Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello all. i am recently new to the living terrarium and dart frog world though i have been keeping reptiles for quite a few years. i have a 75 gallon vivarium with leca drainage layer, live plants, a waterfall and pond area...its beautiful! i have yet to buy the frogs which i plan to do this week from joshes frogs. i plan to get 2 D. leucomelas for now and maybe a couple more later. the question i have is this morning i noticed some fuzzy white mold growing on a spot on my corkbark background. is it TOO humid in there? is this normal? should i wipe it off when i see it? opinions appreciated. thanks!

The mold you see is just part of the cycling new tanks go through. It is rare that new tanks do not mold over at least a little bit.

Usually it lasts anywhere from 1-3 weeks on average. If you have not already done so I would add springtails, they will have a chance to establish themselves before the leuces gobble them all up, and they will absolutly relish the mold.

Joshsfrogs has great frogs; you should be very pleased
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A room of herps.
www.freewebs.com/kapoktree

thanks...yes i did add springtails. the mold seems to be diminishing a bit. i received the frogs but put them in a smaller 30gal until they are a bit larger so they could find food better. (theyre tiny!)

Yes, a 75 would be a bit intimidating for the little guys, but so would a 30 gallon .

You could easily keep the froglets in a 10 gallon until they get bigger. When I first purchase frogs I put them in a 10 gallon with wet sphagnum, a brom or two, and some pothos and creeping fig cuttings. It gives you a chance to monitor the frogs health before you put them in their permanent vivarium. I do this with all the frogs I purchase, including seemingly healthy cb frogs. Its a good habit to get into, and really makes things a lot easier (and cheaper) later down the road.
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A room of herps.
www.freewebs.com/kapoktree