# Frogs & Toads > Dart Frogs (Dendrobatidae) > Beginner Discussion >  Deep Water and Dart Frogs

## Strider18

Hello everyone, I have been wanting to build a tank with a water feature that is 4-5 inches deep and I was wondering if it is safe with dart frogs. I have read that females will drown eachother but if I do make such a tank for dart frogs will the water be a big deal? Also is their any small frogs that would do good in this habitat? 

Thanks!

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## Strider18

Also would mantellas be good for deeper water?

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## Paul

Mantellas are excellent swimmers! Mine are regularly seen darting across the water (they swim lightning fast).

My Sons Darts don't go in the water in his tank often. I have only seen them soaking their butts in it and not swimming.

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Strider18

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## Strider18

Ok thanks! I am trying to convince my dad to let me build either a 7 foot long plywood tank, or a 4 food long acrylic tank :P I will have to see how that goes, bu it will most likely house some of these

 :Smile:

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## Paul

Ahh Azureus  :Smile:  Those are the Darts my son picked as well. He has 2 of them. They are great fun to watch during the day. They are pretty bold and a very active in his terrarium  :Smile:

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## Strider18

> Ahh Azureus  Those are the Darts my son picked as well. He has 2 of them. They are great fun to watch during the day. They are pretty bold and a very active in his terrarium


Ya I would like tog et some other species eventually, but am holding back for now until I get some more experience with darts in general  :Smile:  Also, I have heard that darts will drown eachother? I read somewhere that the females will sit on a different females head and drown them. Don't know if this is true or not.

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## bill

Poppycock! Poppycock, I say!! You can't believe everything you read on dendroboard  :Wink:  every frog tank I have built, save one, have had deep water and never have I had a frog drown. My M. betsileo used to swim constantly, like Paul's. Before they escaped, my imitators would not only spend a bit of time in their water (6" deep), but would dive in for safety whenever I would go into their enclosure to feed them. And they aren't supposed to be "strong swimmers". 

I have never, to this day, read one factual, first hand, documented account of a frog drowning. Everything you read about it was theory, conjecture and hearsay, but never factual. This is a subject dear to my heart because I came from an aquatic background and I build tanks with water to combine both my loves, so I have done a lot of reading and research on the subject. Don't be afraid of water in an enclosure, just make sure they have easy ways to get out and they will be fine.  :Smile: 


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

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Lady

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## Strider18

Thanks!

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## Skelly98

Azureus! My first darts lol  :Smile:  My darts (both terribilis and azureus) LOVE water, in fact they chill in and around it a lot, and even jump in to grab floating fruit flies that fall in (and sometimes just for fun too, lol). 

Mantellas are beautiful, too. I agree with everyone here, if the water is escapable, it should be fine. My frog's water is only about up to their chests, though, so i'd love to see some frogs with deeper water.

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## Strider18

Ya lol. I have 50 zillion different ideas for frog tanks going through my mind right now. Can't decide which one to keep... But I got a reeally good one last night that no body is going to know  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  At least not yet :Wink:

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