# My Latest Viv The Mantella Viv



## richie.b (Oct 27, 2008)

Got 6 lovely golden mantella off SimonT the other week so thought ide make a nice viv for them for in the room. ideal species for this as they dont need any additional heat and the frogroom can get a bit warm for them. So here it is it 100x50x50cm and ive even added a little waterfall and stream that runs into the drainage gulley down the bottom drain and into a sump tank and pumped back up to the waterfall. 
Needs bit of growing in as most vivs, just got to add the frogs and job done 



























cheers
Richie


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## jme2049 (Jan 11, 2008)

:2thumb: Love the little stream through the middle.


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## TIMOTHY AND MATILDA (Oct 31, 2008)

It looks great Richie:2thumb::2thumb:,Did you see Isabellas Photo?she is fab and fiesty :2thumb:


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## stewie m (Sep 16, 2009)

looks fantasitc


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## calv07 (Mar 8, 2010)

Mate, what are you trying to do to me here......first a greenhouse and now a mantella viv!! Its like your hijacking my thread visitors lol. Its on like donkey kong!! Seriously though, the viv looks good....almost as good as mine


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## berksmike (Jan 2, 2008)

Gorgeous mate - what mantella species you getting in there?


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## richie.b (Oct 27, 2008)

Thanks guys im quite pleased with it, i expect ill get a few teething problems with the waterfall usually do where water is concerned but at least the pumps on the outside of the viv so no ripping everything out :2thumb:

Jackie yes i saw the pics of isabella she looks lovely : victory:

Calv sorry buddy its just worked out that way, what else did you say you were putting pictures up of :whistling2:

And Mike ive got 6 mantella aurantiaca to go in there, ill be on the lookout for some different kinds this year hopefully. Did just have a list with a few other ones on so might check that out :hmm:

i really need to learn how to guote each person at the same time, ive only just learned how to quote one at a time :blush:

cheers
Richie


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## berksmike (Jan 2, 2008)

Theres a multiquote button at the bottom of the message mate. Just press the button on messages u wanna quote and then press reply - should then quote all the messages u select

Always wanted to maintain a couple of mantella species but would struggle to keep the temps low enough in my frogroom i reckon


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## richie.b (Oct 27, 2008)

berksmike said:


> Theres a multiquote button at the bottom of the message mate.
> 
> Always wanted to maintain a couple of mantella species but would struggle to keep the temps low enough in my frogroom i reckon



So thats what that multiquote button is for :blush:

Yer temperature can be a problem in frogrooms thats why ive built this viv for the living room. I used to keep my other mantellas in my frogroom and that hit stupid temps in the summer, never lost any frogs but did struggle with breeding them at those temps

cheers
Richie


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

Absolutely lovely viv bud, good job.

Ade


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## richie.b (Oct 27, 2008)

Cheers Ade, gorilla glue you got to love it er :2thumb:


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## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

Well I could say good work as usual mate:Na_Na_Na_Na: but that would be selling ya short,Rich its a bloody corker mate,ha and i got a second opinion too,just to make sure i wasn't being too nice:lol2:
As usual more brain picking,firstly same design as for darts? (ie the tank).
Second thats selliginella krausiana on the left side of your stream is it not,any tips on growing it,i started with one erm a while ago,have a tray full now,but my god its a tricky plant to grow,i have some in a couple of my first vivs that look ace,others just melt after days in a viv,too much light they go very pale,let them dry out and they shrivel and i don't mean the pot but the humidity. As you know we grow a bit,but haven't mastered this one yet,everything else is pretty much a doddle but these are messing with me:devil:. Its a real shame,as its one of my favourite plants,i shall probably chuck some in me tent under the gage tree soon see if they like it better there. So far my good results are comming from just inside the viv doors up off the ground,but also shaded from the light by other stuff,in the vivs.
Thirdly how do you keep your plants outside?
As before great viv mate:2thumb:


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## richie.b (Oct 27, 2008)

soundstounite said:


