# Few questions on dart frogs



## larner (May 28, 2011)

I'm planning on getting a few dart frogs soon, once i have studied as much as i need to.
but i have a few questions....

1- I was told their not to keen on swimming or being in water, so a small waterfall will be enough in the corner, is this true?

2- I have a baby humidifier which i changed into a mister for my small iguana, will this be ok to use on the dart frogs? considering the mist is not hot mist.

3- IF the small waterfall and the mister is fine, what would you guys suggest to use as substrate/s ?

4- the frogs will be in a exo terra 60 x 45 x 45. so what if any lighting do you guys suggest?
I plan on having some fake and real plants.
would a 40w bulb be ok hanging above the viv? or would i be better using a 2.0 UV bulb so it dont cause to much heat and also will help the frogs.


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

Read this thread, preferably from the start, all the way through. Stu likes to call himself a 'beginner', but he knows more about Darts and their set-ups than most of us ever will! http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/amphibians/589598-da-dart-room-n-shed.html

You should also read this http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/amphibians/723034-how-build-dart-frog-viv.html
And practically anything by Wolfenrook, Frogman or Richie B- they are all hugely knowledgable. 

Hope that all helps, and by the way, UV lighting isn't for the benefit of the plants, just the animals.


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## larner (May 28, 2011)

Thanks again Ron for your help,
I've had a good read through all the threads.
But i'm still abit confused on the best route to take regarding substrate.
from what im guessing, my best bet would be....
Hydroleca Clay on base, about 2 inches deep.
then a sheet of weed block to stop the substrates from mixing into the drainage layer.
then some kind of ABG mix.
would this work?


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## frogman955 (Feb 7, 2010)

Hi Larner
Hydro leca will be fine for a substrate, just cover it with fine mesh and then put your soil mix on top of that.
Another way is a false bottom again with mesh and then lay peat plates from Dartfrog on top and then build up from there.
Your own imagination will be the limiting factor.
I`d forget fake plants and use live only as these will help humidity, apart from they`ll look better too.
Waterfalls are not really necessary but a pool of sorts would be good for your frogs.
They can swim, sort of, but YOU MUST make sure they can easily get out of the water.
A large waterdish as used for reptiles could be used.
Dart frogs like to have a good soak now and again so a dish where they can sit in easily will be good for them.
For humidity a hand spray will be all you need, I wouldn`t worry about the fog system.
What Ron suggested about reading Stu`s thread is right.
You`ll get all the info you need in there plus lots more.
For your first viv simple will make life easier, and once you have that under your belt you`ll have more confidence for your next one.
We`re all here to help you out if you need it.

Mike


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## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

Thanks guys,i pretty much agree with the above so not much to add,hmm get your culturing down buddy and totally the best of luck...real plants ,no waterfall,woods to start the culturing,then be sure on those FF,
enjoy
regards
Stu


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## larner (May 28, 2011)

Wood for culturing?


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## frogman955 (Feb 7, 2010)

Stu is meaning woodlice, he tends to shorten a lot of words :whistling2:.

Mike


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

Woodlice and springtails both provide food and help to keep the viv clean- you'll find a lot of us on 'Phibs are addicted to using them, whether we keep darts or not (I don't). Stu's main point was, though (I think), make sure *before all else*, you have suitable food available from Day One. Darts eat very small items- but lots- and you can't just drive down to the local petshop for replacements if you run out.


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## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

Larner,my humble apologies,i'm oft rushing about,answering PM's and trying to help folks...so tend to write in a form of shorthand.Couple in the fact,that English language is the subject at school that completely baffled me,and i probably don't see letters like others do,well,erm i shouldn't really be writing on forums should i:lol2:.
Ha ha, that's probably why Ron and Mike said read my room thread,after nearly 200 pages of me rabbiting on ,you'll either be able to understand me or be driven completely nuts:2thumb:. But you will have a method to culture woodlice build a viv culture springtails grow plants feed darts hatch their eggs make tad teas build racks, raise tads....etc etc etc.you have the mistakes,where i feel i messed up all of it,its there for all new dartkeepers.
Its not the best way or the only way,but its a start from another guy learning the ropes:2thumb:.

regards
Stu


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

soundstounite said:


