# Could i use live fern in my tropical vivarium??



## AdEvo (May 16, 2011)

I've just noticed some fern growing in my back garden and wanted to know if i could dig a bit of it up a put it in my vivarium??


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## sambridge15 (Nov 22, 2009)

you could but i doubt any native ferns will be a good vivarium plant if you visit dartfrog.co.uk you can buy ferns suitable for vivariums


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## AdEvo (May 16, 2011)

Ok then dude i'll try that, do they have recommended plants on the website? and i saw this guy with airplants in his viv?


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

You could also try any of the ferns sold as houseplants in B&Q, Homebase etc. They can be a bit tricky, though, needing warmth and humidity, but good drainage at the same time.


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## sambridge15 (Nov 22, 2009)

as ron said ferns in general can be a right pain :devil:


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## AdEvo (May 16, 2011)

How come? What would be a pain with them??


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## sambridge15 (Nov 22, 2009)

AdEvo said:


> How come? What would be a pain with them??


there just fairly delicate and picky about conditions and as soon as they start to deteriorate its hard to bring them back:devil:tbh though i have only tried Boston ferns im sure some will make great vivarium plants


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## toad650 (Feb 9, 2009)

i've used a couple from homebase in my viv's for anoles and had no problems with them, but then i did leave them in the pots so that might of helped.


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## AdEvo (May 16, 2011)

Ahh i see what you mean dude, i might get the one and see how i get on with it.

I'll prbs go to homebase to get one i think, and i might be getting some anoles so could work well. How many have you got?? And how do you get on with them??


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## toad650 (Feb 9, 2009)

AdEvo said:


> Ahh i see what you mean dude, i might get the one and see how i get on with it.
> 
> I'll prbs go to homebase to get one i think, and i might be getting some anoles so could work well. How many have you got?? And how do you get on with them??


Got none now but had 3 at the time. They loved the fern as it gave them loads to jump on etc and at night they use to sleep on the leaves/branches, was quite funny :lol2:


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## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

AdEvo said:


> Ahh i see what you mean dude, i might get the one and see how i get on with it.
> 
> I'll prbs go to homebase to get one i think, and i might be getting some anoles so could work well. How many have you got?? And how do you get on with them??



Some of the ferns you get from homebase and places work well, but as other have said some are delicate and die off. 

The guy with air plants is prob me as i use them in all my builds, mine come from Just Airplants 

Anoles are brill, i have a large planted viv with a few groups of anoles in. 

Jay


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## sambridge15 (Nov 22, 2009)

to be honest my ferns were kept in a dartfrog viv so was probably far to wet /humid i spend to much time speaking to other phib keepers haha


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## AdEvo (May 16, 2011)

sambridge15 said:


> to be honest my ferns were kept in a dartfrog viv so was probably far to wet /humid i spend to much time speaking to other phib keepers haha


haha

yer i might get a few anoles and breed them i think, was going to put a stream and pool in my viv but i cba with the hassle tbf atm, prbs do it later on.
reckon i could cross breed green anoles and blue or brown anoles?? :lol2:


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## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

AdEvo said:


> haha
> 
> yer i might get a few anoles and breed them i think, was going to put a stream and pool in my viv but i cba with the hassle tbf atm, prbs do it later on.
> reckon i could cross breed green anoles and blue or brown anoles?? :lol2:


heres my anole viv 










I'm sure i've spoken to you before about anoles. The three species of anole you refer to cannot be cross bred. The Blue/green ones you have seen are another species of anole. There are about 100 species of anolis available. 

Water features in vivs look great, but are a pain in the arse. They are great for frog people but often the humidity because to much of a problem in non dart tanks. 

Jay


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## AdEvo (May 16, 2011)

Spikebrit said:


> heres my anole viv
> 
> image
> 
> ...


haha yer we have jay lol, i'm sure we had a massive conversation about anoles before because i remember your viv lol.
yer i thought as much, would be pretty cool if you could cross breed them though lol. so what other species can you get?? i fancy something abit more uncommon


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## sambridge15 (Nov 22, 2009)

making hybrids is a really bad idea even if you could :devil:

and jay im always amazed how green that moss is as that viv looks rather dry:lol2:


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## AdEvo (May 16, 2011)

sambridge15 said:


> making hybrids is a really bad idea even if you could :devil:
> 
> and jay im always amazed how green that moss is as that viv looks rather dry:lol2:


 haha I might even feed it protein and make it a monster! haha only joking!

I think the air plants on the logs are pretty cool.

Just started my new tropical vivarium project, check it out if you've got time  http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/habitat/706423-new-vivarium-project.html :2thumb:


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## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

sambridge15 said:


> making hybrids is a really bad idea even if you could :devil:
> 
> and jay im always amazed how green that moss is as that viv looks rather dry:lol2:


I've got moss growing up the side in all my tanks. European moss does really well in standard conditions, all mine get spreyed about once a day heavily. 

I also find frog tanks so wet so many plants struggle. before i started doing these tank i knew nothing about plants lol. 

jay


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## sambridge15 (Nov 22, 2009)

Spikebrit said:


> I've got moss growing up the side in all my tanks. European moss does really well in standard conditions, all mine get spreyed about once a day heavily.
> 
> I also find frog tanks so wet so many plants struggle. before i started doing these tank i knew nothing about plants lol.
> 
> jay


its amazing how fast you pick stuff up. handy thing is 95% of places that stock vivarium plants are dartfrog sites so its easy to get suitable plants for very high humidity...makes me wonder how many plants are overlooked that would be great for lower humidity vivs


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## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

sambridge15 said:


> its amazing how fast you pick stuff up. handy thing is 95% of places that stock vivarium plants are dartfrog sites so its easy to get suitable plants for very high humidity...makes me wonder how many plants are overlooked that would be great for lower humidity vivs


Yer, as all mine are low humidity, there are some fantastic plants that work well. The issue is, for those that want to do a planted tank for anything other then froggies its hard, as everything is tailored to high humidity environments. 

that why my first ever planted tank failed (7 years ago), to dry for the plants as i had followed a dart frog guide. 

jay


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