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It seems like my Darts have a bottomless stomachs.

I have 8 darts that seem to eat everything I throw at them. I setup 6 fruit fly cultures two weeks in advance, and initially I thought it was too much, now I am not so sure.

In all it seems I go through about 200 flies a day. I put them in the different vivs and go off to work. When I return, all of the frogs are out and hopping about (a good sign), but finding flies is like finding a needle in a haystack. The flies can't get out so I know they're being eaten. I've also found that misting the vivs when I get home really stirs up any flies who were hiding out.

I am currently feeding D. Melanogaster, but have a culture of D. hydei on the way and I'm going to split it 5 ways.

Currently each culture loses about 75% of the adults to feed the frogs, but then has about a week to catch back up.

Any ideas? How many flies to you all offer and how often?

Thanks!
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-Iman

1.1 BRBs (Ying and Yang)
1.1 JCPs (Striker and Sheila)
0.0.2 BPs (Spot and Speck)
0.0.4 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Suriname Cobalts'
0.0.4 Dendrobates Auratus 'Costa Rican Green and Black'
5.5 Fish (Insert your favorite names here)
1.0 Miniature Daschund (Rue)

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The tinctorius group is particularly piggy about eating everything in sight, and you need to watch them for obesity when they become adults. They will most often eat more than they need if given a chance. As far as I know or have read, there are no particular "gut" problems with over-eating, but keeping them just a bit on the lean and active side is considered better for them. If yours are still growing juveniles, just adjust the feedings so that if there are still fruit flies in the tank the next day, let them clean them up before you feed again, then cut back on the amount for daily feedings after that. With adults that appear to be getting rather portly, I will skip a day entirely, sometimes just feed every other day. It's really difficult to actually count flies, so I've never tried to do this. While there's lots of stuff for them to feed on in the wild, they do have to chase and get some exercise doing it, as the prey is usually a lot more difficult to catch than wingless fruit flies newly dumped into a tank. You'll get the hang of it eventually, and in the meantime, yours are not going to starve to death if they have to skip a day.

The hydei might help a bit, not because the flies are more meaty, but because they have larger wings--sort of like adding more "fiber" and filling material to the diet of the so called "eating machine" frogs.
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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

Thanks for the feedback.

Most of my darts were born between Nov and Jan and for the exception of one, seem to be full size.

I'll keep an eye on their intake and just monitor accordingly. I'm hardly worried about starving them - it's quite the opposite.

I'm going to set up 4 Hydei Cultures to alternate with my 6 Melanogaster cultures and that should allow sufficient time to keep each culture at full strength between feedings.

These little frogs are quite unique - I wish I could hold them like my snakes. But I am setting strict rules with myself, NO TOUCHING!
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-Iman

1.1 BRBs (Ying and Yang)
1.1 JCPs (Striker and Sheila)
0.0.2 BPs (Spot and Speck)
0.0.4 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Suriname Cobalts'
0.0.4 Dendrobates Auratus 'Costa Rican Green and Black'
5.5 Fish (Insert your favorite names here)
1.0 Miniature Daschund (Rue)

Loving to Learn
Learning to Help
Helping to Love

Stimulate debates, stifle arguments.
Please be nice always.

you probably already know this, but..... Hydei cultures take longer to grow than melagonaster. I think that it was about two weeks longer at my house. So plan accordingly. And remember to protect the cultures from extremes in heat or cold, as that can make sterile flies.
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phflame
kingsnake.com host

Thanks,

I have 7 melanogaster cultures going right now that are cycled and producing strongly. They will continue to supplement my froggies until the Hydei are ready.

I have 2 Hydei cultres that arrived today where I will split most of the adults into 4 new cultures, but do to all of maggots and eggs in these 2 cultures, I think they'll be ready to use again soon!

Thanks again!
-----
-Iman

1.1 BRBs (Ying and Yang)
1.1 JCPs (Striker and Sheila)
0.0.2 BPs (Spot and Speck)
0.0.4 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Suriname Cobalts'
0.0.4 Dendrobates Auratus 'Costa Rican Green and Black'
5.5 Fish (Insert your favorite names here)
1.0 Miniature Daschund (Rue)

Loving to Learn
Learning to Help
Helping to Love

Stimulate debates, stifle arguments.
Please be nice always.