Keeping freshwater amphibians and reptiles can be a truly unique and rewarding experience. Whether you’re an experienced fish keeper, or new to the hobby, here are some important things to consider when planning a tank for aquatic amphibians or reptiles:
Plan ahead
When it comes to setting up a new habitat for an aquatic amphibian or reptile, patience is key. Before you purchase any animals or supplies, take some time to research the species you plan to keep. After all, aquatic reptiles and amphibians are a long-term commitment, as many popular species, like fire-bellied newts, African clawed frogs, and painted turtles live for 20 to 30 years or more with good care. Start your planning by looking up care sheets for the specific animals you intend to keep. Knowing what to expect in terms of life span, size, and care needs will help you to make better decisions when selecting equipment and supplies to set up the ideal habitat for your new pet.
After you’ve done your planning, sourced your supplies, and set up your new tank, it can be tempting to add animals right away. But it’s important to wait just a bit longer and allow some time to cycle your new tank. Cycling a tank is an important step for maintaining a healthy environment and good water quality for your reptiles and amphibians, so plan on allowing at least a few weeks after you’ve set up your tank before you add your animals.
Choose the right equipment
You should always select equipment based on the size and activity habits of the species you plan to keep. All freshwater amphibians and reptiles will generally need the following basic equipment at minimum:
Tank, lid, and stand
One of the most important decisions you can make is selecting a tank that is both sized and shaped appropriately for your chosen amphibian or reptile species. Be sure to consider the size of the animals you wish to keep, ensuring that their enclosure allows them enough space to swim, hide, bask, and engage in other natural behaviors. At the end of this article, we’ve provided some examples of semi-aquatic and fully aquatic species to give you a basic idea of ideal tank dimensions for some common reptiles and amphibians. Keep in mind that extra capacity not only provides more space for your animals, but it can also help to reduce the maintenance burden for you by making it easier to maintain good water quality parameters.
Alpine newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris) colorful male aquatic amphibian swimming in freshwater habitat of pond. Underwater wildlife scene of animal in nature of Europe. Netherlands.
In addition to a properly sized tank, be sure to add a secure screen cover or lid to prevent your pet from jumping or climbing out of the tank. Finally, consider that water is surprisingly heavy—a filled 40-gallon breeder tank weighs over 450 pounds! —so be sure that whatever stand or furniture the tank rests on is sturdy enough to support the weight.
Water filter
Just like fish, aquatic reptiles and amphibians are very sensitive to contaminants in their water. Without proper filtration, toxins can quickly build up and make your animals sick. A water filter is a necessary component that will help to remove contaminants and break down certain toxins so that the tank remains a consistently safe and healthy environment. There are many types of filters to suit a range of reptile and amphibian tank setups. The most basic types include internal box filters and corner filters. These devices offer lower flow rates, so they are suitable for small tanks, and they can be a good fit for animals that need calmer water, like aquatic frogs. On the other end of the spectrum are external power filters and canister filters, which offer higher flow rates and greater filtration performance, allowing them to keep up with large or overstocked tanks, or animals that produce lots of waste. Regardless of the type of filter you choose, be sure to select one that is rated for your expected water volume.
Your filter will work to keep your reptile or amphibian tank clean in a couple of important ways. First, the filter will collect solid waste like feces, dead plant material, and excess food by physically capturing it in media, such as a filter pad, sponge, or floss. This is known as mechanical filtration, and it is especially important for semi-aquatic amphibian or reptile enclosures, since the water can easily become polluted with substrate, soil, and plant material from the terrestrial zone.
Second, by circulating water through your tank, your filter will also facilitate biological filtration, which is a process that breaks down chemical toxins, like ammonia and nitrite. These compounds enter the water as your animals excrete urine, or through the decay of organic material like dead plants or uneaten food. Biofiltration harnesses a natural process known as the nitrogen cycle to break down harmful ammonia and nitrite into more innocuous compounds, like nitrate and, in under some circumstances, nitrogen gas. The process is carried out by beneficial microbes that naturally colonize available surfaces in your tank. By adding biofiltration media to your tank or filter, you effectively increase the amount of available surface area, thus allowing your tank to support a larger population of these beneficial microbes. Biofilter media comes in a variety of shapes, sizes and materials, including foam sponges, plastic bio-balls, ceramic, and gravel (when used with an undergravel filter).
Some biofiltration media offer additional benefits too, like MarinePure®, which is made of an inert ceramic material that offers ample surface area as well as a unique continuous pore structure. This feature allows MarinePure® to support a more diverse population of microbes compared to other media, which can help keep nitrate levels lower so you can go longer between water changes and maintain more consistent water quality.
Regardless of the type of filter device and media that you choose, remember to take some time to get your biofiltration up and running. Known as cycling a tank, the goal of this process is to establish enough beneficial bacteria that your tank can cope with all the waste that your new pet(s) will add to the environment. While cycling a new tank can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks, it is crucial to complete this step before adding any amphibians or reptiles to their new home, as it helps to prevent problems and give your animals a healthy start.
Aquarium heater or chiller
Many, but not all, freshwater amphibians and reptiles require water temperatures that range slightly above the average room temperature in most homes, around 75-80°F or more. In this case, you will likely need to purchase an aquarium heater to keep the water temperature within the acceptable range.
On the other hand, some amphibians need water temperatures that range a bit lower than room temperature, like newts who demand temperatures ranging from about 60 to 70°F. In this case, you’ll likely need to install a chiller of some kind. The simplest and most affordable versions use fans to cool the water about 2-3°F below the ambient temperature. To achieve colder temperatures, you may need a more sophisticated chiller, although it’s worth noting that these can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. When planning your tank, consider the temperature of your home throughout the year and research the ideal temperature ranges for any animals you intend to keep determining whether you need a heater or chiller.
