Emre Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Hello people, This is my carnivorous plants paludarium. I've had these carnivorous plants for five or six months I think. My plants were in bad shape when I first planted them, and I've lost my Drosera prolifera. (And my all-white variation of Drosera capensis, too. They never where healthy to begin with, unlike the all-red variety.) They're all thriving now though, except the two Cantley's Red variants, which are alive but refuse to grow new pitchers. I've used a custom mixture of long-fibre sphagnum moss, perlite, sphagnum peat and quartz sand for Nepenthes and Heliamphoras. For other plants, I used a 1:1 mixture of sand and peat. The plants receive 12 hours of metal halide light everyday, and are usually sitting in an inch of water. I occasionally allow this surplus water to evaporate completely before I add more. The tank currently holds 90 gallons, where I keep an assorted variety of fish and floating plants. The floating island is waterproof. I used to feed them fruit flies, but I've run out of cultures right now. All comments/ideas welcome. Specifically, I'd like to know what other carnivorous plants are suitable to my setting. General Info: 130 gallons Water temperature, 28 C Eheim 2228 external filter Moisture, 100-90% Ammonia, 0 mg/lt Nitrate, less than 1 mg/Lt pH = 7.5 400 W metal halide List of animal species: Beaufortia kweichowensis, x1 Osteoglossum bicirrhosum, x1 Apteronotus albifrons, x2 Planorbis Corneus Rubrum, a colony of Macrognathus circumcinctus, x2 Trigonostigma heteromorpha, x3 Polypterus senegalus, x2 Mastacembelus favus, x1 Pomacea bridgesii, a colony of Polypterus senegalus, albino, x1 Polypterus endlicherii endlicherii, x1 Water plants: Nuphar lutea Salvinia natans Spirodela polyrhiza Limnobium laevigatum Eichhornia crassipes Pistia strationes Carnivorous plants: Venus flytrap, giant Z11 Nepenthes ampullaria var. Cantley's Red, x2 Nepenthes ampullaria var. Harlequin, x2 Drosera capensis, var. all-red, x3 Nepenthes bicalcatrata, x2 Heliamphora minor, x2 Photo album here: http://s1082.photobucket.com/albums/j368/Whirlflux/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimscott Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Very impressive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic2 Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 With a floating island and clear water, you could show off Genlisea traps to great effect. The aquatic snails - except Planorbis - might pose a problem... Vic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emre Posted January 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Very impressive! Thank you! With a floating island and clear water, you could show off Genlisea traps to great effect. The aquatic snails - except Planorbis - might pose a problem... Genlisea.. that's one genus I've never looked up and know nothing about. Are they fully aquatic, or similar to semi-terrestrial Utricularia species? I don't see how the latter would work. I considered aquatic Utriculariae at some point, but decided against it since I couldn't find any information regarding their water chemistry requirements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 I considered aquatic Utriculariae at some point, but decided against it since I couldn't find any information regarding their water chemistry requirements. Utricularia gibba is fully aquatic, though it likes to be anchored to something. I have some that happily clings onto the roots of a floating amazon frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum). It can also be partially buried in the substrate, though it might go a little wild and take over your tank! Utricularia graminfolia will grow fully submerged and also flowers if allowed to grow up something that emerges from the surface of the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emre Posted January 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Utricularia gibba is fully aquatic, though it likes to be anchored to something. I have some that happily clings onto the roots of a floating amazon frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum). It can also be partially buried in the substrate, though it might go a little wild and take over your tank! Utricularia graminfolia will grow fully submerged and also flowers if allowed to grow up something that emerges from the surface of the water. Thanks for the reply, the species I wanted to buy was U. reflexa. I do have frogbits in my tank, among other floaters. What's your water chemistry? Just unregulated tapwater? Any fish in that tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Thanks for the reply, the species I wanted to buy was U. reflexa. I do have frogbits in my tank, among other floaters. What's your water chemistry? Just unregulated tapwater? Any fish in that tank? It's filtered tap tap water but the water here is low in minerals, typically <100ppm TDS. I do have some calci-sand mixed in the substrate though, as I have an apple snail and acidic water is detrimental to their shells, so the calcium helps with this. The only other thing in the bowl is a Siamese