of mine for this project is to have fish in the water feature at all times. I have a heavy duty filtration stack and with manual waste cleaning and frequent testing the water chemistry should be reliably safe for both snake and fish.

The land area would consist of a heavily planted terrace and basking area on the warm end of the tank, with grasses and some taller plants, as well as some stable burrows under stones and a branch to climb. The species typically doesn't exceed 2.5-3 feet, and if it ever outgrew the tank I will have been working on an upgrade before it gets too big.

Let me know if there are any glaring issues with my plan. Animal welfare is obviously my main concern and I want to make sure everything is optimal for my little friends. I’ll specify anything that will help you come to a better answer.

Hey, so I watched some people building paludariums in IKEA Rudsta cabinets, and that was the spark that made me want to build one myself. But I wanted to do everything my own way and have everything working together seamlessly.

It all started with getting a second-hand Rudsta cabinet. I sealed all the seams so there wouldn't be any leaks. Then I ran an old vacuum cleaner hose behind the structure and pulled the water tubing through it. Next, I shaped the background with foam, coated it with 2 kg of Elastopur, and pressed tree fern fiber (xaxim) directly onto it while wet. For the waterfall, I used cork bark tubes.

I wanted all the climate control integrated seamlessly into the cabinet, so after some research, I picked an ESP32 as my core controller. I got a 12V R385 pump, but it needed a filter so it wouldn't get clogged by debris, so I designed a custom filter housing and 3D printed it. The pump is connected to the ESP32 via a MOSFET module on a 12V power supply and controlled safely via a 3.3V GPIO pin. Then I got a fogger and connected it to the ESP32 as well. For temperature and humidity, I hooked up an SHT40 sensor, and for lighting, I will be using a Chihiros WRGB II Slim.

For the layers, I’ve got lava rock for drainage, then I'll put down geotextile mesh. Next comes activated carbon, and on top of that, a mix of vermicompost, coco chips, sphagnum moss, and the rest of the xaxim.

I didn't really have time to make it all in one go. It's been 2 months since I got the cabinet, and there's still no end in sight!

I'm really happy with how the layout is coming along, but I’d love to hear feedback, potential pitfalls, or ideas for improvement from people with more experience. Constructive criticism is more than welcome!

I got this 48 inch long container for free so I want to use it to create a paludarium. How can I bifurcate the container between land and water similar to this image? If anyone can point me to some videos or directions, I would really appreciate it. I don't want it to look like a solid line down the middle with rocks on either side. 

Also, please ignore the fact that this is an AI generated image. (I have aphantasia, so it's basically impossible for me to visualize in my brain.) Thank you!

ETA: I should've said this, but I know the image posted is not realistic. I just wanted to have a visual to show roughly what I was thinking!