Talk:Terrarium

Can you include fish

Can you hold a fish in a Terrarium? Wouldn't that make it an aquarium? Or is an aquarium a form of Terrarium?

The article seems to contend that an aquarium is a type of terrarium, but I think this is incorrect. An aquarium and a terrarium are distinct simulations of distinct environments; that is, they're both a type of vivarium. A terrarium can have a water component large enough to sustain fish, which would make it either an aqua-terrarium, riparium, or (to some extent) paludarium. -- Hadal 03:55, 28 Jan 2005 (UTC)

Indeed, an aquarium is not a terrarium !!!! Ebogdan 20:33, 8 January 2006 (UTC)

If you need to open closed terrarium once a week for mould, you are watering it too much. The section about closed terrariums is inaccurate and based on authors own opinions rather than citations.

Two different methods of holding life in. For example aquariums is for life that lives in water. As for terrariums is life that lives in soil or earth. The distinction is water and soil. When maintaining a terrarium, one must be sure not to over water it to prevent it from dying or creating mold. This is also authors own opinion rather than citing another. — Preceding unsigned comment added by AYork15 (talk • contribs) 21:00, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

Agreed that a lot of this article appears to be opinion. For instance, succulents (and even cacti) can be successfully grown in a closed terrarium. Yes, "underwatering" is required! "The intrinsic lack of drainage..." means that you are watering too much, and/or you do not have a deep enough gravel layer. One problem is that scientific studies are lacking, because these matters are simply common sense, and another is that the "how-to" articles online, which shouldn't be cited anyway, vary widely in the writers' opinions. Wastrel Way (talk) 15:59, 7 June 2020 (UTC) Eric

Sterile soil medium

It's practically impossible to sterilize a soil medium -- suggesting this line be revised. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.1.127.91 (talk) 04:24, 18 January 2016 (UTC)

Non-plant life

Have any sealed terrariums contained visible non-plant life - eg. any insects, worms. Presumably most soil contains nematodes and other creatures. Have any sealed terrariums included multiple non-plant species where one preys on the other ? - Rod57 (talk) 11:33, 21 May 2020 (UTC)

Found a video with a suposedly 12yo closed terrarium. Has some animals, not sure about their food chain relations.

This man made a ~2yo sealed terrarium with a food chain that is so far working as intended. Centipede as predator and isopods and milipedes as herbivore prey.

Should be noted that open terrariums with complex food chains are way easier to find, make and mantain even with larger animals such as scorpions and spiders, but I am yet to learn of a sealed terrarium that can foster something larger than a beetle. MfwicRMP (talk) 22:02, 13 September 2023 (UTC)