Lights
Lighting needs can vary considerably from one species to the next, so be sure to consult relevant care sheets before deciding on lighting. For example, while African dwarf frogs do just fine with a simple LED light, many turtle species need a special UVB light to thrive. Be sure to use a timer as well to simulate night/day cycles for your tank inhabitants.
Décor and/or plants
Keeping any kind of aquarium is an addictive hobby, and there’s no shortage of things you can buy to outfit your tank and provide enrichment for your animals. Décor can be especially important for amphibians and reptiles, as it allows them to engage in natural behaviors. Consider using décor, rocks, driftwood, live or artificial plants, or other aquarium-safe materials to provide your animals with hiding spaces, and areas where they can take a break from swimming. African dwarf frogs, for instance, can often be seen having an underwater rest on the leaves of aquatic plants.
When deciding on any décor or plants for your tank, use caution and verify that they are safe and appropriate for the animals you intend to keep. Amphibians can be particularly sensitive to pollutants in the water, so be sure that anything you put in the tank is safe for aquarium use. In addition, take care in selecting your substrate, especially if you plan to keep smaller amphibians. If you choose to use gravel, be sure that the particles are too large for your animal to eat, or if using sand, the finer the better to ensure that it can pass through their digestive system without getting stuck.
Maintenance tools
Once your tank is set up, you’ll need to perform certain maintenance tasks, like rinsing out your filter media and performing routine water changes. Having a net, siphon, thermometer, and water quality test kit on hand allows you to monitor your water quality and perform maintenance tasks on the recommended schedule.
Designing a tank for semi-aquatic reptiles and amphibians
Some reptiles and amphibians are semi-aquatic, meaning that they spend part of their time swimming, and the other part exploring dry land or basking to regulate their body temperature. To support this natural behavior, you may need additional equipment beyond the items listed above, such as a heat lamp, a basking platform and/or dry substrate for a terrestrial area. Below are some examples of popular semi-aquatic species and some general guidelines on the size and types of habitats they need:
Turtles
Turtles need large tanks, although exactly how large will vary by species. As a rule, the minimum tank size for aquatic turtles is 10 gallons per inch of shell length, but they will benefit from having larger enclosures. Also keep in mind that juvenile turtles will grow quickly. For example, red-eared sliders are typically sold when only a few inches long, but they will grow to 10-12 inches by the time they reach maturity at 5-7 years old. So even while a 40-gallon tank might house a young turtle comfortably, that same turtle will need a tank double to triple that size by the time they reach adulthood. For this reason, many turtle owners prefer starting big to avoid having to upgrade later. In addition, turtles also produce lots of waste, so it’s also best to invest in a filter rated for 2-3 times your tank capacity.
Newts and salamanders
Newts and salamanders are semi-aquatic amphibians that may live primarily in water or on land at different phases of their lives. Fire belly newts and Eastern newts are two popular examples, as they live exclusively in water as larvae, mostly on land during their juvenile or “eft” stage, and mostly in water as adults. For this reason, experts generally recommend devoting 70% of the tank to water habitat and 30% to land for adult newts. These species grow to around 3-5 inches at most, so they don’t require very large tanks. A 10-gallon tank is the recommended minimum for up to three adult Eastern newts, while fire bellied newts require a bit more space, so plan on a minimum tank size of 15 gallons for one newt or at least 20 gallons for two.
Designing a tank for fully aquatic amphibians
Fully aquatic amphibians do not require any land or basking areas in their tank, but they still need to come to the surface to breathe. For this reason, it is best to avoid excessively deep tanks, since they can pose a drowning risk. Instead, seek out long and wide tanks that maximize horizonal floor area and allow for around 12 to 16 inches in water depth. Below are some examples of fully aquatic amphibians, along with guidelines on proper tank sizing and specialized equipment needs:
African dwarf frogs and Western dwarf frogs
African dwarf frogs and Western dwarf frogs measure only a few inches in length at maturity, so they can thrive in a small tank. Dwarf frogs do best in groups, so plan on a minimum 5-gallon tank for a pair of frogs, or a 10-gallon tank for 3 to 5 dwarf frogs. Dwarf frogs are also weak swimmers, so it’s important to avoid high-flow filters that create strong currents and excessive aeration. If you plan to use a more powerful filter, you can incorporate a baffle to slow down and disperse return water. Additionally, you should use a pre-filter or mesh cover at the filter intake to protect your frogs from getting sucked into the filter, where they can suffer injuries or drown.
African clawed frogs and Western clawed frogs
African clawed frogs and Western clawed frogs are slightly larger than their dwarf frog cousins, growing up to 5 inches at maturity. They are also aggressive toward other frogs and fish, so it is best to keep them in a species-only tank and also plan for 10 gallons of tank capacity per clawed frog. Just like dwarf frogs, clawed frogs are weak swimmers, so it’s important to take precautions in choosing and setting up your water filter to avoid strong currents.
Axolotls
Axolotls are a unique type of aquatic salamander that grow to 10 inches in length at maturity. There is some debate among hobbyists about proper tank size for axolotls, but most care sheets recommend no less than 30-40 gallons as the minimum per axolotl. Aiming for a larger capacity tank and filter can help to ensure more consistent water quality since axolotls are known to produce lots of waste. Finally, axolotls require cooler water temperatures than most other aquatic amphibians, so it is very likely you will need to include an aquarium chiller in your tank setup.