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Serving the Dart Frog Community Since 2004...

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Colleen's Azureus viv
#1
ok, well i did my first build, i'll save you from looking at the first few pics of GS. i had a great idea to make a GS cave around a plastic drinking cup. so i did that, and it worked, but i was not thinking about possible eggs being layed in there and how to clean it out if that happens, so i will cross that bridge when i come to it. i have a few items on the way, including my tank cover, a coconut hut, a big chunk of wood. i have my sphagnum moss and leaf litter ready just waiting on everything else. i got myself some Jungle Dawn LED bulbs for the plants. this is it so far..

[Image: 2ndfinishbuild_zpsa442cfe7.jpg]

[Image: buildwithplants_zps950216dc.jpg]
1.0.0 husband
1.1.0 horses
2.3.0 dogs
0.0.2 Gray tree frogs
0.3.0 Azureus
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#2
Looks good! Thanks for sharing!

I think you mentioned not wanting to be overridden with eggs/tads, so your built in cave should work. I would offer a small water source for tadpole deposition and you can watch them self manage their clutches. You can see what tads morph out and gather up the froglets for sale / trade locally. I let my azureus pair manage their clutches on their own and I have about 1 to 2 froglets morph out a month.

Do you have a way to drain the drainage layer? I can't tell from the photo. You may want to consider a branch or two mounted diagonally to give them more climbing space. They will make use of that upper part of the viv that way giving them more places to explore.

Nice work! Good luck with your QT and bug hunt Smile
Jim from Austin | https://www.oneillscrossing.com/dart-frogs/
fantastica nominant | summersi | reticulata | A barbotini
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#3
as i said, there is a chunk of wood on the way- a branch or something. Manzanita? wood. but i ordered it a while ago and i can't remember what it looks like. I do not have a way to drain the bottom. i have heard a turkey baster would work. i have considered some sort of pump and a thin tubing placed in a corner, but not sure yet if i want to do that.

in the GS i did carve a few flat places for them to sit if they do climb upward.

If the parents take the tadpoles and place them into a water source, do you still have to be the one to provide food? and how often do you need to change the water in the water source?
1.0.0 husband
1.1.0 horses
2.3.0 dogs
0.0.2 Gray tree frogs
0.3.0 Azureus
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#4
Sorry my mistake - missed the bit about the wood on the way.

I don't use dishes, so maybe someone else can comment on the frequency of their water changes, but I would think regular misting of the tank and perhaps a once or twice a month flush should change it enough. The tads seem to do well rummaging through the "muck" that builds up in the bottom - dead flies, leaves...I do supplement with tad bites here and there, but for the most part they can eat the algae and flies that make their way into the pool. It looks like your substrate is deep enough to bury a shallow dish.

I use a sloped grade into a corner of the viv for access to the water in the drainage layer which serves as a deposition pool. I usually drain some water every 2 to 4 weeks which helps flush the FB water so it stays fairly clean. I probably go a bit overboard - I power wash the frog poop once a week to try and keep things clean, so I end up putting more water in the viv than most people I think. Overall the FB water has been good enough quality to support tads morphing out. I got the idea from Glenn (frog freak). Here are a few examples of what I did (not saying you have to do it this way - a bowl will work too):
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=6303&start=60#p55063
viewtopic.php?f=37&t=7466&start=80#p58868
viewtopic.php?f=37&t=7466&start=60#p58854

The turkey baster will work just fine. The thin tube is a pretty common method, not sure on the pump, but I use these:
http://www.amazon.com/Action-Pump-Polye ... 00MWO9QN4/

You can probably just dig out a corner of substrate and sink a piece of drilled PVC in there with a removable cover for fast access. Not trying to come across as pushy - just throwing out some ideas. There are lots of ways to hand the FB and a tad water source - just showing you some other ideas for your next build Smile Your first build is FAR better than mine :lol:.

How's QT going? You need to post some pics of the frogs too! We can never see enough blue frogs Smile
Jim from Austin | https://www.oneillscrossing.com/dart-frogs/
fantastica nominant | summersi | reticulata | A barbotini
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#5
no, you are not pushy at all. throw ideas at me. this is my first and i'm sure i will make mistakes. i am glad to learn all i can. I'm on my laptop, let me see if i can grab my pics from this computer.

