Hey guys I'm a new member here and have a few questions that I need answered for me. A few weeks ago I went over to a buddies house to pick up some feeders and to check out his collection and he showed me his newest acquisitions. Three different trios if dart frogs and after watching them for a good 20 minutes I fell in love with them. I've been doing a LOT of research the past few weeks over their care and the best way to set up their vivarium. However I still have a few questions that need to be answered before I actually purchase the frogs. Are living plants an absolute necessity? If so what are the best kind to use? What are the best species of frog to get for a beginner? I was planning on using a 10gal tank so how many can I comfortably house in it? Sort for all the questions but I've only owned two frogs in the five years I've been keeping reptiles, a PAC man frog and the RETF I currently have and I know darts are very fragile and sensitive so I want to do everything properly. Thanks.
First, Welcome to Frog Forum,
I'll try to help.
Are living plants an absolute necessity? I would have to say - yes. I believe all frogs should have live plants!
If so what are the best kind to use? Bromalaids are favored by the smaller dart species.
Any plants the will tolerate high humidity and lower light. Check out BLack Jungle. Plants
If you don't have a green thumb---call them personally, they will help you. Smaller leaf philodendron and trailing / ground cover are great starters. More important, are the hides and the leaf litter.
What are the best species of frog to get for a beginner? D leucomelas ?
This is a loaded question. Many species can NOT be kept in groups. The ones ( I know of for sure) that can are D leucomelas and D auratus.
A 10gal tank is really tight for a trio of auratus and way too small for the leucs. People do it ,but this is my opinion.
ie I have a group of 5 leucs in a 36" W x 24" H x 18" wide ..............they use every inch!
I have my ( pair ) of R imitator ( thumb nail) in a 24 H x 18 W x 18 D they use use more of the enclosure than my trio of auratus in the same size tank.
Yes darts are fragile ( if they should have to be handled) but ( I think ) caring for red eyed tree frogs is more difficult.
Lynn
Current Collection
Dendrobates leucomelas - standard morph
Dendrobates auratus “Costa Rican Green Black"
Dendrobates auratus "Pena Blanca"
Dendrobates tinctorius “New River”
Dendrobates tinctorius "Green Sipaliwini"
Dendrobates tinctorius “Powder Blue"
Dendrobates tinctorius "French Guiana Dwarf Cobalt"
Phyllobates terribilis “Mint”
Phyllobates terribilis "Orange"
Phyllobates bicolor "Uraba"
Oophaga pumilio "Black Jeans"
Oophaga pumilio "Isla Popa"
Oophaga pumilio "Bastimentos"
Oophaga pumilio “Mimbitimbi”
Oophaga pumilio "Rio Colubre"
Oophaga pumilio "Red Frog Beach”
Oophaga pumilio "Rio Branco"
Oophaga pumilio “Valle del Rey”
Oophaga pumilio "BriBri"
Oophaga pumilio "El Dorado"
Oophaga pumilio "Cristobal"
Oophaga pumilio "Rambala"
Oophaga “Vicentei” (blue)
Oophaga sylvatica "Paru"
Oophaga sylvatica "Pata Blanca"
Oophaga histrionica “Redhead”
Oophaga histrionica "Blue"
Oophaga lehmanni "Red"
Oophaga histrionica "Tado"
Ranitomeya variabilis "Southern"
Ranitomeya imitator "Varadero"
Ranitomeya sirensis "Lower Ucayali"
Ranitomeya vanzolinii
http://www.fernsfrogs.com
https://www.facebook.com/ferns.frogs
Thanks for the help. Whenever I decide to add a new species to my collection I'm always very cautious so that I don't make any major mistakes. I've never planted a thing in my life so that's why live plants have me a bit cautious, but if its best for the frogs then that's what I'll do. I have plenty of aquariums anywhere from 10g all the way to 65g so if a 10g won't do I will move up in size. Ive been Kicking around the idea of dividing a 20L in half and depending in the species putting one or two frogs on each side. I'm not purchasing any frogs until February, that way I have plenty of time to do more research on them and get the vivarium all set up and ready to go.
Get the D leucomelas. They have a nice call and are active all the time. I have a lot of tincs but if I could only have one it would be the D leucomelas hands down.
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