> Well I could say good work as usual mate:Na_Na_Na_Na: but that would be selling ya short,Rich its a bloody corker mate,ha and i got a second opinion too,just to make sure i wasn't being too nice:lol2:
> As usual more brain picking,firstly same design as for darts? (ie the tank).
> Second thats selliginella krausiana on the left side of your stream is it not,any tips on growing it,i started with one erm a while ago,have a tray full now,but my god its a tricky plant to grow,i have some in a couple of my first vivs that look ace,others just melt after days in a viv,too much light they go very pale,let them dry out and they shrivel and i don't mean the pot but the humidity. As you know we grow a bit,but haven't mastered this one yet,everything else is pretty much a doddle but these are messing with me:devil:. Its a real shame,as its one of my favourite plants,i shall probably chuck some in me tent under the gage tree soon see if they like it better there. So far my good results are comming from just inside the viv doors up off the ground,but also shaded from the light by other stuff,in the vivs.
> Thirdly how do you keep your plants outside?
> As before great viv mate:2thumb:


Thank you Stu youre to kind, i do think we are pretty lucky being able to make our own vivs and be able to pick from a nice assortment of plants it does make things a lot easier, : victory:
It is the same design as a dart viv only difference really is the lack of broms, as mantella dont use them i didnt bother adding loads like i would in my dart vivs, plus they like to make burrows next to the water to lay there eggs, this design worked well last time so thought go with it again
The plant is s.krausiana but i dont know a lot about it, i was given it along with a few others off ben when i bought the pumilio off him, its been on the windowsill in the frogroom so i thought ide use it, seems to be doing ok hasnt died off any since ive had it so will be interesting to see how it gets on in the viv after what you say, ill keep you informed
Yer i put all my plants outside in the week i keep them in one of those plastic walk in greenhouses, ive got a small heater for the night and i cover them up with fleece every night also. Was in two minds whether to put them out yet but they seem to be doing fine

cheers
Richie


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## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

gotcha mate t'was specifically the viv design i was after not so much the internals but hell i learnt something more so am very chuffed:2thumb:. Yeah agreed the £40 quid tents are the bomb for our viv stuff with a bit of shade got all me broms out this morn,well from the heatsink G.H. which took me ages to the 5minute tent:blush: er where they grow,although I am not giving them any night time provisions like yourself,saw what they can stand last autumn,you know how late i left it cause of room stuff:gasp:,am sure they will be ok,that said,am on the weather so if we get a chill have lots of fleace.
Agreed mate,we are so fortunate to be able to make our own vivs!!! gotta say was a skill very hard one for me but if ya want ,enough you learn i spose,no way could WE do this without DIY.
Rich best of luck with these,ha eventhough it hurts:lol2: to say this,Bloody stonking viv,:notworthy: nah seriously like it even more,now i know the whys and wherefores,cool so we are gonna get some how to breed G M.'s pics from ya now too:whip::whip: ha good stuff matee
Stu


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

Utterly beautiful. But you knew that.


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## richie.b (Oct 27, 2008)

Ron Magpie said:


> Utterly beautiful. But you knew that.



Thank you Ron, yer i am quite pleased with it. Its nice to do something a bit different from the normal brom vivs for the darts as i said earlier :2thumb:


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## ilovetoads2 (Oct 31, 2008)

Another stunning viv...is it a false bottom?


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## richie.b (Oct 27, 2008)

ilovetoads2 said:


> Another stunning viv...is it a false bottom?


why thank you and its nice to see you back, hope youre feeling better
Its got a sloping glass false bottom and a drainage gulley same as my dartfrog vivs, easy water just runs into the gulley and through the drainage hole into a sump tank and is pumped back around :2thumb:


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## sambridge15 (Nov 22, 2009)

loving the stream:2thumb:


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## Alex M (May 28, 2008)

Nice one Richie, beautiful species and nice viv. My youngsters I picked up last year/this year are coming on a good'un too. Not sure how grown on yours are, but mine won't be ready to do anything decent till much later this year onwards. Got some (unfortunately WC) betsileo coming this week, though given where they're collected it's likely that they're infact ebenaui, not the most garish of Mantella's as you know but nevertheless they do have quite cool hidden colouration. Either way, not fussed - all are fascinating!.

