I managed to button my lip so someone else could express a view. Johnnymo has expressed what is the consensus among those of us concerned with over-all conservation. While there are no laws against it and what you do is your own choice, we try to influence those choices.



Since so few people mix even color morphs, there isn't a lot of data on how they fare together, so how they would potentially get along is mostly guess work from experience with individual morphs. By reputation the green and black auratus are relatively bold, while in my own experience, the blue and black are almost pathologically shy and hide most of the time, even without bolder frogs to intimidate them. The Kahlua and cream are said to be shy, while Ancon Hill are relatively bold, etc. So even the different color populations of the same species MAY not fare well together.



A very large part of the charm of dart frogs, especially those that get along well in groups, is watching their interactions and the courtship/breeding activities. To me, this has become even more interesting than their jewel-like colors.



Here are 3 female D. auratus blue morphs in a slapping contest, some D. galactonotus "fishing" and two imitator females in an argument over who gets to feed the tadpole. (I'm never sure if the order of the photos will come up right.)









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Patty

Pahsimeroi, Idaho



D. auratus blue, auratus Ancon Hill, galactonotus orange, galactonotus yellow, fantasticus, reticulatus, imitator, castaneoticus, azureus, pumilio Bastimentos. P. lugubris, vittatus, terribilis mint green, terribilis orange.

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