# Frogs & Toads > Dart Frogs (Dendrobatidae) > Beginner Discussion >  Best beginner frogs?

## tommyvercetti

Hi,

I am an avid aquarium keeper, and I've kept quite a few reptiles.  The only frog I've ever kept was a PAC-man which lived for many years.  

I tend to keep the fish which do well in my water, instead of adjusting my water to suit a particular fish.  I have hard water, approx. 400 TDS, from a well.

I am interested in getting started with some small colorful frogs.  I have a bunch of empty tanks I could use.  I've read a couple of books on poison arrow frogs (Ralf Heselhaus and an old TFH by Jack Wattley et al.)

I don't like to keep any cricket eating animals, since invariably the crickets get out and annoy me with their sounds.

What kind of frog should I start with?  I'd like one with some color and that stays small.  I'd also like a hardy species which can be raised with my well water and can eat something other than crickets.  It would be nice to breed the frogs and raise the tadpoles.  I'd like to set up their habitat with live plants.

The book I read by Ralf Helehaus recommends Phylobates vittatus as a hardy species.

A friend of mine used to keep Dendrobates leucomelas.

I think the Mantellas are pretty, but I am not sure how beginner friendly they are.  

I'd like something with some room for error--if I make a mistake I'd hope that the frogs wouldn't die.  I'd like a frog species which will eat foods which are easy to culture.  I'm not looking for anything rare or unusual, just colorful and small.

Thanks in advance!
J.S.

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## Kevin

Hey there! If you are looking to keep a dart frog leucomelas are the way to go. They are great beginner frogs, leucomelas have great collors, a great call, very bold, hardy, and have personalities. Ill give you some basic information about keeping a dart frog (specifically the leucomelas).

Housing - The standard for dart frogs is 10 gallons per a frog. They may seem small but they are quite territorial. Dart frogs are kept in vivariums, which consist of a drainage layer, soil and real plants. The humidity for these frogs need to be 80%-100% all of the time. Therefore, a class lid will be required covering 90-100% of the top. It is recommended that there are many hides for these frogs. The easier the frog can hide the more often they will be out and about.

Water - Because the humidity is kept so high dart frogs do not require a watering dish/hole. Although, the water used for misting must be RO, distilled, or natural spring water (sorry well water wont work). 

Temperature - Temperatures should be between 70-80 during the day (any higher and it could prove dangerous after a few hours) and can drop to 65 at night (i recommend no lower than 68).

Feeding - Dart frogs are best fed by the use of daily multivitamins powdered onto flightless fruitflies. They are very cheap and easy to culture. It is also recommended that you seed you vivarium with springtails and isopods to act as a secondary food source and cleaners. Although, it is important to not rely on the cleaners as a main food source.. just additional snacks for them.

Lighting - These frogs do not require lighting at all. I recommend a 12hr on/12hr off cycle. The lights are strictly for the plants alone.

I am short on time but continue researching! Any questions? I would be glad to help.

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## Will

> Hey there! If you are looking to keep a dart frog leucomelas are the way to go. They are great beginner frogs, leucomelas have great collors, a great call, very bold, hardy, and have personalities. Ill give you some basic information about keeping a dart frog (specifically the leucomelas).
> 
> Housing - The standard for dart frogs is 10 gallons per a frog. They may seem small but they are quite territorial. Dart frogs are kept in vivariums, which consist of a drainage layer, soil and real plants. The humidity for these frogs need to be 80%-100% all of the time. Therefore, a class lid will be required covering 90-100% of the top. It is recommended that there are many hides for these frogs. The easier the frog can hide the more often they will be out and about.
> 
> Water - Because the humidity is kept so high dart frogs do not require a watering dish/hole. Although, the water used for misting must be RO, distilled, or natural spring water (sorry well water wont work). 
> 
> Temperature - Temperatures should be between 70-80 during the day (any higher and it could prove dangerous after a few hours) and can drop to 65 at night (i recommend no lower than 68).
> 
> Feeding - Dart frogs are best fed by the use of daily multivitamins powdered onto flightless fruitflies. They are very cheap and easy to culture. It is also recommended that you seed you vivarium with springtails and isopods to act as a secondary food source and cleaners. Although, it is important to not rely on the cleaners as a main food source.. just additional snacks for them.
> ...


Great job with the write up Kevin!  I think you just about hit everything I could think of.

Personally I am a big fan of the Dendrobates Tinctorius Cobalt.  They are hardy, colorful and just like Kevin said they have great personalities as well. Good luck on your search.  They are fun to watchand will give hours of enjoyment!

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## tommyvercetti

Thank you very much for the information.  I am leaning toward the leucomelas, but haven't decided as of yet.

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## S13

Although crickets can get annoying.. (speed, ability to jump, smell, etc.), I have never heard and of the crickets I get make any noise.  The ones I get are small/medium though that's why.

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## dsaundry

I like the Tinc's myself, My blue Azures are bold and not shy at all. Beautiful colour as well. Some Auratus are super easy and have nice colours as well but are usually a bit shy. Leuc's are very cool too. Auratus will breed quite easily too as well.

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## T3RR1B1L15

Dendrobates leucomelas seem to be very good beginners' frogs. They are attractive, social, easily bred, and don't have any specialized requirements unique to them (like pumilio need bromeliads and some tincs need flowing water).
Other very good frogs for beginners are tincs (including azureus), most Phyllobates species, and auratus.
I'd go with the leucomelas myself, but tincs and terribilis are close rivals for the title of "best beginner frog".

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## J Teezy

i'd say leucs as well.  Very bold and active.  Mine are out pretty much the whole time the light is on.  Everything has been hit on that you need to know.  Main staple of food is fruit fly.  I feed melo's as they culture easy and reproduce faster than hydei and are smaller.  You'll want to use distilled,RO, or bottled water to make your ff cultures.  Mist with RO or distilled and that really about it.  Throw down some leaf litter as your top soil layer and toss in a coco hut, seed with springtails.  Let your plants establish in the viv for at least a month before adding frogs.  Very easy to care for.  I spot clean poop and the glass about once a week.  Pretty much do my cleaning and FF culturing on sundays

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## tommyvercetti

> i'd say leucs as well.  Very bold and active.  Mine are out pretty much the whole time the light is on.  Everything has been hit on that you need to know.  Main staple of food is fruit fly.  I feed melo's as they culture easy and reproduce faster than hydei and are smaller.  You'll want to use distilled,RO, or bottled water to make your ff cultures.  Mist with RO or distilled and that really about it.  Throw down some leaf litter as your top soil layer and toss in a coco hut, seed with springtails.  Let your plants establish in the viv for at least a month before adding frogs.  Very easy to care for.  I spot clean poop and the glass about once a week.  Pretty much do my cleaning and FF culturing on sundays


Thanks a lot!  Leucomelas it is!  Great to hear how successful you all have been with them without doing too much work.

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## ShelbyFFS

I think all the suggestions were good. If you have raised fish you will probably do well with frogs because they are easier in my opinion. I am hoping to get some additional frogs I am thinking about what I want to get. Maybe some people can post their favorite frogs and say why they are their favorites.

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## Viv

Well for boldness and their personality, my zarayunga anthonyi are my favorite... But for looks and and general coolness, it would have to be my uakarii. It's all personal prefrence, lots of people like the big tinctorius and dendrobates while I'm a more of a ranitomeya and epipedobates type of guy. Good luck with your darts and remember to always stick to a schedule when you are making fruit flies...

-Alex

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