Hope all well mate,
Cheers
Al


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## richie.b (Oct 27, 2008)

Alex M said:


> Nice one Richie, beautiful species and nice viv. My youngsters I picked up last year/this year are coming on a good'un too. Not sure how grown on yours are, but mine won't be ready to do anything decent till much later this year onwards. Got some (unfortunately WC) betsileo coming this week, though given where they're collected it's likely that they're infact ebenaui, not the most garish of Mantella's as you know but nevertheless they do have quite cool hidden colouration. Either way, not fussed - all are fascinating!.
> 
> Hope all well mate,
> Cheers
> Al


Mine are a good size, got at least one male calling already so fingers crossed still need to get some more though as you know they need male strong groups for successful breeding. Thats good about the betsileo, did they have madagascariensis and nigricans on the list as well. I had that list but thought it was a bit pricey especially for wc.
By the way Al you missed my greenhouse thread its somewhere a few pages back

cheers
Richie


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## Alex M (May 28, 2008)

richie.b said:


> Mine are a good size, got at least one male calling already so fingers crossed still need to get some more though as you know they need male strong groups for successful breeding. Thats good about the betsileo, did they have madagascariensis and nigricans on the list as well. I had that list but thought it was a bit pricey especially for wc.
> By the way Al you missed my greenhouse thread its somewhere a few pages back
> 
> cheers
> Richie


 
Germany by chance? Yep, that's the one. The reason I went for the betsileo/ebenaui is because of the price for the size and should be ready to go, the madagascariensis were well over the top in my opinion. Cornuta were a good price if you're prepared to put the work in, and also they had the lovely Hyla punctata but acclimatisation with this species is a bugger as you know - already rotting from the inside out. I will look for your greenhouse thread mate.

Cheers
Al

P.s, And good luck with the aurantiaca!


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## richie.b (Oct 27, 2008)

Alex M said:


> Germany by chance? Yep, that's the one. The reason I went for the betsileo/ebenaui is because of the price for the size and should be ready to go, the madagascariensis were well over the top in my opinion. Cornuta were a good price if you're prepared to put the work in, and also they had the lovely Hyla punctata but acclimatisation with this species is a bugger as you know - already rotting from the inside out. I will look for your greenhouse thread mate.
> 
> Cheers
> Al
> ...


Yer there was some really nice amphibs on there, most were a bit pricey but still nice, i was nearly tempted by the nigricans and a few of the phyllomedusa but didnt bother in the end. Im looking at another list which has some nice stuff not as much but does have atolopus which i love and regret getting rid of, of course these are wc and would need testing for cytrid straight away

speak to you soon Al

Richie


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## JR.Exotics (Mar 24, 2011)

richie.b said:


> Got 6 lovely golden mantella off SimonT the other week so thought ide make a nice viv for them for in the room. ideal species for this as they dont need any additional heat and the frogroom can get a bit warm for them. So here it is it 100x50x50cm and ive even added a little waterfall and stream that runs into the drainage gulley down the bottom drain and into a sump tank and pumped back up to the waterfall.
> Needs bit of growing in as most vivs, just got to add the frogs and job done
> 
> image
> ...


wow that is gorgeous mate!! :] how much does that cost to make then? lol and i am getting some Mantella species hopefully i found two Golden Mantellas for £60 ea at a place near me and i am going to get some _Mantella betsileo_ and Mantella expectata :] i was going to get a Scaphiophryne gottlebei but blooming heck are they expensive! lol


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## Alex M (May 28, 2008)

JR.Exotics said:


> wow that is gorgeous mate!! :] how much does that cost to make then? lol and i am getting some Mantella species hopefully i found two Golden Mantellas for £60 ea at a place near me and i am going to get some _Mantella betsileo_ and Mantella expectata :] i was going to get a Scaphiophryne gottlebei but blooming heck are they expensive! lol


Interesting - Can I ask who's selling S.gottlebei? Thought they were banned from exportation out of Madagascar.

