dart tank questions

[prodogg02]

hi iam new here an just got a dart forg in a lilttle 2 gallon plastic tank but want a bigger one for him what the best ready made encloser for them . i have an empty 75 gallon but it had saltwater fish in it so i dont realy want to use it.is a plain 10 gallon aquarium ok what kinda top do u use,all i can find is the screen tops but i the holes are to big an the fruit flys will get out should i get a custom glass top made to help hold in humidity.i want to use a few clip on led nano tank lights for lighting is that ok for them i was worries about to much heat build up in a 10 gallon fron incondesant lights. thanks for any info

[bshmerlie]

Please start off by reading the care article for imitator dart frogs. In that article John talks about tank setup as well. I personally think you would be better off just getting a Exo Terra or Zoo Med terrarium at least 18 inches high. Then get a piece of glass cut for the top and silicone it in. Being that you already have your frog it doesn't give you a whole lot of time to set up your tank. Or get a 29 gallon tall. I think those are 18inches tall. Then get a hinged glass lid for the top. You want to fill the height of tank with plants and vines. Find a nice vertically oriented piece of wood that you can build around. I have a few tanks in my photo album of such vertical builds. Your frog is not going to come to the ground very often so plan accordingly. Have a drainage layer below the substrate and then leaf litter over the substrate to keep the soil off the frog. Work quickly you can't keep him in that small tank very long. The humidity needs to be maintained at 90% or higher so forget the screen lids....glass only.

[DonLisk]

I am hoping the place that sold you these frogs also provided you with a food source.

You should begin culturing fruit flies immediately and obtain the calcium and vitamin supplements you will need to help them survive.
Here is a link to a great article on culturing fruit flies by John and Paul. Frog Forum - Fruit Fly Culturing, Care and Feeding - Everything you need to know about Drosophila

Ask questions and put them in a home with the right environment and conditions.

[prodogg02]

i have read his post and others on the net .the frog came from a friend who got it an his gf freaked as he has lots of them already .as for the encloser i think iam going with the zoo med one that comes complete and put a piece of glass on the top iam going to use the fake plants for now as the ones he posted he uses seem hard to find around here.is it worth geting the humidity and temp controller(i live in alberta canada so it gets cold in winter)

[DonLisk]

Basically, if you have some hydroballs, then a screen on top, and a layer of Eco Earth or Plantation Soil substrate (all usually available at a pet store) and cover that with some leaf liter, misting the tank twice a day should keep enough humidity in the tank as long as you use a basic compact florescent bulb on top. The CFL bulb won't overheat the tank and should be plenty of lighting even for plants.

But make sure you do cover the top with plexi or glass to keep that humidity up.

You can usually pick up some cool plants from a florist.
Bromeliads are cool, but if you can't find them then Ficus, Ferns, and Creeping Fig will work great too. If you do live plants' just remember to rinse them off well and remove any dirt by rinsing. Then just plant into the substrate.

[prodogg02]

Thanks for the info.Iam going to go with the 18x18x24 zoo med kit .Should i use the water pump or leave it out .

[DonLisk]

You don't need a water feature and you don't even need a water dish. They absorb the moisture they need from the water on plants and the humidity in the air.

[John]

Outside of a pond, anything that requires a pump is usually more trouble than it's worth, especially if you have to bury the pump or put it in the drainage layer.