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Full Version: Fishtank viv: vert or horiz?
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I'm about to construct a 10-gallon vivarium from a horizontal aquarium. I'm not 100% sure what it will be used for yet: possibly to separate one of my females, or a grow-out tank, or maybe even (down the road) a thumbnail viv. It's meant for one frog, except for thumbnails, which I would like to get as a pair.

I know there are conversion kits to make a vertical viv out of a horizontal tank, but suppose I don't want to go that route just now. If I ever did get a pair of thumbnails, would a well-planted/landscaped/hardscaped horizontal work for them? In other words, if I keep a horizontal viv around for a while and don't end up using it, would I have to break it down and rebuild it vertically if I want two thumbnails? I'd like to get the viv set up soon, but it would be more than a year before I even think about thumbnails (azureus are next).
10 gallon tanks are too small for breeding group / pair housing but if you hardscape it really well, you can get the most usable space. It really doesn't matter how it's oriented.

Small frogs tend to 'rocket' out of a viv and here's where the proper lid is key. If you have 1-2 or more small frogs in a small enclosure with an entire lid that come off - ya better be really really observant and quick. I've lost 1-2 small ones that I never saw shoot out.

That's why doors and drop downs are a little better than one complete flat lid, for our purposes.
That's good to know about the problems with a top lid, thanks!