> Larner,my humble apologies,i'm oft rushing about,answering PM's and trying to help folks...so tend to write in a form of shorthand.Couple in the fact,that English language is the subject at school that completely baffled me,and i probably don't see letters like others do,well,erm i shouldn't really be writing on forums should i:lol2:.
> Ha ha, that's probably why Ron and Mike said read my room thread,after nearly 200 pages of me rabbiting on ,you'll either be able to understand me or be driven completely nuts:2thumb:. But you will have a method to culture woodlice build a viv culture springtails grow plants feed darts hatch their eggs make tad teas build racks, raise tads....etc etc etc.you have the mistakes,where i feel i messed up all of it,its there for all new dartkeepers.
> Its not the best way or the only way*,but its a start from another guy learning the ropes*:2thumb:.
> 
> ...


*fingers in ears* "La la la la la!" :whistling2:


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## frogman955 (Feb 7, 2010)

Ron Magpie said:


> Woodlice and springtails both provide food and help to keep the viv clean- you'll find a lot of us on 'Phibs are addicted to using them, whether we keep darts or not (I don't). Stu's main point was, though (I think), make sure *before all else*, you have suitable food available from Day One. Darts eat very small items- but lots- and you can't just drive down to the local petshop for replacements if you run out.


 
You got that right Ron.

Mike


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## larner (May 28, 2011)

So is it hard to buy food for baby dart frogs?
I'm sure my local pet shop will have everything I need.


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## frogman955 (Feb 7, 2010)

Froglets start off by eating springtails, litterally thousands of them, hence the need to learn how to culture them.
Once they get a bit bigger they can be fed with melanogaster fruit flies.
Don`t bet on your local pet shop having what you need.
You can get everything you need from Dartfrog for culturing, starter kits for springtails, woodlice and fruit flies.
Then its a visit to the local supermarket for the different foods to feed your cultures.
Once you start breeding your own you won`t have to buy in your food.

Mike


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

larner said:


> So is it hard to buy food for baby dart frogs?
> I'm sure my local pet shop will have everything I need.


Will your local petshop have tropical springtails, tiny fruitflies and baby tropical woodlice? Somehow I doubt it. Even bean weevils and hatchling crickets would be a bit much for 'baby' darts- this is the main reason I don't keep them. Seriously mate, if you want to keep darts successfully, you *really* need to sort your food supply above all else!


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

If you start your viv building soon, get it all sorted and settled, there will be a BAKS meeting in April of next year. I know that it's a bit of a journey from London to Stafford, but it will be well worth it. You will have the opportunity to speak to Mike, possibly Stu and myself in person, and also buy your first frogs directly from the person that bred them, getting their advice in the process. It's a much much better way to source dart frogs than walking into a pet/reptile shop and buying them. You also get to see the frogs in the flesh, making it easier to chose.

There's usually also plenty of springtails and woodlice to buy at BAKS. But ideally you'll already have some of them seeded and established in your viv.

I know April may seem a long way off right now, but trust me when I say that it's a perfect time to get the plants and soil inverts established in the viv, and to get to be a dab hand at culturing fruit flies and springtails too. None of us can emphasize enough the importance of getting on top of culturing. Relying on buying in food for darts is a route to disaster, and one of the most common reasons for a new keeper to fail and end up quitting on darts. The other is checking on their new purchases too often, dart frogs often take quite a long time to settle into their new homes, hunting them out to check on them just stresses the heck out of them and can lead to deaths.

So from this, my 3 tips are: 1) Get your viv setup and seeded. 2) Get your livefood culturing sorted. 3) Come to BAKS in April, chat with the experienced keepers there including directly to the person who bred the frogs you finally chose whilst there.

Ade


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## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

Ron Magpie said:


> Woodlice and springtails both provide food and help to keep the viv clean- you'll find a lot of us on 'Phibs are addicted to using them, whether we keep darts or not (I don't). Stu's main point was, though (I think), make sure *before all else*, you have suitable food available from Day One. Darts eat very small items- but lots- and you can't just drive down to the local petshop for replacements if you run out.