Cheers
Al


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## JR.Exotics (Mar 24, 2011)

Alex M said:


> Interesting - Can I ask who's selling S.gottlebei? Thought they were banned from exportation out of Madagascar.
> 
> Cheers
> Al


haha yeah sure they arent WC mate they were CB from Hamm Last year :] Emsworth Aquaria & Reptiles heres the link to the FB page: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=pu.104374626261921#!/photo.php?fbid=126074794091904&set=pu.104374626261921&type=1&theater
so they werent exported :]


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## Alex M (May 28, 2008)

richie.b said:


> Yer there was some really nice amphibs on there, most were a bit pricey but still nice, i was nearly tempted by the nigricans and a few of the phyllomedusa but didnt bother in the end. Im looking at another list which has some nice stuff not as much but does have atolopus which i love and regret getting rid of, of course these are wc and would need testing for cytrid straight away
> 
> speak to you soon Al
> 
> Richie


I looked at the Phyllomedusa aswell mate, but there were no sauvagii and looking at the list now - it's as per usual, all WC. The hypochondrialis are very well priced, and the bicolor not bad, but neither species float my boat like sauvagii so I will wait till a later date when I have some spare cash and pick some more up then. Good luck with the Atelopus - as you've said yourself - Chytrid - they have a real bad reputation for this *gulp*. I'll check your greenhouse thread tomorrow mate, I must go to bed!

Take care
Al


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## Alex M (May 28, 2008)

JR.Exotics said:


> haha yeah sure they arent WC mate they were CB from Hamm Last year :] Emsworth Aquaria & Reptiles heres the link to the FB page: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=pu.104374626261921#!/photo.php?fbid=126074794091904&set=pu.104374626261921&type=1&theater
> so they werent exported :]


 
Is there nothing the Germans aren't breeding?! I wonder what Paul is charging for those. Great to see, even the madagascariensis are now retailing for around £50 each (which I keep - Lovely little anurans), though Dartfrog were doing them recently for £25 each, which is a bargain nowadays.

Cheers
Al


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## JR.Exotics (Mar 24, 2011)

Alex M said:


> Is there nothing the Germans aren't breeding?! I wonder what Paul is charging for those. Great to see, even the madagascariensis are now retailing for around £50 each (which I keep - Lovely little anurans), though Dartfrog were doing them recently for £25 each, which is a bargain nowadays.
> 
> Cheers
> Al


haha you know Paul mate? hes charging £135 ea for them if i remember rightly but no one has shown any interest :/ shame really i love them! lol and Heterixalus madagascariensis? really ooooo lol i am mainly after Mantella for educational talks to colleges and schools so if you see any barguns would you give me a heads up please?! :] :2thumb:


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## Alex M (May 28, 2008)

JR.Exotics said:


> haha you know Paul mate? hes charging £135 ea for them if i remember rightly but no one has shown any interest :/ shame really i love them! lol andHeterixalus madagascariensis? really ooooo lol i am mainly after Mantella for educational talks to colleges and schools so if you see any barguns would you give me a heads up please?! :] :2thumb:


Do I know Paul? Not really, only from occasional interactions to do with the trade. But he does get some great stuff in, and always has an eye out for the more unusual species of Amphibian and Reptile, I often tell people to have a look in his shop if it's the rare they want!. I'm sure if more people knew about the gottlebei, which must be one of the prettiest anurans on earth, then he'd have no problem selling them - infact someone asked me about them the other day, but I can't remember who it was, will have to rack my brains and send them his way. You'll have to be more specific regarding the Mantella's, I often see different species available but rarely at a cheap price - they've much gone up in price from the days when they were imported en masse i.e the 1990's.

Cheers
Al


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## JR.Exotics (Mar 24, 2011)

Alex M said:


> Do I know Paul? Not really, only from occasional interactions to do with the trade. But he does get some great stuff in, and always has an eye out for the more unusual species of Amphibian and Reptile, I often tell people to have a look in his shop if it's the rare they want!. I'm sure if more people knew about the gottlebei, which must be one of the prettiest anurans on earth, then he'd have no problem selling them - infact someone asked me about them the other day, but I can't remember who it was, will have to rack my brains and send them his way. You'll have to be more specific regarding the Mantella's, I often see different species available but rarely at a cheap price - they've much gone up in price from the days when they were imported en masse i.e the 1990's.
> 
> Cheers
> Al


