Hey there guys! It has been a minute. I’ve been focusing on myself and my remaining animals since i was last active. Lately, I’ve been dreaming of upgrades for the boys. I’ve implemented quite a few already, mostly the electricals and some new enclosures, But I am looking to provide the next level. Namely for Nugget the Mangrove. He’s been long overdue.
My dream is a paludarium. Ive decided the enclosure size I can support would be a 4x2x4. It’s smaller than I initially wanted, but it is realistic. Maybe in the future I will be able to give him more.
The current barriers to entry with making this enclosure happen includes: parts and tools, build skills, and education. I’ve tackled a little bit of those concerns in part, but I could use some help from some folks with more experience to get me going in the right direction.
I would ultimately like to see him in a setup with tiny fish and either a species of small gecko or frog. I know fish has been done before, but not sure about the geckos or frogs. I want to make it as realistic as possible though, and give him as much as i can to keep him entertained. Since he is wild caught, my thought is it would be sort of like giving him a little piece of home. Which, bio can be beneficial for all animals but for him specifically, i think he would thrive.
So. The water portion would be 1/2 to 2/3rds of the floor. A little over half a foot deep. I would like a small piece of land for him to be on. In the grand scheme of things, that’s a small aquatic area for something fish is going to live in. Are there any micro fish any of you can think of that would be a good fit for an aquatic portion of that size? Imagine like, 30x24x8in Length x Width x Depth. I’m looking for a couple species that I can begin to research for the time being. And for that matter, some good resources for aquatic care and setup that you guys may know of.
Then, what are your thoughts on incorporating another species of small animal to the arboreal side? Would you do it? If so, what are some species you would consider? The first and most obvious thought is mourning geckos, but I don’t want their populations to get out of control, since they are parthinogenic. I don’t think that Nugget would go after them either, but I could be wrong. Dart frogs, tree frogs, idk. Let me know what you guys think could work, and I’ll begin researching it!
As far as the clean up crew goes, it is definitely worth considering how getting another small/micro gecko/frog/lizard species would potentially wipe out the clean up crew if they happened to take a liking to munching on isopods. That’s something I’m willing to figure out. Feeding them in general is a big consideration with Nugget in there. But that being said, he is doing fantastic on the behavioral front. He has calmed down significantly, and now sees me less as a threat and more of an annoyance, most of the time. So i think that bodes well for things working out in bioactive if i do have to be in there messing around with stuff semi-regularly.
Anyway, as always, thanks a million in advance. I can’t wait to start diving into this new bottomless hyperfixation hole. 
Pic for rough inspiration:
Pics of the boy because i know you all want to see him. (Who wouldn’t, he’s gorgeous)
