Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I currently have a Surinam tinc (I do not know the sex) that I have had since May. He/She is my first dart and I have enjoyed having him greatly. My husband and daughter went to an animal expo in our area WA/OR and bought me another dart this last weekend. This little guy (or girl) is a D.leucomela and is quite a fat cute little thing! My question is if I will be able to house them together. Since this was not a researched or planned buy more like a thoughtful gesture (I wish he would have put more research into it and found out if they could be housed together BEFORE he bought it for me!) I am at a loss for now. I am keeping them together at the moment and so far have had no problems. I do find them sitting together at times and they are very close in size so I feel pretty comfortable, but I would just like to make sure that this is ok. If anyone knows or has personally kep the two species together and has some advice I would really appreciate it. They are in a 20gallon and have plenty of room to get away from one another if needed.

Thanks.

D. leucomelas are groupies, meaning they get along in groups together fairly well. I don't have any personal exerience with the tincts, but they are best kept in mated pairs, as the females will fight with each other. You may be O.K. with just one of each specie, but I'd keep a close eye on them and separate them if you notice any problems, like wrestling or fighting. Most of us who raise several species of darts don't mix them together for many reasons, but that doesn't mean it can't be done in a situation like yours. The two species do require about the same conditions, and two frogs in a 20 gallon is adequate space. Both species are "eating machines," so if you feed them adequately, neither should be intimidated to go with out. (Combining either with a more shy dart specie would be a different matter.)
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
5 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
5 D. imitator
6 D. leucomelas
4 D. pumilio Bastimentos
4 D. fantasticus
4 P. terribilis
4 D. reticulatus
4 D. castaneoticus

Ok, thanks. I have been watching both of them very closely and they both seem to be doing fine. I did notice that they do not like to hunt close together though so I am having to put some fly's on one side of the tank and some on the other so they each have their own space. I do find them resting close together quite often and have not seen any fighting or wresteling as of yet. Since neither of them are sexed I am a little concerned with cross-breeding. Is that even a possibility??

I have read and seen pictures of D. leucomelas X D. auratus hybrids, so I should think a cross would also be possible between leucs and tincts. I don't think the probability is very high, however.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
5 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
5 D. imitator
6 D. leucomelas
4 D. pumilio Bastimentos
4 D. fantasticus
4 P. terribilis
4 D. reticulatus
4 D. castaneoticus

Leuc x tincts are a possibility. If you are worried about it pull and dispose of the eggs and it becomes a nonissue.

Ed

LOL, good point. I hope it will not have to come to that or that I will have to someday seperate them, but if the time comes it comes.

Thanks.