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Post by Ryan on Mar 30, 2006 22:04:58 GMT -5
Lately I've been reading up on creating self-sustaining Rainforest vivs and the most obvious tenent for something like this would be a dart frog. I'm interested in the challenge of creating a viv that is 90% self-sustaining, if anyones ever visited the dendroboard forums you might have seen the vivs that have built in compost heaps that support the microfauna as well as provide CO2 for plant growth. The original creator had great success with this and the only care provided was regular misting and water changes, everything else took care of itself, he has NEVER had to feed his frogs.
I was just wondering if there were any members that are keeping Darts and what kind of setups they are currently using.
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Post by shawnfraser on Apr 6, 2006 23:24:25 GMT -5
When I started at Reptile World 9 years ago we had 3 Dendrobates auratus housed in a naturalistic 40 gallon (approx) naturalistic setup. An aquarium pump recirculated water from a 5 gallon tank with a box filter to a rock waterfall. The plants were all pothos, Epipremnum aureum, which I have found to be very hardy ( I don't have much success with most plants). 2 of the original D. auratus are still alive sharing a tank with a lone Dendrobates leucomelas. The 2 new (about 6 year old) dart frog enclosures are approximately 2 feet deep by 18 inches wide. The substrate is gravel, live pothos is used and both also use recirculated water from a rubbermaid reservoir to a rock waterfall via a small aquarium pump. Currently we have 2 Dendrobates auratus, 1 Dendrobates leucomelas and 3 Dendrobates azureus. We have also kept a group of Phyllobates terribilis
. The dart frogs are fed small crickets dusted with Fluker's calcium dust every 2-3 days.
With the current cage size I think a trio is fine - when we had more in one cage we experienced some mortalities (probably due to territoriality). I also think that the calcium dust is very important..
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Post by joeysgreen on Apr 8, 2006 10:34:22 GMT -5
Hey Shaun, nice to see you on this forum. I'm probably one of many that recognize you that you don't know... I did some work experience at Reptile World for a few weekends while you were away (about 2-3 winters ago now) and even before that you took me (and Neil Weldon from Edmonton) up back to see the baby 'condas and saltie. Good job of late, as the zoo gets better every time I visit. As for the natural vivaria, I've tried several times. Currently I have my gargoyle gecko in one, and although I suck with plants, I do know that lighting is ever important. That, and having the right soil mix (I've yet to find one that I like). Another plant that's hard to kill is ivy (that vine stuff you get at the supermarket, nothing fancy). Let us know how your project turns out  Ian |
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