Carnivorous plants in newt tank?

[Jan]

I have had a C. orientalis in a paludarium for about 18 months now, and the lemon button fern that was the specimen plant on the land portion has just taken over the world. I'm about over it! One of our current interests is carnivorous plants, and I'm interested in possibly combining these two hobbies. I was considering putting a small sundew, butterwort and bladderwort in the tank; there has been a chronic leak between the water and land portion anyway, so they should appreciate the occasional flood. My main concern is the peat moss substrate for the plants. Do other people cover this with something? Should I just put the plants in a small pot, instead of putting them directly into the soil? And are these plants safe for my newt? Would a small West Australian pitcher (they sit on the ground like little pots) be a problem?

Flame (the newt) doesn't actually get out of the water much, of course...about once every couple of months...but I don't want to burn his little belly if he decides to get some sun....

 

[edward]

The peat moss substrate is not a problem for the plants but it may be an issue for the newts as low pH can cause ionic imbalance in the newts.

When combining them you may need to watch your temps as the lights for the cps can raise the tank temp if you are not careful.
I have used terrestrial utrics in dart frog enclosues and U. gibba in some of my newt tanks (I have a huge mat of it at work in with the Amphiuma pholeters).

Ed

 

[foster]

Jan,
I have yet to try keeping the Australian pitcher however I have several Sarracenia species in outdoor container gardens and have fooled around with Nepenthes in the past. Both genera need very good lighting to do well. As Ed mentioned providing adequate lighting in an indoor enclosure may raise the temp quite a bit. Ed, I am curious about the bladderworts - how much light are you providing? I have always wanted to give them a try.
Chip

 

[edward]

I have done well with utrics under either 4 standard flourescent fixtures (two warm and two cool bulbs) or under power compacts. I have U. lividia blooming in my dart frog tank and that is a 15 extra tall with only 55 watts of PC over it.
I also have U. sandersoni (and P. ehrlesi) blooming under indirect daylight and a 15 watt PC.

Ed

 

[charles]

Hi Ed,

Cephalotus likes it a bit dryer and probably wouldn't be the best thing to try, but Utricularia would be great. I'd think UU. livida, dichotoma, bisquamata, sandersonii would all do well and their all available in the US.

Best,

Chuck

 

[edward]

Thanks Chuck,
I haven't tried growing Cephalotus yet. My next task is the bog garden outside the house.

Ed

 

[Jan]

Thanks so much for the replies! I seemed to remember that Ed had some carnivores....I have a 13w PC over the tank right now, which seems to be plenty for the ferns, creeping fig, tillandsias and polka dot plants. I was thinking of U. livida or sandersonni, one of the dwarf pings like P. esserania, and maybe a rosetted sundew (slackii?). I have several Sarracenias right now, a VFT, a couple of rosetted sundews, and a couple of temperate sundews (all sleeping in the garage); inside, I have a couple of nepenthes. I was worried about the peat moss/newt conflict, and whether any of those plants would hurt Flame (or vice versa). Would you cover the peat with woods moss (which hasn't seemed to bother her) or river pebbles or what? I don't think I'll try a purely aquatic Utric, because the water area is so small, and the crypts and java fern have territorial rights....

 

[justin]

Cephalotus follicularis (Australian Pitcher) requires several hours of direct sun exposure to survive- it is not suited for a situation like you are speaking of. Drosera (sundews) fall under the same lighting requirement, same with the Sarracenia (north american pitchers) Of hand the only suitable species would be some of the tropical pitchers (Nepenthes) and the bladderworts. Also cephalotus is quite expensive just to have it die, here is a pic of mine that i have had for about 2 years and a Nepenthes ampullaria

 

[edward]

I have grown Sarracenia from seed for over a year under flourescent lights until they were large enough to plant outside. I have also grown a number of drosera under two 48 inch flourescent shop lights (you just do not get the intense red pigment) as well as butter and bladderworts. A single 13 pc is probably not enough and I would recommend increasing the amount of light.
I have a huge mass of U. gibba in with the Amphiuma pholeter which I grow under shoplights and U sandersoni and U lividia in my dart frog tanks where it blooms well. (I also grow it under two 13 watt pcs with good growth and blooms.

Ed

 

[colin]

I have U. gibba in most of my tanks, still dont know how it got in but looks nice, it deoesnt get much light at all