I need a poison dart frog supplies list!

[FrogFreak]

I'm now at the point of getting together a setup for a poison dart frog.
Can anybody compose a list of supplies I'll need for a happy frog?
All of these supplies need to fit in a 5 gal. terrarium.

[John]

That's a small terrarium, even for dart frogs, particularly for beginner species, which I assume you would get since you've never kept darts before? Such a small terrarium is hard to keep "natural" because you will have difficulty maintaining substrate, live plants, moss, etc, and lighting will be challenging (I don't know of any commonly available hoods for 5 US gallon aquariums that come with fluorescent bulbs, so things will get hot with the included incandescent bulb(s)).

[tattooed81]

I would think at least a 10 gallon and that's probably to small a 10 breeder or a 20 breeder would be better I would think

[Jumpshot724]

Depending on the species a 10 is OK for a pair.

For the better beginner species (Azeurus, Leucomelas, Auratus, some Tincs) which are also a tad bigger compared to other darts, you really shouldn't have anything under a 20gal for just a pair.

Also remember, for naturalistic set-ups the bigger the better. And I mean better in the fact that it's much easier to maintain a healthy vivarium. The smaller the tank means even the smallest problem can have a disastorous effect. Larger tanks can handle more.

Like I said, smaller tanks are a lot more work/harder to maintain than even the biggest of enclosures.

[FrogFreak]

Oh Okay...I remembered that my Aunt is giving me a aquairium that she and her husband aren't using anymore...from what I've seen of it...it may be a 10 gal.I may need to check it though.

[Kurt]

Get Amanda and Greg Sihler's book - Poison Dart Frogs. ISBN 978-0-7938-2893-7. It explains everything you will need and how to build a false bottom.

[FrogFreak]

Oh okay....Thanks Kurt...I need some kind of device to mist or fog the terrarium right?

[Kurt]

Nah! I don't use one. My dart frog tank has a false bottom and a piece of plate glass covering 90% of the top. This maintains the humidity at 80%

[FrogFreak]

Eh...would you mind explaining in a little more detail please.

[Jumpshot724]

Falso bottom means that the substrate is elevated off the very bottom of the tank using any one of a variety of methods. The space between the bottom of the substrate and the tank floor is then filled with water to just underneath the substrate's bottom. The substrate will naturally wick up the water, keeping it moist and thus raising humidity.

By covering 90% of the top of his tank, Kurt is preventing most evaporation from happening, thus maintaining the humidity level. You have to leave some space open though (the remaining 10% in Kurt's set-up) to allow for healthy air circulation.

[FrogFreak]

Pardon my dumbness but what do you elevate the substrate with..a mesh wire?

[Jumpshot724]

The most commone method is using 4 pieces of cut PVC pipe as stands, laying a piece of eggcrate over it, and then laying a piece of nylon window screening over that. The eggcrate is solid so wont flex, and the nylon screening has small enough holes where the substrate won't fall through it, but the water will freely wick up through it.

[Kurt]

If you read the red-eye care article, I go into how to make a false bottom as do Amanda and Greg in their book.

[FrogFreak]

Okay...thanks a million guys!

[Kurt]

You're welcome.