Q's about darts in general.

[deranged chipmunk]

next question- if i do a vivarium with Leca instead of a false bottom, how long can the vivarium last without me having to tear it down?

With proper maintenance and micro fauna, years.


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[deranged chipmunk]

Oh i see. From what i had read, i thought you needed a false bottom. Well at least i learned something

It's just easier with a false bottom, but it can be done with both


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[ColleenT]

but if you have a false bottom, on't you need to find a way to filter the water? I am hoping to avoid that.

[deranged chipmunk]

Unless you choose to do weekly water changes, yes, filtration is necessary. This can be simple as water moving through the substrate, or more complex like submersible filters or canister filters.


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[ColleenT]

i really prefer things to be as simple as possible. so i guess i would do the Leca and substrate on top and a low water dish i could clean or switch out daily.

[deranged chipmunk]

No water dish is needed for darts.


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[jarteta97]

This is correct, you just need high humidity, because frogs absorb water through their skin from the air around them. If you're on a really tight budget, you can buy all of your plants from Lowe's, Home Depot, and other hardware stores, as long as you treat the plants before putting them in the viv. In fact, the Home Depot and Lowe's near me have recently been getting a lot of "exotic" plants that you normally wouldn't see throughout the year, including pilea, begonias, fittonia, etc.

[DigitalPunk]

Another way to make the Leca drainage layer even easier as far as maint goes is to drill the tank and install a drain at the Max waterline so the water leaves the tank as it fills up. Drilling a tank is super simple, but is nerve wracking for me lol.

You can also install a tube down into the drainage layer with a sponge on the end (the sponge will keep the tube from getting clogged) and just siphon the excess water off as needed.

Filter water is easy enough to do (as previously stated) you can use a basic filter, external canister filter, or a sponge filter. I have tried several methods, but so far my favorite is a simple sponge filter. It is what I am using in my Mantella tank. Or as Bill said just siphone off 25% to 50% of the water weekly.

It really is all about how much weekly work you are willing to commit to.

[ColleenT]

yeah, for me, a filtration system is one more headache. i would try to not have one and go with a general damp woodland viv.

[deranged chipmunk]

The absolute best thing you can do when building a Viv, is research, research, research. Decide on a species of dart and research the heck out of their natural habitat and try to mimic it. Whenever I set a tank up for a specific species, I will read tons of articles, as well as look at hundreds of pics of their environment. When I feel I'm satisfied, I try to blend all those pics together in my head and form on single scene. I know it sounds a bit OCD, but it works for me.


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[ColleenT]

i am trying to read all i can right now and asking Q's. Thanks.

[ColleenT]

i have made my decision to get 2 Azureus. I got myself a 20 high tank, i ordered a conversion kit lid from junglebox, i ordered Josh's false bottom leca type stuff, substrate barrier, abg mix, long fiber, sphagnum moss, live oak leaves, and 2 springtail cultures. and a coconut hut. i want to find a couple pods, little ones. i also got a manzantita? branch. this is all on it's way now, and i can let everything settle in the tank. i still need LED lights, and i can get pothos at Lowes.

Q- if i order the frogs online from the same dealer, do i need to quarantine them each separately, or can i QT together? is it always better to QT separate? how long do i need to QT, and do i need to have anything specific in the QT tank? i was thinking, damp paper towel, and a hide area.

Q- how many melanogaster per juvie frog per day? i worry about them hiding. i do plan to have springtails in the viv, but want to offer FF.

[ColleenT]

next Q- do you put the entire culture of springtails into your tank, or do you remove the charcoal?

[awelcome]

on Josh's Frogs site they said you can mix the charcoal along with them into your ABG mix (which already has some charcoal as well) or you can add them separately by pouring water into the container so they float and then pouring that into the viv.

[deranged chipmunk]

Sorry, been flaking lately. If you are getting them from the same breeder, you can qt them together. 30 days is a good 'standard' for qt time. You'll need damp, unprinted paper towels, a hide area and some plants for them to climb around and hide in. Care in qt is no different than in their permanent home (daily feedings, misting, ect)

You'll figure out the feeding when you get them. To be honest, I don't count fruit flies. I go with a guesstimate and the adjust after seeing how they feed. Make sure you keep a spring culture going as well as ff, the darts will snack on the springs in between meals.


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[ColleenT]

thanks. springtail culture is on the way. actually have 2 on the way so i can keep one on the side. just curious about how many ff they generally eat. i am guessing i might not see them once they move into the big tank. so i guess i just have to try to guess at QT.

[DigitalPunk]

Our azureus consume a decent amount of flies per feeding. When we first got them they would eat D. Mel Fruit flies, but they were almost to big for them and tended to prefer springtails.

Fruit Flies - Start off with less than you think you need and watch them eat. If them quickly consume all you put in drop some more in near them. As they get older they will naturally eat more and more. What we do is check the tank in the morning just after the first misting - any fruit flies still in the tank well start running around. If we see a decent amount in there from the yesterdays feeding we feed less today. You always want to add fresh flies to the tank daily and dust with a supplement with each feeding. If you want I can share my dusting rotation with you. We feed out adult Azureus and our to baby Azureus the same size flies. They are a smallish frog so the Hydie would be to big for them.

Springtails. Not only will you need to seed the tank with some when you set it up you will want to have a breeding culture going that you can pull some springs from and dump into the tank from time to time. The breding culture can be setup in a small plastic tub (you can get them from the dollar store) no need to poke holes in the lids. (you can also just buy the Springtail culture kit from Joshs frogs or NeHerp). It will take the breeding culture about 30 days to hit the first population boom. Once that happens you will have a lot of springs. We add more springs to the tanks roughly once a month or more often if we see the frogs decimating springs throughout the weeks. This is all a guessing game as we don't dig through the tank looking to see how many we find. Rule of thumb --- No such thing as to many springs in your tank.

To add a culture of springs to a new tank I setup I just dump the culture strait into the soil before I begin adding hardscape or plants.


Drop the food (Springs or Fruit Flies) in the same spot in the tank eat time you feed. Frogs are smart and will eventually show up to the feeding area when they are hungry and begin searching for food. Frogs do not like to have their food dropped on their head. Its a shame when that happens :/

Paul

[deranged chipmunk]

Well, as you know from your gray's, frogs are individuals. Some eat more than others. That's why I start lower. It's also another reason we qt all frogs. It gives us time to be close and personal with them where we can see them openly. After a week of qt, you'll have a routine for them, just like you do with your gray's.


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[deranged chipmunk]

Our azureus consume a decent amount of flies per feeding. When we first got them they would eat D. Mel Fruit flies, but they were almost to big for them and tended to prefer springtails.

Fruit Flies - Start off with less than you think you need and watch them eat. If them quickly consume all you put in drop some more in near them. As they get older they will naturally eat more and more. What we do is check the tank in the morning just after the first misting - any fruit flies still in the tank well start running around. If we see a decent amount in there from the yesterdays feeding we feed less today. You always want to add fresh flies to the tank daily and dust with a supplement with each feeding. If you want I can share my dusting rotation with you. We feed out adult Azureus and our to baby Azureus the same size flies. They are a smallish frog so the Hydie would be to big for them.


Paul

That's what i said! Ok, not in so many words, but still! Lol



Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[ColleenT]

2 springtail cultures are on the way. i have a container ready for the 2nd culture. got some melanogaster, will get supplies ready and make more. i would not have thought the hydei would be too big, but i've never seen them in person. my melanogaster are SO small. i also have rice flour beetles-larvae, but they are a pain to sift out.