some imporovements :)

Muddyfeet

New Member
I started with a enclosure, set It up, was doing well, but then added the trio, and lost a few plants :( no sign of isopod acivity sadly, but TONS of springtails :)
Anyhow also noted the girls seemed really happy but he male was spending a bit of time at the top of the cage.. perhaps just temps... but think he was feeling a little stress..
not that I wanted to change a lot, I did feel needed some adjustment biased on the behavior...

So, here it is.. redo.. second photo, I think one of the girls is either gravid, or as she is a piggy dinner time fat :)
Opinions? I think some of my plant/moss issues is how mounted, but also perhaps lighting.. I am using a older 5.0 CFL right now, it is still pretty cool, so cage temps max out at about 78 at the top.. I do need a little heat from the fixture, but in the summer will be switching to a jungle dawn LED, .. as a possible less heat from the ligting option may be needed.. going to run a experiment tank with a LED fixure..
 

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Jungle Dawn LED's are one of the best options for living vivs especially with Pygmies. It will provide the plants as well as the pygmies the light they require without all the added heat. What size is your cage? Most likely a 7" Jungle Dawn would be the best fit.
 
its a zoo med 12 X 12 X 18.. so I knew starting out it may be a tad small for three.. so was getting ready to separate the male out to a separate enclosure.. but as I had a few plants die, and was not really happy how the initial set up was working with animals in the enclosure, decided to change things around.. wel, since I added more cover.. having plenty of SMALL branches and LOTS of cover cannot be overstated with these guys! right? but I have found in my short experience I think I did it wrong.. I had lots but it was on the bottom.. now fuller coverage mid cage to top, with a bit of open space on the bottom.. a tiny clearing.. I actually see them a lot more.. I think cover with small clearings to hunt, and bask seems to suit them more, and lots of horizontal cover as much as vertical cover..
I agree I think proper LED lights seems to be a must have for good plant luck.. not to mention how hot the CFL ballast get in a small cage..

FWIW.. I purchased this little fake bromeliad plant for just a tiny bit of color.. to fill a spot where I had a plant die.. and a raised up cork kind of planter.. I removed.. its a quite a nice looking decoration.. kind of expensive, but REALLY realistic.. so ok worth it :) and ironically they all seem to love that particular plant, and each has been seen hanging out on it.. Funny as its like the lights come on.. they wake up.. warm up, eat drink and about mid day all collect there.. now.. Its seems to be a chams version of the office water cooler :) its not the only basking spot either so not that.. its kind of funny..
They also seem to like the orange wedge I have to collect the fruit flys...

I have one very very fat now female, I am watching her to see if she does lay.. fingers crossed.. and trying not to peek to much.. I got excited as I thought I saw a disturbed area by the base of the plant and some white.. checked it, dug.. and nope it was just a urate LOL.. I am very suspicious however the other female may have hidden something!

will see :)
 
Looks really good. Good call on jungle dawn... I'm thinking I'm switching to that route with my updates as well
 
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