FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I would need some help to find the CP (or more than one) for me.

Currently I have a VTF which only survived when I put it (in the pot I bought it early 2021) in the garden and left it there, as I nearly killed it indoors. It's purchase wasn't planned and I never done any research until several months later.

But I want something for indoors, actually for 2 fishtanks which will not be used for fish nor being filled with water (or at least no free water).

One is a cube of nearly 1 foot. the other is a proper fish tank (although a smallish one ... I had much bigger in the past, but gave up on tropical fish when I moved into another country).
The bigger one, a Juwel Lido120, is still in the planning stage, just got it last week or so.

For the Cube I was thinking of Pygmy Sundew, but when I saw that postage would be 4 times the price of a pot, I went for getting me seeds. Wasn't the best idea as I hadn't imagined how tiny the seeds are and that I have the wrong soil in the cube to germinate them. This was before I got me the bigger one. Postage will be still very high, but if I get me more plants it would be less in relation to the whole price.

The Cube is having about 5cm of drainage layer as the back wall is Hygrolon on EpiWeb, on which I want to grew moss. On top of the drainage is AGB soil, and on top of this (dead) tropical moss and some live Spaghnum moss.
There are 2 spots with soil as when I got me Tropical Springtails and Tropical Dwarf Woodlice, I just dipped the transport boxes into the Cube. The Springtails are driving, the Woodlice ... not. I think that only one survived the transport.

I'm now waiting for another delivery of Dwarf Woodlice. And I have also a starter for a Giant Orange Woodlice Colony.

The Lido will have a drainage layer too. A deeper one than the cube as because of it's height of over 50cm, the Hygrolon will not work properly. Hence I need a tiny, submerged pump for a watering system, I will not use Misting or similar. The Hygrolon backwall is set!

Beside the drainage layer I have following substrats at hand:
- Spaghnum moss (live one? the ones you get in garden centers to line hanging baskets. It is not dry)
- dried NZL Spahgnum moss (still in packaging > just add water
- horticulture sand
- Orchid Bark and Beechwood chips (that's for the woodlice culture)
- not at home, but easily to get in Gardencentres: Perlite.

I do NOT have Moss Peat as it is very hard to come by nowadays, still trying to source some, but it seems it comes down to buy online (delivery charge will be most likely be higher than what the peat is worth), though if it can be peat you use for burning I can get it easily as Peat Cutting is still common in some parts of the Scottish Highlands, it's just not Spaghnum Moos peat as far I'm aware off.

I look for a CP which is:
- happy on Springtails and Woodlice diet
- in no need of dormancy
- max. 40cm high and 35cm in width to fit in the lido
- max. 15cm high and 20cm in with to fit in the cube, hence why I was looking into (pygmy) Sundew

I was thinking towards Heliamphora and/or Cephalotus as Eye -catcher combined with Sundew for the Lido.

Also to leave plants in pots, if possible and arrange Spaghnum Moss, Leaves etc around, so that the woodlice can crawl and bury themself if they want to.

The Cube and the Lido will only be for plants (the CPs, moss, a couple Tillandsia), Springtails and Woodlice.

I'm so overwhelmed how many different CPs exists, all the different soils etc (and don't start me with temperatures, I have no idea about Fahrenheit, I also don't have an Hygrometer or Thermometer. I only know it is not getting very warm as cube and Lido are with LED lights and the air is not very humid as soon some inches of the ground (in the cube as it's lid is leaving 1cm spacing on all sides.

I would say Drosera would be your best bet. There are a few different ones that could work in those setups and they aren't too difficult to find or expensive. Pinguicula might be good too, but I'm not as familiar with them.