Asolutely Ron perfectly read and perfectly articultated, If one is skilled at culturing before one ever has dart frogs,one has a flying start to doing right by these animals,its just so important,to be self sufficient.Larner if you breed too much you'll always be able to sell off that surplus. Even really experianeced keepers get crashes,learning before frogs means no pressure on you,i can't stress enough as Mike and Ron have done how important this is.Often the drive down to the petshop will lead to a cultures contaminated with mites,above everything else that the guys have mentioned above.
Well done lads really good points really well made:notworthy:

Stu


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## larner (May 28, 2011)

Wolfenrook, thanks alot for the great advice.
As much as i want to get the frogs asap, it makes more sense to wait it out and learn about them until the BAKS meeting.
1 more question for you guys...
As im so used to dealing with alot bigger vivs which hold iguana's, tegu's, bearded dragons, just wondered what the best size bag of Hydroleca i'd need.
the baby frogs will be going into a 45x45x45 exo terra.
so what kind of size bag do i need?
I can only find 10L and 45L bags at the moment, but i'm still hunting.

ALSO... where can i order some of the mesh online? been looking on ebay but there is about 1 billion types of mesh.
anything i need to avoid? or can someone link me to what it is i should get.

ALSO... been reading up on moss and I'm planning on mixing sphagnum moss over the substrate and wondered if it was worth buying live moss as well.

ALSO... can anyone recommend some plants to have in there.


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## llamafish (Aug 19, 2008)

try to get hold of grain weavils - smaller than bean weavils and EASY to culture.

Springtails - just contact spanner on here or on Dendroworld


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## frogman955 (Feb 7, 2010)

A 10 litre bag of leca will be enough for that size viv and you`ll have some left over for another one.
The mesh I use is plastic and I get it from a local garden centre, people use it for shading greenhouses and such.
Get as fine a mesh as possible, it`s only a couple of quid for a metre or so.
It makes sense to not be in a hurry to get your frogs as your patience will be rewarded.
My first viv was running for a full year before I got my first frogs.

Mike


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## llamafish (Aug 19, 2008)

frogman955 said:


> My first viv was running for a full year before I got my first frogs.
> 
> Mike



10min myself after i got my first frog home - Now look at me i got a frog room


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## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

Ron Magpie said:


> *fingers in ears* "La la la la la!" :whistling2:


Man i can't believe you have your fingers in your ears and still sing out of tune,this is how ya pitch stuff dude
said the drummer:bash::bash::bash::bash::bash::bash:

Stu


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## brysaa2 (Oct 11, 2009)

Sounds cool buddy, will be likely posting my first dart build on here soon too.

Having been with frogs now for 18 months I am interesting in getting into darts so will iikely be pestering Stu at some point.

D. Auratus and d. Tinctorius are my two favs at the moment, would love dyeing morph of tinc but can't find many about online!

Probably won't use leca like you suggested, I think I'll go with false bottom.

P.s read all your threads twice Stu and Ade :lol2: info overload, but amazing priceless stuff on there so many thanks for that!


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

soundstounite said:


> Man i can't believe you have your fingers in your ears and still sing out of tune,this is how ya pitch stuff dude
> said the drummer:bash::bash::bash::bash::bash::bash:
> 
> Stu


Lol, I used to sing in local bands, back in the day.:lol2:


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## larner (May 28, 2011)

Another question.....

If I go down the route of building my own back wall, after I've designed it and used expanding foam, I wait for that to dry, then silicone it all, and then what? What stuff do I plaster all over the silicone??


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

brysaa2 said:


> Sounds cool buddy, will be likely posting my first dart build on here soon too.
> 
> Having been with frogs now for 18 months I am interesting in getting into darts so will iikely be pestering Stu at some point.
> 
> ...


The reason you can't find the 'dying morph' of tinc is there isn't one. Dying poison dart/arrow frogs is the common name for all tinctorius, rather than been a morph. 

I would back your decision to use a fale bottom, they are much much lighter than using leca and very easy to construct. They hold more water too, as you don't have the clay taking up space the water can use. :lol2:

Why bother with a back wall at all? I recently proved quite nicely that for tincs and leucs you don't need to in order to have an attractive viv:-










I need to get a new pic of that viv, as those broms have coloured up since that was taken. :lol2:

Ade


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## llamafish (Aug 19, 2008)

Leucs I agree wouldn't really need it but some species need to fill secure for example Trivs and there genius

I dont use expanding foam as it expenisve and can take to much room in a viv. GG can be used to form subtle bumps and lumps and bits of wood can add texture. 

