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Which Dart Frog for me...suggestions?
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Which Dart Frog for me...suggestions?
#1
Since I'm new to the forum I'll start by giving a little information on myself and my experience.

My name is John, I'm 22 years old, and from Bakersfield, CA. I'm a full time student, and a history major. I have been involved in aquatic plants for many years and recently have been branching out into plants of all types...which is partly why I want a few Darts.

Alright, enough about me! Onto the important stuff Smile Like I sorta suggested above I'm going to be making a Vivarium. I'm starting a few summer projects with the first being a little 1 foot cube nano aquascape for shrimp. My second project is going to be the Vivarium! I wasn't really thinking much about the Vivarium at the time, but out of the corner of my eye I saw a tank at Petsmart that has like the doors that open and the bottom part for water or whatever, and I need to go back to check the price because I may simply get that and alter it. However, if they rip you off on it, as I am expecting they will, then I will be making an acrylic tank.

The tank will have a false bottom where I will be putting a tiny powerhead filter that will dubble as a waterfall pump. It will run from the top of the tank down into a pond that will have some pellia growing in it that I think the frogs will just adore! Of course the whole tank will have many, many plants, and loads of moss Smile

My question: Which frog is best for beginners? Now, I'm not a beginner when it comes to tank matience or plants, but I am when it comes to Darts. So, please help me out a tad Smile
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#2
i my self am still a newb to darts but i have had three blue and black auratus they have been very easy to take care of i also have three marine tanks a 55, 54 bow front and a 3 gal nano. good luck with frogging and i hope you like then they are very smart interesting little creatures.
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#3
If you're talking about the Viv I'm thinking of at Petsmart it's too small for most darts. Ideally you won't want to go smaller than 20g, but most definitely not smaller than 10g for a pair.

What are you looking for in a dart? Sound, color, size? If we knew that it might be easier to advise you.
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#4
I suggest a 20. gal standard viv. With some terribilis,aurautus, or tricolors.
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#5
Quote:If you're talking about the Viv I'm thinking of at Petsmart it's too small for most darts.

The one they have is as at least as big as a 20g high. The one I was going to build out of acrylic is what I'm leaning tward...unless the one at Petsmart is really cheap. I get a really good deal on acrylic, and I could get it all drilled before it is put together. If I get the one at Petsmart I'll have to risk cracking it by drilling since it is already together. Either way with both I'll need to design an acrylic false bottom.

Quote:What are you looking for in a dart? Sound, color, size? If we knew that it might be easier to advise you.

Sound is the most important to me. This is going to be pretty much right next to my bed. Actually, in a closet fish room (it is really, really dry where I live, and humidity is not a problem at all). So, I need the most quiet kind of dart. I'm not a light sleeper, but I'm not heavy either, and a little chirping won't bug me, but a dog bark chirp will.

Quote:I suggest a 20. gal standard viv. With some terribilis,aurautus, or tricolors.

Those all look beautiful, last night while I was looking at pics I was thinking of how I would love to have some aurautus, but a mix of those three would look great. Do they make a lot of noise?
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#6
as i said i have three auratus and i have never heard a sound out of them but i am a heavy sleeper. but mine are right next to my bed i always fall asleep watching them
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#7
We also have our auratus in our bedroom and never hear a sound from them. The only thing I don't like them is that they are pretty shy compared to my tincs. My powder blues just stand there while I drop the flies on them. If you're going 20h as opposed to 20l you could go with the leucs, they seem to like to use both horizontal as well as vertical space.
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#8
you can try putting your hands in the viv when you feed get close to them after little while they will start to become tame. mine did now they are out all the time i also made sure i have a thick canopy to shade the bottom that also helps bring them out
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#9
Well, I found an old 18g high tank that I haven't used in quite some time. It is still full of old substrate from when I last used it, and I was thinking about giving this tank a try. I don't really like to work with glass too much, but I'm going to try drilling it anyway and if it cracks then it cracks.

Is an 18g High tank large enough for auratus if so about how many should I keep?
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#10
There are pros & cons (relatively speaking) about keeping all species. I would suggest that you research D. auratus, D. leucomelas, D. ventrimaculatus, P. terribilis, and maybe D. tinctorius.

You should find what species works best for you and your vivarium desires. Pay particular attention to size, price, diet, boldness, and ability to breed (if you are interested in that), ability to be house in groups, and enclosure needs.

Some of these larger frogs (P. terribilis, and D. tinctorius) are large, insect devouring frogs which can be rough on plants. The smaller thumbnail suggestion (D. ventrimaculatus) might be too small for a good display animal so spent some time learning about these guys.


