Mantella interest these days ??

[Philsuma]

Is it WAY down ? I think so.

How are the imports lately ? Lessening greatly due to CITES limits ?

[KGB]

Bump, I am curious as well.

[jeffr]

I see the price of W/C Aurantiaca have doubled in the last year. According to Devin Edmonds in his recent post on DB there aren't many left

[Judy S]

I'm really interested in the so-called "painted" Mantellas...and would love to have a group...but it sort of scares me with the problem of temperature...don't know whether I could dependably keep the temps low enough for them, but high enough for the rest of my frogs...... They are a beautiful frog, and from what I understand, need to be cultivated--bred--and kept in the "trade" to preserve the species...

[BluePumilio]

They thrive under temps similar to O. pumilio in my experience. I never had issues temp wise with any of the mantella species.

I'm really interested in the so-called "painted" Mantellas...and would love to have a group...but it sort of scares me with the problem of temperature...don't know whether I could dependably keep the temps low enough for them, but high enough for the rest of my frogs...... They are a beautiful frog, and from what I understand, need to be cultivated--bred--and kept in the "trade" to preserve the species...

[goods]

Justin, what's your max temp for these guys? Temperature is what always held me back too, especially from the highland species, so I'm interested in what you've experienced. I've always viewed pumilio as more of the more heat tolerant species since they come from close to sea level, so your findings on Mantellas are interesting.

[BluePumilio]

I've kept and bred them at temps between 70-75, spikes up to 80, drops down to 55 ish.

Justin, what's your max temp for these guys? Temperature is what always held me back too, especially from the highland species, so I'm interested in what you've experienced. I've always viewed pumilio as more of the more heat tolerant species since they come from close to sea level, so your findings on Mantellas are interesting.

[DrNick]

I keep Mantella leavigata - one of my favourites in fact.

I keep them at the same temps as my darts, between ~22-26ºC (sorry, too young for the olde fashioned units ;-)). Many people assume that all Mantella spp. prefer cooler temps but this is far from the case - M. aurantiaca is one of the few that do. Here's few pics of mine:




Best,

Nick

[Judy S]

Have you bred these beautiful frogs?? I may have to try some...thanks for the imput..

[DrNick]

No, but by all accounts they are not difficult. Mine are still only less than a year old - I picked them up as juveniles from Marc Staniszewski.

M. leavigata are a little bit unusual in that they lay small clutches of eggs and will (apparently...) feed tadpoles Ranitomeya-style if the conditions suit - as opposed to the rather shotgun-like approach taken by other Mantella. They are, incidentally, by far the fastest growing dart I have kept so far! They are also stunning....

Nick

[RichFrye]

... by far the fastest growing dart I have kept so far! They are also stunning....

Nick

Beauties. But not darts.

[DrNick]

Should have gone with the brain and written "dart-like frog", but the gut said that would make me sound like a bit of an arse ;-)

I'll bare my audience in mind next time Rich!

Cheers,

Nick

[RichFrye]

Should have gone with the brain and written "dart-like frog", but the gut said that would make me sound like a bit of an arse ;-)

I'll bare you in mind next time Rich!

Cheers,

Nick

Yeah, my gut does not care if it makes me seem an ass, or arse . Especially if the frog is from a whole different continent than darts.
Pretty frogs , none the less.

[moothefrog]

Hey guys! I think there is a little cult like population of froggers that breed mantellas. I only have goldens, but have successfully bred them and have about 30 F1 froglets and a lot of tadpoles in the water.

[Philsuma]

mantellas are even more of a niche than Dart Frogs ! Way fewer people involved. Could it be that they have to eat crickets ?

They are colourful and loud, but not nearly as much so as darts, and no parental care right ?

[pa.walt]

the orange mantellas where really the frog that got me into this hobby. of course me being ignorant they died from heat. never wanted the WC because of how many are left in the wild.
i finally have some CB orange. some are shy and others are not. i always have one looking at me as i watch tv. maybe some day will get others types.

[pa.walt]

mantellas are even more of a niche than Dart Frogs ! Way fewer people involved. Could it be that they have to eat crickets ?

i feed mine pinhead crickets maybe 5 days.don't feel safe with 7 days.

[moothefrog]

I have never fed mine pinhead crickets. Only fruit flies. They can eat insects up to 1/4 inch. I would say golden mantellas are just as colorful as many darts....

[pa.walt]

j.p. Smithson is where i got my orange mantella from. good person to deal with. i got mine and they already had their orange color.

[DrNick]

M. leavigata do apparently lay feeder eggs if left to raise their own - so Marc tells me anyway. I've never witnessed it personally. I've also never fed crickets......... I can vouch for climbing and golden Mantella doing just fine on the usual fayre. I think there are some fussy ones, but they are not at all common in the hobby - over here at least.

I've never understood relative rarity of Mantellas either. They are equally pretty/interesting to watch as small dendrobatids and you have to feel sorry for anything trying to scratch out a living in Madagascar....... They are also almost universally good to keep in large groups.

Unfortunately I think it's the usual answer. Before their export was curtailed they were ten a penny, so undesirable and that image has stuck. Some poeple say it's because there are enough South American species to keep them going which strikes me as a rather strange justification! Kind of like saying you'll never own a German car because you're working your way through the Italian ones. (Okay, terrible analogy!) For me they're no more or less interesting, but definitely different!

Nick