Tank

[daniel]

i just bought a fire salamander (salamandra salamandra) and its ina 5 gallon tank, which is suitable for its size and it has some 1-3 inch rocks in diameter on the bottom with water that barly submerges the stones. Is this a good layout? I'm thinking of buying some moss to put over the rocks and some driftwood etc. What kind of moss and any other suggestions

 

[rodrigo]

Well...i would put it in a bigger tank, like in a ten gallon one. The rest sounds good, i don´t think the kind of moss matters, unless it´s sphagnum which is said to be acidic.

 

[chris]

yeah def. a ten gallon and put lots of plants and hiding spots for them.

 

[jennifer]

I agree with the need for a larger tank. Wet rocks are not a good substrate for a fire sal. The problem is that any bit of poo or uneaten food quickly rots and contaminates the entire tank. A shallow layer of pebbles STINKS LIKE A SWAMP very soon, I've tried it.

What I would strongly recommend is soil, or a soil-like substrate, and a water dish for the animal to take a dip if it wants to. If cost is an issue, you can also use a plastic tub for a setup. See:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/setups3.shtml

Also see:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Salamandra/Salamandra_sp.shtml

 

[mark]

A HARROD, I've moved your post to it's own thread in the Axie area: http://www.caudata.org/forum/messages/793/82288.html