hbskeet
New Member
Hello everyone!
I understand getting information for Pygmies in general is kind of hard or repetitive. As people tend to follow the same couple things other people have mentioned. Over the years I have developed techniques and still continue to try new things. When trying new techniques I keep this simple things in mind. I try to make things easy for me yet keep my chams as happy as possible. NEVER SKIMP (Expend or use less time, money, or material on something than is necessary in an attempt to economize) OUT ON ENSURING MY CHAMS GET WHAT THEY DESERVE!! I will be creating blogs and also posting them in the correct forums.
Tip #1: Things to think about while arranging things within the enclosure.
-First off I use a Naturalistic Rainforest cork background on every enclosure. Remember that a Pygmy that feels secure is a happy Pygmy. I cover one side of the enclosure with a rainforest aquarium background picture which can be bought for a few bucks. Get one with lots of plants a little water if possible. If your tank is in a spot where one side is against a wall or divider of some sort tape it on that side. If your tank is easily viewable on both side just pick one. For this method use tape at least on the bottom of the picture. This gives you the option to flip up the picture and look in on that side if absolutly necessary. For the other side I will get to that a little later.
-When thinking of where and how to put plants in. The best effective way I have found is to create a mini canopy in your viv. Meaning I use plants that spread out starting at about 6-8" above the ground. Like Chinese Money Trees and Umbrella Plants. Vines should be used to create paths from the ground up to the highest point of the viv. For the lower levels I use things a small fern here or there. For the most part keep the bottom of the tank pretty clear. This allows optimal area for your girls to pick a spot for laying. This comes in handy when you have colonies. It also lets you scan the bottom of the tank at eye level with having to tower over the viv and making your chams feel uncomfartable. I use two Zoo Med plastic bushes in each viv. They are anchored by suction cups. Make sure they are long enough to reach from the top of the viv to the bottom. I position them in opposite corners. The reason is because your cham feels comfortable, but still gives you the option to view them as they will hangout in those alot. Now if you used my guidence and put a background and picture on one side you should only have two windows to view from. The front and one side. The fake plants should be placed 1-on the side glass next to background so you can see into the plant from one side but the background covers the other 2-on the front glass corner next to the side with the picture again being able to see the back of the plant on one half and the picture covers the other.
-And now a method that I have found that works really well. Now if you created the canopy setup like me you might should be able to see most of the bottom of the viv when looking straight in. For the most part this will be fine. But what about when the frmales go down to lay. If you ever see a female roaming the bottom she is either hunting or about to lay eggs. They will be on high alert and if you go up to the tank and look in, as it's only human nature to want to look, the female stop and most likely climb a tree. This can be bad and eventually lead to death if the female is trying to lay but you always thend to scare her on accident. What I do is insert fake onion grass right along the glass on the two open sides. I trim them down a little and spread them out. This was you can peek in thru the grass and for the most part the female will feel safer. Just don't stay there too long. A quick peek but if you see her on the bottm it's best to leave her be.
-Feel free to ask any questions if needed...
*Remember these are just techniques I have found that seem to work. Give it a try and tell me what you think.
I understand getting information for Pygmies in general is kind of hard or repetitive. As people tend to follow the same couple things other people have mentioned. Over the years I have developed techniques and still continue to try new things. When trying new techniques I keep this simple things in mind. I try to make things easy for me yet keep my chams as happy as possible. NEVER SKIMP (Expend or use less time, money, or material on something than is necessary in an attempt to economize) OUT ON ENSURING MY CHAMS GET WHAT THEY DESERVE!! I will be creating blogs and also posting them in the correct forums.
Tip #1: Things to think about while arranging things within the enclosure.
-First off I use a Naturalistic Rainforest cork background on every enclosure. Remember that a Pygmy that feels secure is a happy Pygmy. I cover one side of the enclosure with a rainforest aquarium background picture which can be bought for a few bucks. Get one with lots of plants a little water if possible. If your tank is in a spot where one side is against a wall or divider of some sort tape it on that side. If your tank is easily viewable on both side just pick one. For this method use tape at least on the bottom of the picture. This gives you the option to flip up the picture and look in on that side if absolutly necessary. For the other side I will get to that a little later.
-When thinking of where and how to put plants in. The best effective way I have found is to create a mini canopy in your viv. Meaning I use plants that spread out starting at about 6-8" above the ground. Like Chinese Money Trees and Umbrella Plants. Vines should be used to create paths from the ground up to the highest point of the viv. For the lower levels I use things a small fern here or there. For the most part keep the bottom of the tank pretty clear. This allows optimal area for your girls to pick a spot for laying. This comes in handy when you have colonies. It also lets you scan the bottom of the tank at eye level with having to tower over the viv and making your chams feel uncomfartable. I use two Zoo Med plastic bushes in each viv. They are anchored by suction cups. Make sure they are long enough to reach from the top of the viv to the bottom. I position them in opposite corners. The reason is because your cham feels comfortable, but still gives you the option to view them as they will hangout in those alot. Now if you used my guidence and put a background and picture on one side you should only have two windows to view from. The front and one side. The fake plants should be placed 1-on the side glass next to background so you can see into the plant from one side but the background covers the other 2-on the front glass corner next to the side with the picture again being able to see the back of the plant on one half and the picture covers the other.
-And now a method that I have found that works really well. Now if you created the canopy setup like me you might should be able to see most of the bottom of the viv when looking straight in. For the most part this will be fine. But what about when the frmales go down to lay. If you ever see a female roaming the bottom she is either hunting or about to lay eggs. They will be on high alert and if you go up to the tank and look in, as it's only human nature to want to look, the female stop and most likely climb a tree. This can be bad and eventually lead to death if the female is trying to lay but you always thend to scare her on accident. What I do is insert fake onion grass right along the glass on the two open sides. I trim them down a little and spread them out. This was you can peek in thru the grass and for the most part the female will feel safer. Just don't stay there too long. A quick peek but if you see her on the bottm it's best to leave her be.
-Feel free to ask any questions if needed...
*Remember these are just techniques I have found that seem to work. Give it a try and tell me what you think.