Once climber plants have taken root you most like wont see the side and back


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

llamafish said:


> Leucs I agree wouldn't really need it but some species need to fill secure for example Trivs and there genius
> 
> I dont use expanding foam as it expenisve and can take to much room in a viv. GG can be used to form subtle bumps and lumps and bits of wood can add texture.
> 
> Once climber plants have taken root you most like wont see the side and back


So you use a dark coloured vinyl/Fablon rather than privacy vinyl...

Seriously, NO frogs require internal backgrounds, not even pums. Even those that need things to climb on you can just use more branches, wood etc inside the viv, rather than wasting space on covering the glass on the inside.

End of the day, I got the idea from looking at photographs of habitats. Apart from a few habitats like cliff habitats and mud bank habitats most are either tree trunks, branches or open habitats. I've been keeping darts for long enough to know that some species need the extra security of a dark back and sides, but this is where black fablon/card/aquarium backgrounds come in. I'd much rather decorate my viv better than cover the glass in various glues etc these days. Structured backgrounds really aren't neccessary, they're there purely for the aesthetic pleasure of the keeper. My point is that you can achieve the same beauty using decor and plants.

Ade


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## brysaa2 (Oct 11, 2009)

Ok, my bad haha. Newbies eh! Yeah I was meaning the morph that is mixed, my sources must have been wrong.

I now see that stu might be having some leucs soon so that maybe the better option to begin with.

Perhaps the morph name I was looking for is 'Nominat' / 'Boulanger'.? :no1:

Leucs like to climb don't they but primarily floor space, or both in your opinion? I have a 30x30x60 fish tank kicking around but I really can't see it being big enough.

Cheers :notworthy:


Wolfenrook said:


> The reason you can't find the 'dying morph' of tinc is there isn't one. Dying poison dart/arrow frogs is the common name for all tinctorius, rather than been a morph.
> 
> I would back your decision to use a fale bottom, they are much much lighter than using leca and very easy to construct. They hold more water too, as you don't have the clay taking up space the water can use. :lol2:
> 
> ...


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

As Ade says they take up useful space- plus they are a pain to remove if you ever change the use of the viv. Good 'ol K.I.S.S. works best every time, for me.


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## llamafish (Aug 19, 2008)

Nonsense Ameerega trivittata, Ameerega pepperi are shy &skittish frogs.

The covering of the sides is needed to help them fill confortable & this might sound - there will try to jump though the side of the viv and harm themselves.

What i have learned from experience keepers from Holland and Germany, so I be more than happy to report your experts opinion to them:hmm:


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

llamafish said:


> Nonsense Ameerega trivittata, Ameerega pepperi are shy &skittish frogs.
> 
> The covering of the sides is needed to help them fill confortable & this might sound - there will try to jump though the side of the viv and harm themselves.
> 
> What i have learned from experience keepers from Holland and Germany, so I be more than happy to report your experts opinion to them:hmm:


 He's not saying don't cover them, he's saying cover them from the outside.


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## llamafish (Aug 19, 2008)

Suppose - but would you lose the affect your after of an open space?


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## larner (May 28, 2011)

So... Can anyone tell me what it is that you put over the silicone?
is it just eco earth? or peat moss?


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

llamafish said:


> Suppose - but would you lose the affect your after of an open space?


Less than you would using gorilla glue etc, plus you aren't covering the inside of your viv in chemicals and it's a LOT easier to do and faster.

You yourself were just commenting about how using foam wastes floor space in your viv. Well, this method you use NONE of the space inside the viv.

If you get tired of it, you can just peel it off and replace it, even with your frogs still in the viv.

Never said that there aren't species that do better with the back and sides covered. I keep Ameerega bassieri Sisa and d. auratus Ancon Hill remember, I would have to be pretty thick to to know that there are frogs that need more security. As Ron says, I am just saying that you can save time, effort and space by putting the covering on the outside of the viv. Then focus on decorating the inside of your viv naturally.

As Ron also said, K.I.S.S tends to win out in the end, sooner or later. Some of the top hobbyists in the US are dumping putting backgrounds on the inside of their vivs and adopting the "use natural decor and plants, with a covering on the outside if needed" mindset. Ok a lot of the fads that come out of the US are just that, but simpler vivs with the focus more on the design of the decor rather than trying to make an attractive background, or giving up and using ready made panels etc, well I wouldn't call it a fad.

