Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have two questions for anyone who might have an answer:

1.) Currently I have a 29H w/ 3 Leucs who will be breeding in the next few months. I just bought 3 other 10 gallon tanks and have started to build 3 new homes for other darts I plan to breed. I'm definitely going to get Auratus and Azueres and hopefully some terribilis but if i can't find them then some tincs. I'm going to start with 3 of each frog for better chances of getting a pair but feel that a 10 gellon would be too small for all 3. So after I can identify the pair I will either sell them or build a new home for the guys leftover. What I want to know is will a 10 gallon be enough space for the bigger frogs like azueres and tincs to breed in? Would it be a smart idea to rotate these guys around if they don't produce in the 10 gallons to the 29 and see how they fair in there or would that cause too much stress in the end?

2.) Is there any way to speed up production of ff's? I've had these 3 cultures going for 2 weeks and am still not seeing any new flies. Tons of larvae just not any flies. I moved it to a warmer place but don't know if that will do any good. Thanks ins advance for any help pn either subject.

Hey sifugu,
I would say that you could get away with breeding any of the mentioned frogs in 10s but it would be better to go for a 15gal. 29 would be overkill for a pair or trio but would also work well if space is not a problem.
As far as FFs go...sometime they seem to have a mind of their own to me, good luck with them.

Rich

Patrick Nabors told me one time that he uses 10 gallon tanks to breed single pairs commercially. So this should work.

If your temperature is around 72 degrees, that is about optimum for fruit fly production. The life cycle can't really be made to go much faster. You'll probably want to start setting up new cultures every few days, depending upon how many frog you will be feeding. For about 40 frogs, I set up a new culture every other day, alternating between Drosophila melangogater and D. hydei. The D. hydei are slower to produce, but last longer.
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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

I was recently contacted by a frogger who wanted to buy a few Dart pairs which would be housed in three gal hexes. It was my opinion that three gal tanks could support the frogs( we house all of our quarantines in tubs less than two gal for decent periods of time ) , but that if it was long term healthy, happy, breeding, this would not work . I agree that tincs and many other species will in fact do very well in these 10 gals. I have however in the past year never ordered a ten gallon tank and have spent many thousands on tanks. We have many cool breeders. I just like to err on the side of going large and comfy when given the choice.
Thanks,
Rich

I agree. 10 gallons may work for commercial breeding pairs, (obviously, because a reliable commercial breeder does it with good success,) and 2 to 3 gallons is O.K. for the "nursery" period, or for temporary quarantine of a single sick frog. But for enjoyment of a group, or even a pair, the bigger the better. My smallest "permanent" tank is 30 gallons-- the largest 180--(maybe a bit overboard, but fun.) I have found that the more space the frogs have, the more they will tend to be comfortable out in the open where you can see them. That's a generalization, because some frogs are simply more shy than others, but I have found that with the most shy (blue auratus) that I've ever had, they became rather bold when I upgraded their space. The territorial species can also get away from each other and are less likely to fight, even if they hunt food together in the same open spaces. They need to retire to individual territories.

I even try to make the nursery tanks more interesting than the sparse papertowel and shoe box thing. The point here, is to be able to monitor new froglets until they are obviously growing and eating well. It can't be so complicated that they can totally hide from you, but you can still provide leaf cover from plant cuttings, maybe a couple of small deli-cups on their sides with a leaf cutting in each. What you are doing with a new nursery tank of newly obtained froglets, is monitoring their food consumption and health. It's also an oppotunity to get to know one from another, often from subtle markings and shapes. Their individual personalities show up nursery tank, as well. Believe me, they all have individual personalities.

The photo is of some of my D. galatonotus sharing a territory in a 135 gallon palludarium. They are groupies.

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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

For the fruit flies, make sure that they have a strong light source. Put them on a sunny windowsill ( make sure still over 74 degrees in temp) and they will crank out the babies. Also put something in their culture for them to climb on if you havent already, that seems to create more space which means more flies.

They may probably do somewhat better in strong light, but I culture mine in a dark cupboard, where they also prosper. This doesn't seem logical I agree, but it still works. It may depend upon what sort of media you are using, and whether there is a possible mold problem with cultures in the dark with certain media. I don't know for sure, because I haven't experimented much. I simply use Saurian's media, which seems to be mostly potato flakes, add water, some baker's yeast on top, and stuff in a bit of excelsior for extra space for pupating, put them in the cupboard and feed from each culture as it becomes mature enough not to have a lot of larvae still crawing around. I don't ever have molds, and just discard the cultures if they become stinky, or when they eventually fail after a month to six weeks or more, depending upon whether the culture is D. malanogaster or D. hydei. They all do better at temperatures between 72 and 76 degrees. In my own experience, light isn't necessary. It may however, enhance some of the nurients the flies take up and pass on to the forgs.
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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