Fighter (Betta splendens). I don't grow U. graminifolia in there, as the snail finds it tasty! I have U. gibba growing through the Amazon frogbit and the snail doesn't touch it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic2 Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Genlisea.. that's one genus I've never looked up and know nothing about. Are they fully aquatic, or similar to semi-terrestrial Utricularia species? I don't see how the latter would work. I considered aquatic Utriculariae at some point, but decided against it since I couldn't find any information regarding their water chemistry requirements. Have a look at this post, and the others on its thread. It shows off the traps on the roots dangling in the water. (The traps are usually underground in bogs and moist soil). IMHO, A floating island would suit Genlisea beautifully, and they don't seem hard to grow. I got a Genlisea lobata x violacea last summer - my first for this genus - and it's doing OK on a sunny windowsill with a setup copied from this post by jimscott. Does seem rather slow-growing in my setup, but the plant I got was a very recent division that had just been potted. (I know - excuses, excuses...!) I would be careful with the apple snail: They are known plant eaters. (I've not heard of them eating CPs, so far...) Planorbis ramshorn snails are the only ones that are known to avoid live plant tissues, preferring to plough through the algae on the sides of the tank. Good luck! Vic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emre Posted January 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Have a look at this post, and the others on its thread. It shows off the traps on the roots dangling in the water. (The traps are usually underground in bogs and moist soil).IMHO, A floating island would suit Genlisea beautifully, and they don't seem hard to grow. Ah, I see what you mean now. My floating island is solid and waterproof styrofoam, though. Otherwise the plants would have been dead by now. The water in the tank is anything but carnivore-friendly (plain old tapwater with a weekly dose of liquid fertiliser, the occasional calcium tablet, and a good deal of animal waste.) I even used a tarpaulin sheet to avoid interaction between the calcium-rich grout paint and the peat on the island. That's a great idea, but whether it's applicable depends on whether these carnivores can tolerate bad water. I could carve a smaller island for that purpose, with holes underneath, and fill it with Utricularia and Genlisea species. Since I'm going to sell the arowana in a few months, I won't have any fish that requires open swimming surface anyway. One poster mentions using creek water for a Genlisea specimen, and another suggests using a fishtank. That implies a tolerance for non-RO water. I'll think about this. Apple snails eat live plants, but only if they have no other food available. Also, I wonder if anybody can tell why my Cantley's Reds never produce pitchers? They are not sick, but not blooming either. I have two other ampullarias, Harlequin variants, that have adapted just fine. These larger specimens didn't. Are older plants more susceptible to transplantation shock? Should I use foliar feeding? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emre Posted January 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 It's filtered tap tap water but the water here is low in minerals, typically <100ppm TDS. I do have some calci-sand mixed in the substrate though, as I have an apple snail and acidic water is detrimental to their shells, so the calcium helps with this. The only other thing in the bowl is a Siamese Fighter (Betta splendens). I don't grow U. graminifolia in there, as the snail finds it tasty! I have U. gibba growing through the Amazon frogbit and the snail doesn't touch it. Thanks for the info. We have soft water too, soft enough that my ramshorn snails show signs of shell deterioration unless I use calcium supplement. The apple snails were an afterthought for me and I can remove them if strictly necessary. Besides, I have a good variety of floating plants that proliferate quickly. I think I'll be developing this idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob-Rah Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 Your CPs: •Venus flytrap, giant Z11 •Nepenthes ampullaria var. Cantley's Red, x2 •Nepenthes ampullaria var. Harlequin, x2 •Drosera capensis, var. all-red, x3 •Nepenthes bicalcatrata, x2 •Heliamphora minor, x2 Fall into three cultivation groups..... 1) Require winter dormancy with bright light and a seasonal change in photoperiod and cold temperatures in dormancy: Dionaea, and to a lesser extent Drosera capensis 2) Require tropical, hot conditions with nights always above 16C and days in the 20s and a constant 10-14 hour photoperiod of medium to low light: Nepenthes bicalcarata & N. ampullaria (x2) 3) Require warm days, daytime temperatures around 20-25C and nighttime temperatures around 8-12C, and a constant 10-14 hour photoperiod of very bright light: Heliamphora D. capensis will probably tolerate what you throw at it, with the exception of low light. Sorry to be negative, but these plants just WILL NOT grow happily together. Eventually some WILL die. