Reptile & Amphibian Forums

is it okay to house different species of mantellas together...I know that housing different morphs of darts together is not a good idea, to keep the morphs genetically pure.

thanks

I would recomend keeping different species of mantella frog seperate. Breeding is only achieved occasionally in captivity so producing hybrids or crossing color varients is not the issue. Instead, it has to do with the different care requirements of different species and the health of most mantella frogs. Nearly all of the mantellas available are wild-caught and often show up in rough shape. Most will still be poisonous for at least the first few months and, although not common, by housing different species together you run the risk of the frogs poisoning each other. It also can create additional stress on unhealthy frogs that are fragile to begin with. Not all mantella frogs require the same care either. Highland species and lowland species should not be kept together because of the difference in prefered temperature range. Good luck,
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Devin Edmonds
devin@amphibiancare.com
www.amphibiancare.com