FaunaClassifieds - View Single Post

04-20-2010, 05:13 PM

You really shouldn't be mixing species at all, that was your first mistake. There are countless threads on dendroboard.com of people asking questions about mixing frogs and trying to find ways for it to be done and virtually all end in disaster. If you want a tank with lots of darts, get a species that can live in a colony in a large enough tank, like d. auratus. The only time I mix species is when I have several froglets morphing out, and even then it is only a temporary thing until they are fully formed and feeding, then they go in their own tanks or I will mix sometimes if I have some for sale, again only temporary. Even then I should probably stop because you also risk introducing pathogens from one species to another. I suppose you could mix together closely related species like the various species of auratus but that opens up a whole new ethical can of worms because doing so could and will result in hybrids of several species, which endangers the rest of the captive frogs through genetic pollution. Virtually all dart frog keepers highly frown upon it and I, myself, would not sell or buy from anyone who I knew was doing such things. You mixed bold frogs with shy frogs, hence the problems there with stress.
Your second mistake was not supplementing their diet properly, or at all in your case. dart frogs NEED their supplements, they need a calcium with d3 and a good multivitamin. I supplement small froglets at EVERY feeding while they're growing fast and large froglets or adults every other feeding. They can go downhill quickly if not supplemented, gradually they lose the ability to catch fruitflies efficiently and just waste away. Your supplements need to be fresh as well, after 6 months throw them out, even if 95% of it is unused. I get my tadpoles new food every 6 months as well, if I didn't then gradually I would notice the frogs morphing out smaller and smaller and just not as hardy and robust as frogs raised on new food.

I suggest you try again, I'd hate to see someone get discouraged by a simple rookie mistake. Sounds like keeping enough food for them wasn't an issue for you like it is for many noobs so just don't mix species and use supplements regularly and you'll find they're very easy to keep.

04-20-2010, 05:13 PM	#4
Ramiro	You really shouldn't be mixing species at all, that was your first mistake. There are countless threads on dendroboard.com of people asking questions about mixing frogs and trying to find ways for it to be done and virtually all end in disaster. If you want a tank with lots of darts, get a species that can live in a colony in a large enough tank, like d. auratus. The only time I mix species is when I have several froglets morphing out, and even then it is only a temporary thing until they are fully formed and feeding, then they go in their own tanks or I will mix sometimes if I have some for sale, again only temporary. Even then I should probably stop because you also risk introducing pathogens from one species to another. I suppose you could mix together closely related species like the various species of auratus but that opens up a whole new ethical can of worms because doing so could and will result in hybrids of several species, which endangers the rest of the captive frogs through genetic pollution. Virtually all dart frog keepers highly frown upon it and I, myself, would not sell or buy from anyone who I knew was doing such things. You mixed bold frogs with shy frogs, hence the problems there with stress. Your second mistake was not supplementing their diet properly, or at all in your case. dart frogs NEED their supplements, they need a calcium with d3 and a good multivitamin. I supplement small froglets at EVERY feeding while they're growing fast and large froglets or adults every other feeding. They can go downhill quickly if not supplemented, gradually they lose the ability to catch fruitflies efficiently and just waste away. Your supplements need to be fresh as well, after 6 months throw them out, even if 95% of it is unused. I get my tadpoles new food every 6 months as well, if I didn't then gradually I would notice the frogs morphing out smaller and smaller and just not as hardy and robust as frogs raised on new food. I suggest you try again, I'd hate to see someone get discouraged by a simple rookie mistake. Sounds like keeping enough food for them wasn't an issue for you like it is for many noobs so just don't mix species and use supplements regularly and you'll find they're very easy to keep.