Reptile & Amphibian Forums

New to darts but not to amphibs. Trying to decide on what types of Darts to have. Beginning to think that I should have more than one type-as every hobbiest will eventually want different kinds, more, ect. I was researching having a nice big viv made, but now I think I should have a large divided viv made to house several kinds in their own little groups or have several smaller(20-30 gal tanks for 2-3 differnt kinds instead of one expensive big tank for only one kind since I already feel the urge to collect a multitude of these fabulous creatures(and I don't even have one yet). Interested in Tincs, Lamasai, Pumilio, Tricolors(actually more and Tree frogs too)but my husband might kill me. Any stories of how your hobby life has gone, transitioned, and needs of husbandry has changed? I wish to anticipate what turns I might take to avoid an expensive mistake. Thanks

I started out with an extra 125 gal tank i had and it is awesome, But like you said you can not keep a mixture of darts so you are limited and the space is wasted. Not only is the space wasted, but you have to feed so much more to them because the flies scatter and half of them do not get eaten. I GUARANTEE if you get any frogs you will be strickened with a virus that is 1000x stronger than any addiction you will ever know (just for the record this is a good addiction LOL). A word of advice is read as much as you can before you get them. And start your cultures about 3 weeks before you get the frogs. That way you will have plenty flies to feed the new guys. Hope this helps some. Enjoy your new hobby.

TonyT
P.S. I attatched a pic of my 125gal

Oh boy, Tony, what beautiful tank you have! The appeal of such a sizable tank is the kind of terrain one could set up and that was my initial thought on getting such a sizable tank. I already have the addiction with no frogs and have spent 7 weeks reading just about every night on the matter. But the more I see, the more I read, the more I need a decision laxative!

Hi,

Glad to hear that you are considering keeping dart frogs. It is an addicting hobby. I started keeping these frogs after seeing some darts in real life at the Shedd Aquarium's Frogz exhibit a few years back. I found a local breeder and before I knew what happened I had about 15 terrariums lining my bedroom.

Often excitement takes over and you find yourself with more frogs than you can handle. To the begginer I say slow down, take your time and try to do everything right from the start. Don't take the short cuts until you have gone the long way. I would start with a 20 or 30 gallon tank with a few tinctorius, azureus or leucomelas. As you start to get the hang of things you could move onto some more sensative species like the thumbnails. I hope everything works out well, if you have anymore specific questions feel free to ask them,

Devin
www.amphibiancare.com

Hi,
I was caught by the "frog bug" when I saw a book about them.I'm a newer frog guy and got my 1st in June of last year.Now I have 4 CR auratus 4 kahlua and cream auratus and 1 pair of imitators.I'd definatly start slow because my auratus are laying eggs and I have 8 tads from them and a new clutch and 8 tads ready to hatch out of the egg sack.I also have 7 imitator tads so it can get busy sometime feeding and cleaning but it's well worth it.Good luck on your choice,it'll be hard until you open the box and see them for the first time!!!!!!.........MarkW.

So I have read everything for 7 weeks, researched and researched into the night, and I still don't have a decision. You said you are new to the hobby and it encourages me because your choices for frogs are the ones I am very interested in having and breeding-tincs and Imitators. You are having success with getting them bred. I really want to have the imitator, but many said-too hard to begin with. So I was going to do the tincs, then I got scared of killing one, so I started looking at the tricolors. But you have done well as a first timer of these-do you think I could? I'm not new to froggys but am to darts. How do tincs and imitators differ in care? Are you selling your frogs? thanks!

Of the frogs you listed.... I'd stay away from the lamasi and imitators as first frogs (they are members of the thumbnail group and I don't recomend any for first frogs). Imitators are great for first thumbnails, but they are so tiny, even as adults, it might be better to go through your trials and tribulations with a larger (and cheaper) species. I wouldn't even consider pumilio right now, not until you got a number of years with tinc group and thumbnail groups so you know what you are doing frog wise and can make sure you can raise the small froglets if you are lucky enough to breed them.

Tricolor are probibly the hardiest darts I've come across... easy to breed, feed, raise, etc. Also very bold (and loud compared to most of the tinc frogs). I've always recomended these as "the" beginner frog, but after falling out of the hobby a couple years ago, most people started out with tincs, auratus, and leucs (thus their high recomendation rates). They are easy (will even eat hydei, in fact seemed to prefer them even with their small size) and will get you used to smaller frogs, especially if you are thinking about thumbnails someday. If these guys can live and reproduce in grassland areas using puddles, they should have no problems dealing with a new frog tank as you get used to keeping temps and himidity up, etc. I can't recomend these frogs enough to beginners, but I guess I'm one of the few thats been doing darts long enough to remember how common they were in the past. Dart frog availibility and price effect their beginner recomendedness a lot of times, and with tricolors not nearly as common as tincs, etc, they tend not to be recomended enough, but they are around and for about the same prices as tincs and leucs.

Tincs would be my second choice due to their larger size and boldness. Leucs would also be good, but I have to say I always did enjoy the tinc personality more... like when they begged for food, lol. Both species are readily available, and with tincs I'd recomend a cobalt (any of the various cobalts would do).

15 terrariums! You had the constipation too! It sounds like I will be foregoing the one big terraium for several smaller ones! I gotta have the Tinc's, the Imitator, the Lamasai, the tricolor, and some treefrogs too. Thanks for your input!!

Hi,All my tads are spoken for as of now.Keeping imitators isn't very hard they just need food on a daily basis and high humidity.They can be shy and will fit into tiny cracks when spooked.Mine have laid all their eggs behind my tree fern panel background so I have been relying on my male to transport them to broms or film canisters so I can raise them myself.In my opinion they are the coolest little frogs around.I'm setting up a 20 h vert.tank for them real soon so hope they start laying again.Ok that's enough for now..........Mark W.

So do you have a pair of imitators mating in a 20 Gal. High? I'm all dreamy thinking about possibly being able to have them! Are they VERY SHY? Will I get to see them much? Even without even one frog, I think I'm already an addict! One more thing-imitator lovers-why do you like them best out of the darts? I better make a decision soon-before I implode from this great big unfulfilled frog hole!

I have a custom build "frog rack" for my frogs... which includes 16 drilled 10 gallon tanks (drainage) as well as 2-20 gallons (one high and one tall) and a bunch of 5 gallons for baby frogs/plants and of course critter keepers everywhere for tads and morphing froglets, compact flourescent lighting (timed), misting system (timed), drainage system (to keep water off the carpet!!). That right there was about a grand to do. Currently in the works are custom front opening acrylic tanks, which will cost me another arm and leg. I have a whole other shelf where I raise plants and insects (FFs, flour beetles, crickets, springtails). Then again, I'm not your average hobbiest, I've been told I fall more under the "professional breeder", whatever that means, lol, most of the money came from breeding my herps, as well as web design and setting up/maintaining freshwater fish and dart frog tanks for people. Note: this doesn't include the leopard geckos I also breed, and my pet bearded dragon, hognose snake, and betta Thats just a lot of animals....

And to *really* top it off... I'm friends with a guy who has over 100 tanks... when he moved his tanks filled a ryder truck just themselves! I'm not talking 10 gallons either... most are in the range of 15 to 30 gallons! Of course when he moved he got his own little frog room, temp and water controlled and everything. Anyone jealous? lol...