Oh right i just keep forgetting that he must do business with a lot of people all over haha i keep thinking the little place only gets customers from around here... and oh definitely he gets some amazing and wonderful stuff in all the time, hes got soem lovely Bicolour's in atm aswell might i add... and well they are right behind the counter in full view and everyone looks in and arent fuzzed which is stupid really! :/ but yeah i will give him a heads up and find out the exact prices for you i think its a trio and its £365 for the lot....
and well i am looking at Mantella _ aurantiaca_, Mantella expectata and Mantella cowanii to be exact lol i can get Mantella betsileo but i need ones that are more high up on the IUCN for breeding programes :/

Cheers 

Josh


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## johnc79 (Feb 29, 2008)

richie.b said:


> Got 6 lovely golden mantella off SimonT the other week so thought ide make a nice viv for them for in the room. ideal species for this as they dont need any additional heat and the frogroom can get a bit warm for them. So here it is it 100x50x50cm and ive even added a little waterfall and stream that runs into the drainage gulley down the bottom drain and into a sump tank and pumped back up to the waterfall.
> Needs bit of growing in as most vivs, just got to add the frogs and job done
> 
> image
> ...



Job well done mate. I can't keep Mantellas as my herp room gets to warm! :-(


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## richie.b (Oct 27, 2008)

johnc79 said:


> Job well done mate. I can't keep Mantellas as my herp room gets to warm! :-(


Thanks John, this is the reason i built this for the room its too hot in my frogroom already but they seem ok in there new viv

cheers
Richie


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## JR.Exotics (Mar 24, 2011)

richie.b said:


> Thanks John, this is the reason i built this for the room its too hot in my frogroom already but they seem ok in there new viv
> 
> cheers
> Richie


Hang on Mantellas dont need heat then?? 

Cheers 

Josh


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## richie.b (Oct 27, 2008)

JR.Exotics said:


> Hang on Mantellas dont need heat then??
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Josh


No mantellas dont like high temperatures like dartfrogs for example, so cant be kept properly in frogrooms where the temperature is kept higher.
they wouldnt need heat in an average house through the summer


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## JR.Exotics (Mar 24, 2011)

richie.b said:


> No mantellas dont like high temperatures like dartfrogs for example, so cant be kept properly in frogrooms where the temperature is kept higher.
> they wouldnt need heat in an average house through the summer


oh right i see so really they are even easier to keep than other darts! lol does the temperature change though for breeding them? or does it just remain the same?


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## richie.b (Oct 27, 2008)

JR.Exotics said:


> oh right i see so really they are even easier to keep than other darts! lol does the temperature change though for breeding them? or does it just remain the same?


Theyre pretty much the same to keep as darts only difference is keeping the temperature down in the summer, ive kept them in my frogroom in the past where they survived fine but couldnt get them to breed until i moved them to a cooler room about 70f then they were fine


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## calv07 (Mar 8, 2010)

Looks likes the race is on to see who breeds them first then mate lol. Mine are chirping non stop at the moment. Trying to keep track of who is calling and who is not is proving tricky. Just when you think you have identified a female, "she" starts calling. Fun and games.


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## richie.b (Oct 27, 2008)

calv07 said:


> Looks likes the race is on to see who breeds them first then mate lol. Mine are chirping non stop at the moment. Trying to keep track of who is calling and who is not is proving tricky. Just when you think you have identified a female, "she" starts calling. Fun and games.


To be honest Calv mine are not that old, have got one calling but i dont think the rest are ready for breeding yet, proberbly be about the autumn


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## JR.Exotics (Mar 24, 2011)

richie.b said:


> Theyre pretty much the same to keep as darts only difference is keeping the temperature down in the summer, ive kept them in my frogroom in the past where they survived fine but couldnt get them to breed until i moved them to a cooler room about 70f then they were fine


Oh right thats awesome then!! how much would a viv be for a breeding pair of Golden Mantella? lol in a viv thats 2ft long x 2ft high x 1ft deep? lol kitted out with the right environment for them etc lol


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