If you’ve ever been to an aquarium, you’ve probably already seen a paludarium — though you may not be familiar with the name.
The word comes from Latin: paludal (relating to marshes) and arium (a place). A paludarium is a tank set up like a marsh — with land and water portions. This kind of aquarium is an interesting alternative to the usual water-only tanks that are so popular. Paludariums are also popular teaching tools in science classes — teachers, take note!
With a paludarium, you have the opportunity to create the habitat you want. Maybe you’d like to recreate a riverbank or rainforest. Maybe you’re fascinated by bogs and marshes. With time and effort and a little creativity, you can simulate the land/water combo of your choice. Riverbank habitats are very popular paludarium choices — some pet stores and aquarium stores sell kits to help set up your tank.
If you aren’t sure what kind of habitat you want, start with your wildlife. What kind of fish are you interested in? What type of land dwellers would you like in your tank? If you choose your creatures first, the habitat will choose itself. A successful paludarium will have a variety of creatures to create a working ecosystem. (Just keep in mind that some tank dwellers may want to eat other tank dwellers!)
Your paludarium will also need some plant life. Choose plants that match your habitat type — plants that thrive in a slow, boggy area might not be happy in a fast-moving river setup. In fact, you might want to make your first paludarium with only plants on the land side and fish on the water side — no animals. With that setup, you can concentrate on learning how to make a paludarium work successfully (and add land critters in the future).
A paludarium can be set up with or without heating systems and filtration systems — the types of animals and fish you want will help make this decision for you.
Stay tuned — more information about paludariums (including construction, choosing fish, choosing plants, and choosing land dwellers) is coming soon.