A Tiger Salamander terrarium with fish!

The Tiger Salamanders I have were being sold as fish bait in Texas several years ago. They were purchased, brought to Iowa and raised into adults, which is how I bought them.

Cute!

Tiger Salamanders like to be cool and moist. A woodland terrarium is what they need. They can do with a dish of water to crawl in and drink from but I’ve always wanted a little aquatic area to make it more interesting.

I finally came across some glass shelving that was used in a bathroom medicine cabinet. One long end of the glass is smoothed so that it is perfect for my purpose.

I sealed the glass with silicone into a 55 gallon aquarium.

I added some gravel, not sand.

Then I added this top soil, which has no fertilizers or additives of any kind.

I mixed the top soil with Coir, which is coconut-husk fiber. This keeps the soil damp yet loose.

I added ferns and ivy’s. Then I bought a bag of “long-fiber” Sphagnum Moss and spread that over the top. This looks good and keeps everything cleaner as the Salamanders come out of their burrows and climb around.

The main diet for Tiger Salamanders is worms. I buy these Canadian Nightcrawlers. They also eat crickets and many other small creatures that burrow in the forest soil.

Here I am feeding them pieces of frozen shrimp. This should not constitute very much of their diet but it’s good to have in a pinch.

I put some guppies and White Cloud Mountain Minnows in the pond. There is no heater but there is an airstone. I’ll change the water about once a month.

I had one main concern when setting up the terrarium. Tiger Salamanders spend their lives hiding underground. If mine hid all day and only came out at night how would I feed them? I could release worms and crickets into the tank but if they aren’t eaten they eventually die and rot.

For the first few days I didn’t see the Salamanders. They had burrowed under almost instantly. But within a week they had all made an appearance looking for food. Now, whenever I am maintaining the tank by misting or watering the plants, the Salamanders pop out and look to the sky waiting for a worm. In fact, they want to be fed so often that I have to ignore them sometimes. Tiger Salamanders can get too fat in captivity.

Another hint is to use distilled water for misting the terrarium. This is a good idea for any glass terrarium, with frogs or plants. I wipe off the glass after spraying but if I miss some drops it will dry without leaving a mineral residue.

Pictus Catfish are jumpers

Be careful with the Pictus Catfish, they are very active fish and can jump out of the tank.
A few months ago I came home and was looking at a tank that has a group of young Jack Dempseys. Suddenly I saw one of my Pictus Catfish swimming in that tank! He had leaped out of his tank through a small gap, cleared a few inches of space and went into the neighboring tank. A lucky fish.

Eventually I found a dried-up Pictus Catfish on the floor. So now I only have two.

Transferring Mr. Pictus back to his original tank. By the way, when catching Pictus Catfish try not to use a net. You can “herd” them with a net, then try to catch them in a big plastic cup or suitable container. The spines get caught in nets. Bad for the fish and maybe bad for you!

I face their wood hideout to the front of the aquarium so I can watch them.

I brought in some water lilies and also dropped in a handful of washed, dead Oak tree leaves. I think the Pictus appreciate the natural hiding places.

Oak leaves also look good in the Tiger Salamander tank. They help keep the tank moist and make it so I never ever get to see the salamanders.

Cleaning the Tiger Salamander tank

A few months ago I was given another Tiger Salamander so I now have three. Here is a quick lesson on cleaning the salamander tank:

Start with a damp substrate. I use Coir, which is Coconut-husk fiber.

Spread the Coir on the bottom. Add a water dish. I like a Clay flowerpot material with no sharp edges.

I lay some bark pieces over the Coir for the Sallies to crawl under.

I toss in some dry oak leaves and a fake plant. A live plant would be nice but I don’t have direct lighting over the Sally tank. They like it dark.

Add Sallies.

I put a screen cover over the tank but if the air is dry it’s good to have a more solid cover to hold humidity. If you use glass or plexiglass make sure you have some air flow. The Sallies need to breathe and you want a moist , but not moldy, environment.

Tiger Salamanders

No, not in the fish tank. In a terrarium. I told you I would get off-topic once in a while with my other pets!  I have two Tiger Salamanders, and this photo might give you the impression that they are a thrill to keep.

OK I got your picture, go back and hide now.

But they are of a group of salamanders known as Mole Salamanders, because they spend most of their life underground. If you give them a proper home, they will show their appreciation by digging underground and almost never being seen.  I must say they are easy to care for. I feed them earthworms or crickets a few times per week. Keep them in cool place, 70F degrees or less, put in dirt and leaves and moss and a water dish, mist the tank every few days, keeping the substrate lightly moist, and there you have it,  Salamander heaven.

Don’t forget to clean the tank occasionally, a small tank every few weeks, a larger tank may go months before it needs a complete overhaul. Change the water in their dish frequently, at least every other day. They may come out at night and lay in it.

Tiger Salamanders live a long time for such a small creature. Mine are about 5 years old, and they can get to 15 or even 20 years. That’s a lot of worms.