New Caiman setup/pictures.

[Nivek]

So I went with my gut and went for effective over pretty. I have McFarlan in a big sterilite now, and he has enough water now I think. Two filters and a heater. UV bulb as well. Here he is in his new home! I'm amazed at how cloudy the water was with one filter. You can tell, the pictures were taken before I got the second filter. Messy messy eater he is!

 

[Galapoheros]

That really looks good. How'd you get a Caiman? I thought they weren't legal anymore. I used to have one many years ago when I was about 10. It got out. Then one day I saw it on the bank of a creek I went to all the time. I got on my hands and knees, snuck up on it. I spent an hour sneaking up on that thing, my heart was really pumping! It was a toy:wall: ! I like those, nice setup.

 

[Nivek]

That really looks good. How'd you get a Caiman? I thought they weren't legal anymore. I used to have one many years ago when I was about 10. It got out. Then one day I saw it on the bank of a creek I went to all the time. I got on my hands and knees, snuck up on it. I spent an hour sneaking up on that thing, my heart was really pumping! It was a toy:wall: ! I like those, nice setup.

Haha, at least it didn't get away! ;P They are legal here in Colorado. Alligators aren't, but caiman are. I know I've seen breeders in Texas so they should be legal there as well.

 

[dtknow]

Have you thought of getting some live plants? They would help with your water quality and should survive with the lighting you have. I bet the caiman would appreciated them as well.

Something along the lines of water lettuce, pothos, water hyacinth etc. True aquatic like Najas, Elodea etc. could be used if you aren't having much of an algae problem.

 

[Nivek]

Have you thought of getting some live plants? They would help with your water quality and should survive with the lighting you have. I bet the caiman would appreciated them as well.

Something along the lines of water lettuce, pothos, water hyacinth etc. True aquatic like Najas, Elodea etc. could be used if you aren't having much of an algae problem.

Actually, I haven't. Eventually, with the final enclosure I build for it when I have more space and he's bigger, etc. etc. I plan on using live plants though. I'm going to make it's final enclosure as natural as possible.

 

[dtknow]

Some live plants now would work also. I'm not sure on how destructive caimans are but if the water is being filtered they could be grown in the media box or the overflow.

 

[Nivek]

Some live plants now would work also. I'm not sure on how destructive caimans are but if the water is being filtered they could be grown in the media box or the overflow.

That's an interesting idea. I'll do some more research. What's a species that wouldn't cause much algae growth? I'm not fond of algae lol. Although it wouldn't really bother a caiman that much I don't think. Just give him more places to hide and ambush my hand! ;P

 

[Ewok]

water lettuce is really nice and grows fast. Theya re good at taking nitrates and phospahtes out of the water. so you wouldn't have any algea. But they are floating plants, the caiman would like them though.

 

[Nivek]

water lettuce is really nice and grows fast. Theya re good at taking nitrates and phospahtes out of the water. so you wouldn't have any algea. But they are floating plants, the caiman would like them though.

You know where I could pick some up? Would a pet shop carry it?

 

[ZooRex]

You know where I could pick some up? Would a pet shop carry it?

You can find it at most garen centers in the summer, good luck in the winter :wall:. Maybe an aquarium specialty store.I've got some in with my softshell it looks great and it grows fast! I periodically have to remove large clumps cause its choking the tank.

Dude let me say agian how lucky you are. You are truly living a dream of mine. I tell ya I'm sure gettin sick of Wisconsin, not only do we get screwed when it comes to weather, our animal keeping laws are all outta wack; cobras legal, caimans illegal ~ Rex

 

[Bigboy]

Thats a nice little trig you've got. If you wouldn't mind my input though as a person who has cared for caimans (gators and a baby croc) before I strongly suggest you remove the rocks at the bottom. Gravel holds too much waste and old food and really makes keeping a clean and healthy environment damn near impossible.

 

[Galapoheros]

That sounds like a really good tip to me too, the same reason some people don't like those underground/gravel filters. I don't have a prob with going to a pond with a fine net and getting some micro stuff in there that might clean up a little. There are going to be some that warn about "parasites" though. I just don't worry about that a whole lot.

 

[dtknow]

Galapoheros:

I'm really in a bind on this one. Although the biodiversity of introducing stuff in that manner is undoubtly beneficial...their are parasites to cope with. I'm sure gators have their own kind of tapeworm etc. in the wild. Although almost all wild reptiles have some kind of parasite(many are just plain filled with them), it doesn't work so well in captivity. I will say that the chances of getting something are rather minimal.

All this being said...many plants that we use in aquariums are grown in ponds in the outdoors which undoubtly are inhabited by frogs etc. on the occassion.

Now, if their was a way to get the benefits w/o the risks.

Nivek: you may want to look at a garden supply that caters to water gardeners/ponders.

 

[UrbanJungles]

Water plants need alot of light. Furthermore, filtration via the plants would be useless because 1) there isn't enough water volume 2) a caiman's waste output is much higher than the plants could ever cope with, especially in that small volume of water.

Definitely get rid of the rocks/gravel or it will be a cleaning nightmare. You will probably also want to get rid of those roots/wood in the water as the caimen would benefit from being able to lay and menuever uncumbered in the water. It's a bit tight in that tub as it is. I would add on a light as well, they like to bask.

In the long run, your setup is much too small. Even dwarf caimen need a decent amount of room and most importantly good water quality. They have a very large ammonia output (as well as solid waste) and you are gonna be doing alot of water changes, pretty much after every feeding.

The pink rock with the sharp edge has to go. Caimen are flightly, if you spook him in that little tub and he spins around just right he can hurt himself on that edge. Crocs like soft mud and vegetation, they aren't crazy about rocks.

 

[dtknow]

Urbanjungles: Not necessarily on the light. Chances are he is using enough lighting with that caiman to grow Elodea, water lettuce, etc. And even where he isn't Pothos will flourish...though it is not a true aquatic plant. Every little bit of nutrient removal helps...and I'm sure a system could remove most of the caimans waste products, but the system'd have to be pretty big!

Not saying that it would replace water changes, of course.

 

[bluefrogtat2]

dwarf caimen

have raised dwarves in a 55 with no light or rocks and they did great.easier to clean etc..i used a few cinder blocks and some crawldads(for waste management)and it stayed clean .even raised a river cooter with one with no problems.
great pet(although they lack a little on the affection aspect)
andy

 

[Bigboy]

Could I possibly get some pics of your caiman's neck lateral and dorsal as well as just behind the back legs on the tail lateral as well as the tail lateral and dorsal as well???