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emre Posted January 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 Sorry to be negative, but these plants just WILL NOT grow happily together. Eventually some WILL die. Making assumptions, aren't we? This is a lowland setting, hence my choice of Nepenthes. Yes, I am naturally aware that VFTs have dormancy requirements. Even people who've never kept VFTs are aware of that, you know. That's why all carnivores have been planted in individual pots. I'll probably get a few more VFTs, and they're all taking a nap together next winter. As for H. minor, I remember reading that different species of Heliamphoras have different altitude-temperature ranges, H. minor and H. heterodoxa having migrated down the highland tepuis (hence, their adaptability to LL.) They were the first plants to adapt to my paludarium, by the way. D. capensis, as you yourself say, is suitable to most conditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
japetus Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 Merhaba Emre, how easy is it to buy cp in Turkey? I can't remember to having seen them anywhere.. Do you order them from abroad, or are there nurseries that stock them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emre Posted January 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 Merhaba Emre, how easy is it to buy cp in Turkey? I can't remember to having seen them anywhere.. Do you order them from abroad, or are there nurseries that stock them? Γειά σου.. I've ordered these plants from abroad. Some carnivorous plants are available, either from some supermarkets or individual hobbyists. The plants available on supermarkets are usually neglected and in poor health, though. A few florists may also occasionally have them. But usually there isn't much variety, and there are no CP-specialist nurseries or greenhouses that I know of. (Until I establish mine, lol.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emre Posted February 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Baby N. bicalcarata pitcher has mik teeth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic2 Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Baby N. bicalcarata pitcher has mik teeth Watch out for your fingers, proud Dad...! Vic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andreas Eils Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Splendid idea, Emre! Looking very great! I too was first thinking Heliamphora minor and N. bicalcarata together with a Venus Flytrap is a strange combination. But if it´s easy to remove the VFT for winter dormancy this island set-up shall work fine in the warm season. And without VFT all year. If you can provide a little drop in temperature for night H. minor may adapt to this environment. It´s usually described as an easy species. I´ve never grown it myself though. I´ve found out that H. chimantensis can stand warmer nights for a long period. 18 - 20°C. By all means it will be very interesting how these plants behave all year on this swimming island. Good luck! Keep us updated! Kind regards Andreas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emre Posted February 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Watch out for your fingers, proud Dad...! Vic If he bites me, no dinner for him! Splendid idea, Emre! Looking very great! I too was first thinking Heliamphora minor and N. bicalcarata together with a Venus Flytrap is a strange combination. But if it´s easy to remove the VFT for winter dormancy this island set-up shall work fine in the warm season. And without VFT all year. If you can provide a little drop in temperature for night H. minor may adapt to this environment. It´s usually described as an easy species. I´ve never grown it myself though. I´ve found out that H. chimantensis can stand warmer nights for a long period. 18 - 20°C. By all means it will be very interesting how these plants behave all year on this swimming island. Good luck! Keep us updated! Kind regards Andreas Thanks for the input. Due to the thermal energy of the metal halide, there's a spontaneous temperature drop of 4-5 C degrees in the system. I've read somewhere that the two "lowland" species were H. minor and H. heterodoxa. 18 - 20 C is still too low for my setup, as nocturnal temperature is around 24-25 C. At any rate, they've been happy for months. I'll be ordering some new CPs as soon as the weather gets better. I'll get a few hardy Utrics for a second non-waterproof island, a new sundew (probably D. madagascariensis) and a mature VFT. I want a centerpiece at the middle of the island: either a N. ampullaria with basal pitchers or a larger Heliamphora would do. I'm open to suggestions at this point. I'll be updating my paludarium album, too. Carnivorous Plants Paludarium Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emre Posted August 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2011 Some updates... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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