As to covering silicone, whatever you use needs to be completely dry, also use brown silicone, as that way if bits fall off it looks better.

Seriously though, if you are going to get stroppy with somebody, make it for something they have actually said. :Na_Na_Na_Na::lol2:

Ade


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## larner (May 28, 2011)

I'm far from being a frog expert, as you already know, i've only just got into frogs, BUT... isn't the whole idea of a setup, to make it as realistic as possible for the frog.
If you don't have a big enough enclosure for the frog, don't get 1. simple!
and if you do, then surely you'll have enough space to cover at least 50% of glass and make it as realistic as possible.


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

larner said:


> I'm far from being a frog expert, as you already know, i've only just got into frogs, BUT... isn't the whole idea of a setup, to make it as realistic as possible for the frog.
> If you don't have a big enough enclosure for the frog, don't get 1. simple!
> and if you do, then surely you'll have enough space to cover at least 50% of glass and make it as realistic as possible.


That argument would only work if frogs lived in brown boxes in the wild. :lol2:

They don't. 

Let me just illustrate this a bit better. These pics are both of vivs that had been running for about the same length of time when the pics were taken:-



















I know which one I think looks more natural.  Ok, so as plants grow in the brown gets covered in green, and it looks better, but the same is true of the viv in that second photograph.

I actually find that not wasting floor space on bulging glue/foam means I can fit more branches and plants in, making for a more natural look, not a less natural one.

Oh and regarding your size commend, the first pic is a viv that measures 60cm x 40cm x 40cm. The second photograph is a viv measuring 100cm x 48cm x 40cm. Don't confuse wanting to maximise the use of space with not having a big enough viv. :lol2:

Ade


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## brysaa2 (Oct 11, 2009)

I respect what your saying Ade but I do think it comes down to a matter of personal preferences. As long as you put the frogs first then that's the main thing, and if they are in a viv that's too small anyway I think making a background or not making one shouldn't be a question, rather that you shouldn't have the frogs at all.

Saying that I can agree completely that it's not essential and often people seem to be under the impression they 'have' to use a background and you've rightly pointd out there are other ways and applied common sense that it's just a background after all, and with darts they can find a hundred places to hide within plants and scenery I would imagine just as well.

Im going to pop up a few design ideas (being a designer I like designing and laying out prior to a build to try and get it right :lol2 and will take into consideration what you have said to try and hybrid the 'maximise the space' option with my own picky personal preference haha. ( in the hopeful 350l tank I'll be using :2thumb: )



Wolfenrook said:


> That argument would only work if frogs lived in brown boxes in the wild. :lol2:
> 
> They don't.
> 
> ...


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## brysaa2 (Oct 11, 2009)

Also what's your favourite way to set the floor up then to maximise space? If I'm gonna be having a false bottom there's no need for un-necessities right? I've read through all of stus thread but still a little rusty on coming to a conclusion for that area of the build.

I assume sloped false bottom means great drainage so a bit of ledge at the end and a thin layer of soil with some leaves and moss on, that way it will drain the water efficiently right?

Thanks again :2thumb:


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

Agree completely that how you decorate a viv is entirely personal choice and taste.  My only intention is to demonstrate to those entering the hobby now that the traditional inside tank backgrounds are only an option, and not a must. 

Brysaa, no need to slope the egg crate/filter grid as water will just go straight through it just fine. If you are worried about drainage that much, you could always put a thin layer of leca on top of the first layer of net, then another layer of net on top of that and your sub on that. It really isn't required though.

The simple answer to maximising floor space with the substrate is, don't lay it flat. Make hills and dips and terraces.  The viv in that pic actually has a pond in the middle, but at 100cm long there's more than enough space for this.  It's shallow enough though for my leucs to hop straight through it. The design of it also gives them more shady hiding spots (which they don't use. lol) as the cork branches and a piece of cork bridge it. I also tend to have the substrate deeper at the back banking down to the front. Ok the space this creates is quite tiny, but it helps to give an illusion of depth.

Ade


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## brysaa2 (Oct 11, 2009)

Wolfenrook said:


> Agree completely that how you decorate a viv is entirely personal choice and taste.  My only intention is to demonstrate to those entering the hobby now that the traditional inside tank backgrounds are only an option, and not a must.
> 
> Brysaa, no need to slope the egg crate/filter grid as water will just go straight through it just fine. If you are worried about drainage that much, you could always put a thin layer of leca on top of the first layer of net, then another layer of net on top of that and your sub on that. It really isn't required though.
> 
> ...