Out of the species I mentioned, I would lean towards the leucs because of its striking color, mid-sized, and beautiful call.
Rob

E. anthonyi, D. imitator, C. azureiventris, D. amazonicus, D. lamasi (pan & pan gl), P. aurotaenia, D. variabilis, D. quinquevittatus, D. reticulatus, D. matecho, D. pumilio cauchero & escudos
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#11
I have been doing research non-stop since I joined this site Smile I'm leaning toward auratus. They are both beautiful and quiet according to everything I've read, and other members. Being quiet is quite important to me Smile

I am going to be converting that 18g high into a Vivarium this week...ordering all the stuff at least. Ordered the supplies for the 60g I'm going to build, and am going to make quite a few smaller foot cube tanks to be used as QT and juvenile tanks.
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#12
Quote:I'm leaning toward auratus. They are both beautiful and quiet

That is great, as you see from my signature I really enjoy arautus as well. Please tell me that you are not getting them soley based on what you heard about their calls. My auratus were the loudest of all my frogs, calling all day at times. I would strongly suggest getting only females if "quiet" is your thing....but you are missing out on their lovely call!!

They are not tree frogs and they do not call at night. They will generally call right after the lights go out for a little bit then you will not hear them until morning (once they reach maturity).
Rob

E. anthonyi, D. imitator, C. azureiventris, D. amazonicus, D. lamasi (pan & pan gl), P. aurotaenia, D. variabilis, D. quinquevittatus, D. reticulatus, D. matecho, D. pumilio cauchero & escudos
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#13
i have both tincs and auratus...the shyness of the auratus is not overstated. translation, they hide a lot, so you don't see them much...they seem to see you as a threat. they get braver as they settle in, but the tincs seem to always be right there in the open begging for more flies. i'm not recommending one over the other, but you must be much more patient to enjoy the auratus...the tank seems empty fairly often.
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#14
Quote:Please tell me that you are not getting them soley based on what you heard about their calls.

Oh no, of course not! I was actually looking at pics before I started doing any research, and just based on looks I had picked out the "Spotted" auratus. Them being quite was just another perk.

Quote:They are not tree frogs and they do not call at night. They will generally call right after the lights go out for a little bit then you will not hear them until morning (once they reach maturity).

Thanks for the info! That is wonderful news. I am still prob going to be getting the "spotted" for the 60g once it is built, but for the other tanks I'm setting up in the very near future I'll try my hand at some other ones I really like Smile


Quote: but you must be much more patient to enjoy the auratus...the tank seems empty fairly often.

I'm a really big plant person so it would never seem empty to me Smile I don't mind searching. It will just give me another reason to check on growth, discoloration, and anything else that could go wrong.
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#15
here's a morph guide to help you decide:

http://www.tropical-experience.nl/aurat ... &submenu=2

You mentioned you like the spotted auratus, these are very cool!!
Rob

E. anthonyi, D. imitator, C. azureiventris, D. amazonicus, D. lamasi (pan & pan gl), P. aurotaenia, D. variabilis, D. quinquevittatus, D. reticulatus, D. matecho, D. pumilio cauchero & escudos
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#16
Thanks a lot for that link Smile I saw something kinda like that, but it didn't give any information only pics. I'm going to assume that if you mix the morphs in the same Viv they will breed without any problems since they are all auratus...correct?

On a side note: I start construction tomorrow Smile Also, the acrylic for the 60g will be here next week yay!
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#17
You most definitely do not want to mix auratus morphs in the same viv. You would end up with hybrids.
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#18
Yea, that’s what I thought. Too bad a mix sure would look nice! Oh well, hehe gives me excuses to set up more than one Tongue I am making my trip to home depot for supplies today Smile picking up some crate, foam, and silicone. Now if I could only find my drill bits!
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#19
It's addicting, that's for sure.......... I started out thinking I would have 1 type of frog, and some how I've ended up with reginas, leucs, powder blues and auratus. When you include our reef tank, baby clownfish raising tanks and lizard tanks we've got tanks all over the house and I keep looking for more places to put them. Won't be long and I'll be be putting them in our sons' rooms.
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#20
I agree! I started out with a 10g aquarium, and knowing nothing about plants. Now I have around 10 tanks, and I'm a mod of the plant section on a forum. I use to have way more, but I'm moving out in around a year, and they didn't want me to get any more big tanks so I've taken down quite a few Sad

When I first started looking at the frogs I was thinking hmmm I am good at plants, and the frogs will be a great addition. Now, I have a ton of tanks planned. I bought the larger can of acrylic cement instead of the smaller one! If anyone has ever built with acrylic before you know those cans go a long way...so you know I have many projects planned Smile My parents are gona kill me lol...hey, they said no more large aquariums, and nothing about Vivariums Tongue
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