Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Short of removing the dart frogs and tearing up the tank, does anyone know how to get rid of roaches (Florida palmetto bugs) without harming the frogs?

Thanks
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Sometimes I think that war is G-d's way of teaching us geography.
-Paul Rodriguez

Here's one way that's been suggested. However you will have to remove the frogs temporarily.

Put an open container of dry ice in the tank and seal the tank tightly. (You could probably use clear shipping tape around all of the cracks and vents.) The dry ice will evaporate into CO2, which will kill the animal life in the tank, but not your plants. I think the recommended time is 24 hours. Then open and ventilate the tank thoroughly before replacing the frogs. This will also kill any other bugs such as springtails and beneficial soil insects. Since the dry ice is extremely cold, you might consider placing it in an insulated container with the lid open, of course.

I have never tried this personally, but others have reported that it works well. The only annoying critters I have ever gotten have been slugs, and I just pick them off when I see them. They do some damage, but not so much that I can't put up with it.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

D. auratus blue
D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
D. imitator
D. leucomelas
D. pumilio Bastimentos
D. fantasticus
P. terribilis mint and organe
D. reticulatus
D. castaneoticus
D. azureus
P vittatus
P. lugubris

I've heard about that idea. The problems are: I am building a breeding tank and I don't have another ready now (my bad for not having a quarintine tank); when I built the tank I made sure that there are a LOT of hiding places for the dart frogs and they are quick. Removing the frogs will be a last resort.

Thanks
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Sometimes I think that war is G-d's way of teaching us geography.
-Paul Rodriguez

I hear you about capturing and removing the frogs. In my own tanks, with some species, I'd have to take the entire tank down to find them all anyway.

Aren't these roaches pretty large? I've actually never seen one, only pictures. You could possibly bait them with a beer trap with a screen on it large enough to admit a roach and too small for a frog. Most roaches are attracted to beer. I tried this with slugs once, and while it was a lot of fun, and I did get rid of some of them that got drunk and drowned in the beer, it wasn't totally effective. The problem is trapping a rather large insect without also accidentally trapping your frogs.

Have you figured out how they got into your tank in the first place? I'll ask around and see if anyone else on some other forums has more ideas.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

D. auratus blue
D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
D. imitator
D. leucomelas
D. pumilio Bastimentos
D. fantasticus
P. terribilis mint and organe
D. reticulatus
D. castaneoticus
D. azureus
P vittatus
P. lugubris

I appreciate the assistance. Florida palmetto bugs are big. The one I saw is about 1 1/2" long, so it's probably just a baby. Three of my frogs are small, two juvenile auratus and a pumilio. Maybe I'll just drink the beer myself.

Someone on another forum suggested a roach motel. They're not poisonous and trap the roaches inside. Still the same problem though: how to keep the frogs out.

Everytime I see the bugs my wife tries to catch them. I have a phobia about them so she is the official roach and spider hunter. It works out, though. She's afraid of snakes, and we have a lot of them here.

I have no idea how they got in. I've never seen a fruit fly get out.

Thanks again
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Sometimes I think that war is G-d's way of teaching us geography.
-Paul Rodriguez

I got rid of the Roaches. The only roach motels I could find were from Raid and contain poison. My keen problem solving mind (that would be my wife) figured that since the frogs are active during the day and roaches at night, put the motels in at night and retreive them befor the light came on. I did it for two nights. I haven't seen a roach since and the frogs are fine.

I might be slow, but I get there eventually!
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Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic.
- Dan Rather

I'm glad it worked. Personally, It'd had to have to get up that early, though.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

D. auratus blue
D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
D. imitator
D. leucomelas
D. pumilio Bastimentos
D. fantasticus
P. terribilis mint and organe
D. reticulatus
D. castaneoticus
D. azureus
P vittatus
P. lugubris

How in the world did roaches get into the tank?

Beats me. I live in Idaho where we don't have them, but you do have a very belated point on this old topic.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

Dendrobates: auratus blue, auratus Ancon Hill, tinctorius azureus, leucomelas. Phyllobates: vittatus, terribilis, lugubris. Epipedobates: anthonyi tricolor pasaje. Ranitomeya fantastica, imitator, reticulata. Adelphobates castaneoticus, galactonotus. Oophagia pumilio Bastimentos. (updated systematic nomenclature)

Sorry for the late response, i am new to the board really and just was going through alot of the old posts as well =)