New mixed viv!

[wyatt003]

Ive had my 55g established for about a year now, but have always felt the fire bellied toads weren't happy without a good swimming hole. So yesterday i ripped the old one apart and started over.

This holds 6 green anoles, 1 eastern fence lizard, 2 Fire bellied toads, 5 Med. geckos, and 4 eastern red back salamanders.

The old viv-

And the new one-

 

[CRTDX]

I think your tank looks nice. I am pretty new to this but you haven't had any problems mixing all the different species? Especially with Anoles being so vicious to each other that surprises me a bit. I live in NE Florida and even in the wild I see them fighting a lot.

 

[wyatt003]

no not really, the females get a little jealous, but only one mature male, so there's not any territory issues. And the geckos are nocturnal so they don't bother the anoles. Also the frogs stick near the water. And everything eats crickets so that makes it easy I know alot of people dont agree with mixing species, but everything i have in this tank is found where i live, except for the toads. I do think its getting a little crowded though, but everyone seems happy.

 

[Ingo]

Hi,

I am a notorious mixer of species and I do have a lot of mixed species tanks. But what you show and describe is horrible, to say the least.
Sorry for being that explicit, but this is the only way to call it.
The tank by far is not tall enough for the arboreal species. Way too humid for the fence lizard and the geckos.
Also that many med geckos or anoles do not get along well together.
But thats only minor points. The whole thing is an absolute no go. In a nutshell: You have cramped together way to may species, most of which with incompatible climatic needs in way to many specimens in a way too small tank.
If all those animals would be compatible, I would recommend a 400g as the bare minimum for such a complex community.
Anyhow, there is no way to even make a 1000g fit the climatic and environmental needs of each of those species you listed.
Currently you are observing the so called crowding effect: Everybody feels the proximity of the others, the strong restrictions in tank size and the mostly inappropriate climate. These conditions do not allow establishment of territories and thus all animals stay seemingly friendly and calm. But their stress hormosnes do already push the limit and you will loose most of at least the lizards within the next six months. I guarantee
In a larger tanks, anoles and gex would fight seriously-not against the other species but intraspecifically. In this tiny tank, they are too stressed to do so.
So please, PLEASE do seperate the species, take care that neither two gecko males nor to male anoles share the same tank and for the anoles avoid the 1,2 situation.
You should take this seriously.

Best regards


Ingo

P.S.: I hope you do not feed ONLY crickets. A minimum of 4-4 feeder insect species should be the least variety of fodd offered to any insect eater.

 

[wyatt003]

I do agree with you, and thank you for your input. The fence lizard is very out of place. And i do agree that i have too many of each. Three of the geckos were a very recent addition. So i got a little excited. But I don't agree with the anole/med gecko problem. They were all found in places that shared space with the other species. And Ive had the two of the geckos and one anole together for almost two years now. Ive just never seen any problem because of the difference in night/day activity.

 

[Ingo]

You got me wrong. Anoles and med geckos can in fact get along well with each other. But that many med geckos will not get along. The anoles may get along with each other if only one is a male. But not in such a small tank and in general the risk of loosing the omega female(s) is high.


Ingo

 

[CRTDX]

no not really, the females get a little jealous, but only one mature male, so there's not any territory issues. And the geckos are nocturnal so they don't bother the anoles. Also the frogs stick near the water. And everything eats crickets so that makes it easy I know alot of people dont agree with mixing species, but everything i have in this tank is found where i live, except for the toads. I do think its getting a little crowded though, but everyone seems happy.

That is really cool and I am glad to hear that they're working well together. The anoles around here fighting are probably males so that would make sense to me. I have a 29 gallon tank that I am thinking of making into a 1/3 wet 2/3 dry setup now that I am finishing up my 10 gallon vivarium project. I haven't decided what to put in it just yet.

What species do you think would fit well together?

 

[wyatt003]

But not in such a small tank and in general the risk of loosing the omega female(s) is high.


Ingo

Ah, I didn't know this. I have seen some interaction between the females, but i didn't know one of them would become more dominant, or omega (i'm assuming thats what that means). I guess i should have done more research about these before doing this. I assumed it was okay because at the time of putting them in they weren't all mature and only one male. Its also nice that you can sex anoles right out of the egg I'm still waiting to sex my tokay now and it sucks...

 

[holocaustto]

How do you sex anoles that early?

 

[Palor]

Baby anoles start showing dominance and displaying around 2-3 months of age. So I know I have at least a male and a female sibling, the male is always puffing up and the girl does nothing at all.

The clan mentality of green anoles reminds me of a wolfpack. In my tank I have 3 pairs, the Alpha male and female, the rest of them and the omega female. The omega girl is tiny compared to the alpha and small compared to the other. When I feed them I notice the dominant anoles eat 1st, the others wait a bit then start in and the omega girl eats last. This group has lived together for about 5-6 years now.

 

[holocaustto]

But how do you tell it's a male or fem. besides behaviour.

 

[wyatt003]

the males have two larger scales just below the vent on the tail. its hard to see but if you can look close enough or with good camera you can tell. my sister hatched a newborn male and i could tell the day it came out that it was a male.

here's an example i found

 

[holocaustto]

The red thing (I don't know how to call it in English) they show, isn't just for males right?
Thanks for the explaination!

 

[Tdizzle10]

i have to golden males in the same 18x18x24.. they are a bit territorial.. dunno what to do with them, i cant take the new male back to the pet store

 

[hofud]

I had anoles too and they were very territorial even the females and besides you need a lot of hiding a climbing place for anoles. Besides a tall tank. b.orientalis frogs can live anywhere they are tough animals. If I were you i shouldn't mix the geckos with the anoles at least. I had tanks were i mixed species but only amphibians but if you want to make this thing you need a huge place and similar enviromental needs of your animals.

 

[wyatt003]

The red thing (I don't know how to call it in English) they show, isn't just for males right?
Thanks for the explaination!

No, I thought that too (dew flap). The females have them and sometimes use them, there just not as big. If a female is warning another female, they will sometimes stick theirs out.

You can tell also on a mature anole if you pull it from the chin. The males will be able to pull out very far. But if you pull on a females, it will show red but won't be nearly as long.

 

[holocaustto]

Loud and clear.

 

[wyatt003]

I love mixing them too, but watch out, many people are very against it. I got a little carried away with mine and put too many, but ive moved a few around with some extra 10g tanks. I still think the gecko\anole relationship is okay, just not near as many as i had together.

 

[Forrest]

i have a 8'6'5' mixed viv with everything u see below in it... they've lived happily together for almost 2 years now, most species in it have laid several clutches of eggs and they have been hatching steadily for about 7 months now. if u research stuff right (i made a couple mistakes ie: sand geckos but even there laying eggs now) and give them enough space there isnt to many issues.I did recently have to take out the male green anole because he was consistly trying to mate with the cuban cave anole (witch she didnt appreciate at all hehe) .

 

[holocaustto]

Forrest, do you have some pics to show?