The numbers
Enclosure
30 × 30 × 45 cm
Temperature
22–26 °C; preference 23–25 °C; never >29 °C
Humidity
80–100%; RO water misting 2×/day; water in bromeliad phytotelms renewed regularly
UVB
Photoperiod 12 h; UVB 2% optional; plant lighting essential to maintain bromeliads
Identity
Adult size
1.7–2.2 cm SVL; juvenile ~0.6 cm
Lifespan
8–12 years in captivity
Legal status
CITES II (CB + permit)
Price (THB)
3 500–12 000
Difficulty
Advanced (complex parental care, tadpoles obligatorily fed by trophic eggs)
Cohabitation
Pair; ♂ very territorial — avoid several ♂ in a confined space
Enclosure and conditions
Terrarium / aquarium
Planted bioactive vivarium 30×30×45 cm for a pair; Neoregelia bromeliads mandatory (phytotelms for tadpoles); vertically oriented
Temperature
22–26 °C; preference 23–25 °C; never >29 °C
Humidity / water
80–100%; RO water misting 2×/day; water in bromeliad phytotelms renewed regularly
Lighting / UVB
Photoperiod 12 h; UVB 2% optional; plant lighting essential to maintain bromeliads
Substrate / setup
ABG bioactive + live mosses + many bromeliads + leaf litter; small size requires fine anti-escape mesh
Feeding
Exclusively D. melanogaster flightless (small size) + springtails + dwarf isopods; calcium without D3 at every meal, vitamins × 1/week
Reproduction
Sexing
♂ smaller and very territorial (fighting between ♂); ♀ slightly larger; ♂ calls constantly
Maturity
12–18 months
Triggering
Presence of bromeliads with accumulated water; regular misting; pair stability
Spawning
3–10 eggs on a moist leaf or inside a bromeliad; ♂ moistens; hatching 10–14 days; tadpoles deposited individually in phytotelms
Tadpoles / metamorphosis
Obligatorily fed by unfertilised trophic eggs from ♀ (obligate oophagous tadpoles); ex-situ rearing WITHOUT ♀ is practically impossible; metamorphosis 50–90 days
Juvenile rearing
~0.6 cm at water exit; D. melanogaster from day 1; very small — juvenile vivarium with very fine mesh (< 0.5 mm)
Common health problems
Chytridiomycosis (Bd)
Signsvery sensitive species — systematic PCR at acquisition; itraconazole treatment
Territorial stress in ♂
Signspermanent aggression if insufficient space — respect 30×30×45 cm minimum per pair
Health
SignsBreeding failure if bromeliads absent or phytotelm water stagnant — renew leaf-axil water 1–2×/week
Quarantine
Signs45–60 days; individual vivarium 15×15×30 cm; RO water misting; D. melanogaster flightless; Bd PCR mandatory before introduction into the collection; species very sensitive to transport stress
Good to know
- OBLIGATE OOPHAGOUS tadpoles: ♀ deposits trophic eggs (unfertilised) in each phytotelm every 3–5 days — without this maternal behaviour, tadpoles die
- More than 30 natural geographic morphs — each morph must be kept pure; hybrids are frowned upon in the dart community
- Small size imposing exclusively D. melanogaster flightless — never D. hydei which are too large
Others in this group
White's Tree FrogRanoidea caeruleaAxolotlAmbystoma mexicanumYellow-banded Poison Dart FrogDendrobates leucomelasMimic Poison FrogRanitomeya imitatorDyeing Poison Dart FrogDendrobates tinctoriusGolden Poison Dart FrogPhyllobates terribilisGreen-and-black Poison Dart FrogDendrobates auratusAfrican Clawed FrogXenopus laevis