The numbers
Enclosure
45 × 45 × 45 cm
Temperature
22–26 °C; NO hot spot; never >28 °C; slight day/night gradient beneficial
Humidity
80–100%; misting 1–2×/day with RO or rainwater; shallow soaking dish
UVB
Photoperiod 12 h; very low UVB (2%) optional but beneficial for D3 metabolism; full-spectrum plant lamp for vegetation
Identity
Adult size
3–4 cm SVL; juvenile ~0.8 cm
Lifespan
10–15 years in captivity
Legal status
CITES II (CB + export permit required)
Price (THB)
2 500–6 000
Difficulty
Intermediate
Cohabitation
Pair or group 2♂ / 1♀; avoid several ♀ together (stress, egg consumption)
Enclosure and conditions
Terrarium / aquarium
Planted bioactive vivarium 45×45×45 cm minimum for a pair; vertically oriented; LECA drainage + ABG substrate + leaf litter
Temperature
22–26 °C; NO hot spot; never >28 °C; slight day/night gradient beneficial
Humidity / water
80–100%; misting 1–2×/day with RO or rainwater; shallow soaking dish
Lighting / UVB
Photoperiod 12 h; very low UVB (2%) optional but beneficial for D3 metabolism; full-spectrum plant lamp for vegetation
Substrate / setup
Draining bioactive: LECA, separation mesh, peat/topsoil/sand/activated charcoal mix + live mosses (Ficus pumila, Pothos, Bromeliads); dried oak leaves on the floor
Feeding
Fruit flies (D. melanogaster for juveniles, D. hydei for adults), springtails, dwarf isopods; calcium (without D3) dusting 3–4×/week, vitamins (with D3) 1×/week
Reproduction
Sexing
♂ slightly smaller and slimmer; ♀ more robust and rotund; ♂ calls and courts by tapping toes
Maturity
12–18 months depending on rearing conditions
Triggering
Longer misting sessions simulating seasonal rains; presence of bromeliads or small hidden water containers; stable temperature
Spawning
2–6 eggs on a flat leaf or film canister; ♂ moistens and guards eggs; hatching 10–14 days
Tadpoles / metamorphosis
♂ transports tadpoles on his back to a water source (phytotelm or water dish); tadpoles reared individually in small containers; feeding: spirulina, algae; metamorphosis 60–80 days
Juvenile rearing
Out of water at 0.8–1 cm; humid juvenile boxes with D. melanogaster fruit flies + springtails; do not mix different locales
Common health problems
Chytridiomycosis (Bd)
Signsskin ulcerations, lethargy, abnormal posture (on back) — itraconazole 0.01% bath × 11 days; strict quarantine
Hiding disease syndrome
Signsanimal permanently hidden, weight loss — often stress or parasitism; check temp, humidity, competition
Reversed cutaneous toxicity in captivity
SignsCB specimens are non-toxic (no alkaloids without source prey) — danger with WC only; do not handle without hand-washing
Quarantine
Signs30–45 days in a separate quarantine vivarium; RO water misting; Bd PCR check if unknown origin; observe appetite (fruit fly consumption) and surface behaviour (sign of health)
Good to know
- Non-toxic in captivity (rearing diet without alkaloid-carrying arthropods) — handle with clean, unsoaped hands, but zero poisoning risk for CB
- Tadpole transport on ♂ back is characteristic of leucomelas and many Dendrobates — presence of bromeliads or film canisters facilitates this behaviour in captivity
- Never mix morphs from different locales (genetic integrity; standard practice in dendrobatid herpetology)
Others in this group
White's Tree FrogRanoidea caeruleaAxolotlAmbystoma mexicanumMimic Poison FrogRanitomeya imitatorDyeing Poison Dart FrogDendrobates tinctoriusGolden Poison Dart FrogPhyllobates terribilisGreen-and-black Poison Dart FrogDendrobates auratusStrawberry Poison Dart FrogOophaga pumilioAfrican Clawed FrogXenopus laevis