QT is a test in patience. They are both eating ok, except i think the male is afraid of Hydei FF. the female ate hers, but he seems intimidated. he did eat some Xsmall phoenix worms and flour beetle larvae, and the female did not really go for those. i am going to try to get some bean beetles at a show on Sunday. i hear they are a great food source and easy to culture. i feel so bad for the forts, b/c they have no real habitat in the QT tanks, but i have to do it. i have no patience. so this is difficult. but if i am paying for fecals, then i will not put them in early.
1.0.0 husband
1.1.0 horses
2.3.0 dogs
0.0.2 Gray tree frogs
0.3.0 Azureus
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#6
d'Artagnan Dart Frog- the male-

[Image: dArtagnan1stpic_zps5f449707.jpg][Image: dArtaug28_zps2d149796.jpg]

Darla Dart Frog-the female-

[Image: Darlaaug28_zpsd97a7440.jpg]
1.0.0 husband
1.1.0 horses
2.3.0 dogs
0.0.2 Gray tree frogs
0.3.0 Azureus
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#7
They look very nice...look to be in good shape. I'd say you do indeed have a pair and the females looks like she is storing an egg or two.heh
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#8
thank you. i hope their fecals are negative! but i know it is unlikely.
1.0.0 husband
1.1.0 horses
2.3.0 dogs
0.0.2 Gray tree frogs
0.3.0 Azureus
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#9
I agree - they look great! Good luck and keep us posted on how things progress! And I know what you mean about QT - the first time through is tough, but it's worth the effort and time, and as your collection grows it seems to get easier Smile
Jim from Austin | https://www.oneillscrossing.com/dart-frogs/
fantastica nominant | summersi | reticulata | A barbotini
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#10
Above i noted a mis-type. i thought i posted that i feel bad for the frogs, not the forts. I also have a hard time posting the word 'fecals' without it trying to turn into the word DECALS. LOL my male actually cleaned up some of the Hydei ff this morning, so i guess he is over his fear, or at least trying to overcome it.
1.0.0 husband
1.1.0 horses
2.3.0 dogs
0.0.2 Gray tree frogs
0.3.0 Azureus
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#11
i got my top, my coconut hut, my wood( i think i need an additional chunk of wood) and my springtails. so i sort of finished the tank.

[Image: finishedviv1_zps0e8cc990.jpg]
1.0.0 husband
1.1.0 horses
2.3.0 dogs
0.0.2 Gray tree frogs
0.3.0 Azureus
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#12
Colleen,
Are those adult frogs?
Its hard to tell because the pics were real close up.
The hydei FF's might be too large for them if they are small frogs. If so, I suggest trying Melanogaster FF's instead.
If they are feeding on the Hydei ok, then disregard this post altogether.
Dale

0.3 Felise Catus
0.1 Homo Sapien Ballandchainus
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#13
they are adult frogs. about 14 months old. the female is liking them, the male has eaten his but it took him some more time. i have given him Melanogaster the past few days.
1.0.0 husband
1.1.0 horses
2.3.0 dogs
0.0.2 Gray tree frogs
0.3.0 Azureus
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#14
forget how big the phoenix worms get try to get some smaller flies. not sure if you know your types of flies but try not to get Turkish gliders. they breed quickly but they are the closest to true fliers. should call these Turkish fliers not gliders.
tank looks nice.
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#15
i had ordered some xsmall phoenix worms, and the male was interested in them, but the female really did not want them, since they were in a dish and she was not able to stalk them. ( my theory, anyway) i have both sizes of FF, and am culturing them, too. today i will get some bean beetles, so i'll be happy to try try them.

i have been spraying the leaf litter down, but not sure how much water should be in there. do i want it to be saturated on the top of the leaves?
1.0.0 husband
1.1.0 horses
2.3.0 dogs
0.0.2 Gray tree frogs
0.3.0 Azureus
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