JOSÉ MARÍA BARBEITO

Poison Dart Frog Vivarium

As a child, I was always on the hunt for an insect or reptile to bring home - eager to build a miniature world inside where I could observe it. As I grew older, my attempts became increasingly complex and lifelike, until at the age of 17 I found myself caring for multiple species of poison dart frogs in a 55 gallon self-sustaining vivarium.

There are dozens of sub-species of poison dart frogs. Native to Central and South America, they usually prey on select insects, giving them their unique toxins. In captivity, however, they are harmless.

I decided to house five distinct varieties. Of the Dendrobates Tinctoruis family: "Azureus", "Citronella", "Costa Green", and "Oyapock", in addition to Phyllobates Vittatus "Golfodulcean" Poison Arrow frogs. They eat a variety of small creatures, including pinhead crickets and fruit flies. This required some improvised breeding chambers to ensure I had enough food.

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3
Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3

Aquascape

I've always wanted an aquascape. Aquascaping originated in the Netherlands in the 1930s and is the process of building an aquarium whose main focus is on the plants, not the fish. The style was further refined by Takashi Amano in Japan, who utilized small leafed carpeting plants and large stones to create stunning landscapes.

Most professional aquascapes use high spectrum lighting, canister filtering, and CO2 infusion to encourage plant growth and create an environment where local bacteria keep nitrogen and ammonia levels in check. The addition of snails and shrimp complete the cycle and allow for decaying plant matter to be reprocessed.

I wanted to create my aquascape based around amethyst crystal clusters. I began my aquascape after much deliberation, attempting a dry start - the planting of a monte carlo carpet before the water was added to boost the initial growth. When this did not work as well as I had hoped, I grew impatient and flooded the tank. Almost two years later, my monte carlo carpet grows strong, tended by an army of Neocardia shrimp and countless snails.

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3