Sounds good Ade, I tend to do this my my vivs anyway so that's a good start :2thumb: just made another crestie viv and went a bit OTT but hey, good practise :2thumb:

Taken on board what you said, thanks for that bud. Want to try and breed my tree frogs first then concentrate on dart viv build, as mentioned I think I'll post a thread in here for my dart antics and put an initial idea On there for everyone to pull apart :2thumb: haha.

Yeah cool, regarding ent vivs if I went with an exo as they are more readily accessible that should be fine right? Just cover half the mesh or more and use false bottom with drain in a corner. Just realising how many more exo there are about for cheaper :lol2: :no1:

Rob


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

If you literally mean an exo, remove the mesh entirely, it goes rusty on dart vivs rather quickly. Easy enough to do, just replace it with some twin wall polycarbonate with a vent, or even glass.

The rest is all about sealing any gaps in doors, lid etc so very small fruit flies can't get out.

If you have the space though, have a look at these: Midland Aquatics and Reptile Centre Limited. No gaps in the doors, mesh doesn't rust so if you want you can just cover it, and the mesh vent at the front needs covering with some finer netting as the holes are big enough for a mel to craw through. I removed the mesh from the lid though and replaced it with twin wall with vents:-










Was quite easy to do.

Ade


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## fatlad69 (Oct 22, 2009)

I removed the mesh from my exo and replaced it the Perspex panels and had a vent stop in the middle covered with mesh from Dartfrog - Everything for the Amphibian Keeper. I also removed the cover for the vent at the front and lined it with the same mesh. I used and aquarium heater under the false bottom and it gives me a temp around 72f and humidity at a constant 80%.


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## brysaa2 (Oct 11, 2009)

Cheers once again chaps.

Yeah fatlad was thinking the same with the bottom vents just mesh them over!

Yeah my top mesh seems ok on my tree frog one and I always spray through it :lol2: I don't know if it's coz I dry it well I the day or if it's just from the lack of humidity compared to darts, which I imagine it is!

@fatlad so you just top up the false bottom and don't spray you mean and rely on the heater or do you have a mister set up too?


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

My Regina are in an exo, mesh is getting quite rusty now and needing replacing. The front vent on that I bought some fine mesh ribbon from Hobbycraft and siliconed it over the front vent on the outside.  So simple. 

Ade


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## fatlad69 (Oct 22, 2009)

brysaa2 said:


> Cheers once again chaps.
> 
> Yeah fatlad was thinking the same with the bottom vents just mesh them over!
> 
> ...


The mesh on my exo went rusty so that is why i changed it. If you take the cover off the inside of the front vent you can put mesh behind it then replace, looks like was made that way.

I still hand spray twice a day but with the constant humidity I can go away for the weekend without worrying. I also made some simple fruit fly breeding huts that stay in the viv all the time. It is a film canister with a small hole and some fruit fly media inside. The fruit flies lay their eggs in it and hey presto fruit flies. Great if I am away for a few days the frogs still get fed.


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## brysaa2 (Oct 11, 2009)

fatlad69 said:


> The mesh on my exo went rusty so that is why i changed it. If you take the cover off the inside of the front vent you can put mesh behind it then replace, looks like was made that way.
> 
> I still hand spray twice a day but with the constant humidity I can go away for the weekend without worrying. I also made some simple fruit fly breeding huts that stay in the viv all the time. It is a film canister with a small hole and some fruit fly media inside. The fruit flies lay their eggs in it and hey presto fruit flies. Great if I am away for a few days the frogs still get fed.


Sounds like a great idea, I read an article the other day about a chap that used a fish filter inside his tank to breed fruit flies in so they colonised and popped out now and again through a hole to feed the frogs :2thumb:


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## fatlad69 (Oct 22, 2009)

This method only provides a few flies but encourages the flies from escaping. Cost next to nothing to make. I just clean the feeder out every couple of weeks. If I am away for a few days I make sure that a new feeder had been put in about a fortnight before hand so the flies will emerge when I am away. Not fool proof but works pretty well.


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