This thread is for all the Mantella owners. There is surprisingly little information that can be easily found on these little beauties. I am hoping we can compile a decent list of basic care tips, Setup ideas, breeding tips, and anything else that might be useful. Maybe even get enough information so it can be compiled into a care article on them for this site. I'll start things off with information I was able to find through reading forum posts across the internet, wiki articles, and fact sheets.

Please feel free to respond with questions, additions, and alternative points of view.


Enclosure - A variety of enclosures can be used for the M. Betsileo. They can range from the most simple to a vary elaborate setups. The key parts will remain the same regardless of the type of setup. Temp/Humidity requirements and Hide spots.

Temp - M. Betsileo can tolerate a pretty wide range of temperatures. I have read anywhere from 65F - 75F. It is important to keep the temp some what stable and avoid any drastic spikes or dips in the temp. M. Betsileo are carry adaptable when it comes temp variations, but do better in the range provided.

Humidity - M. Betsileo do not require high humidity like Dart frogs do. The humidity in their natural environment stays relatively low except during the wet season. Maintaing humidity around 70 - 80% should be perfect for them and spiking it up to 90 - 100% when simulating the wet season.

Food - Everything I have read says crickets and Fruit flies are a good staple. They do good with just those but providing a variety will help them. Seeding the tank with Isopods and Springtails will allow them to snack on the tank janitors in between feedings.

Lighting - They do not require UVA or UVB lighting. The lighting will simply be to simulate sun light, unless the tank has live plants and then a full spectrum bulb should be used. The standard 12/12 day/night cycle can be used. When simulating seasons you can decrease the day cycle during the dry season, but Madagascar does not see a big swing in daylight time during the season changes light other parts of the world do.

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I read on one site that it is better to feed M. Betsileo several small meals a day and not one big meal. That site recommended feeding them in the morning, mid day, and just before lights out. Does anyone have any input on this? I did one feeding for mine yesterday being their first day in the tank, but I over fed them a bit because only 3 of the 5 came out to feed the others watched from the safety of the hides they were in.

As for my enclosure, I have a build thread on the site for it, but here is a picture of it. I got inspired by Geo (from this forum) and built a natural style terrarium. I used Slate rocks (boiled and then baked in the over for 2 hours). I layered them to create the height to get the land mass above my water line and then covered the rocks in dirt, ABG mix, Moss, Leaf litter, and so on. In the water I put leaves and sticks and dirt (think bottom of a pond or lake), Ghost Shrimp, and a couple sucker fish. The tank is a 40b <36x18x16> Here is a pic of it. The gauge was temporary while I let the tank settle in and waiting for the digital meter to arrive. The tank is heated with an aquatic heater and an undersized filter is used to circulate the water and encourage healthy bacteria growth.

Click here to view the original image of 800x600px.


Everything about the tank (minus the heater, filter, and fogger) are natural. No glue, foam, or silicon was used inside the tank. The internal temp runs between 72 - 74F and the humidity is at 80%. Humidity is running high right now, I am doing heavy misting on the moss till it acclimates in the tank.

What is your setup? Any additions or changes to the care categories. I will keep adding more information as time goes on