# Frogs & Toads > Mantella & Other Mantellidae > General Discussion >  Questions for mantella owners

## AbranV

I'm in the planning stage for my next frog vivarium, and would like to build it with for a specific species. My problem is that I have it narrowed down to a hand full of darts and mantellas, but that's as far as I've gotten. 

I've been researching the different species I'm interested and so far nothing has helped me make a decision. My questions for all of you mantella owners out there.....

What do you like best about mantellas? And why?

What was your deciding factor in choosing to keep mantellas?

What are the pros and cons of keeping mantellas?

What is your favorite type of mantellas? And why

Is there a breeder/supplier that you could suggest? Or if you're a breeder, what are we looking at for availability, type, price and shipping to Oregon?

Thanks for any answers to my questions!

-Abran

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## Paul

I have kept mantella in the past and can share why I chose them when I did.

I chose Mantella because they are not hyper popular. I wanted something not many others had and wanted to do my part to try and breed them and increase their CB numbers. 

Pros and Cons. - One main thing I warn anyone when looking into Mantellas is that most of them are super secretive. You will see them out from time to time, but the 5 Mantella I kept were more commonly seen running for cover as I approached the tank. Mantella are also very sensitive to temperature variations. My Mantella group sadly passed away due to a drop in ambient temp during an extremely cold winter night (around 65f)

I purchased mine from LLL Reptile... not a whole lot of options for purchasing CB mantella in the US as far as I know. Some FB groups will have them for sale from time to time.

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## bill

Like Paul, I kept them because they were less common, but really fell in love with them. They are like a combination dart frog and tree frog. Their care is like a a dart, but I found them to be temp sensitive as well. I didn't have much of an issue with them being secretive. They also need to have their seasons cycled to breed, like a tree frog. Something to keep in mind, especially if you are looking to breed your new charges. 

Otherwise, they are great frogs and would highly recommend them. Joshua (mantellaguy) is one of the tops in the mantella world. Hopefully, he will chime in with a ton of excellent info  :Smile: 


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

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## AbranV

I'm thinking along the same lines as you guys. The mantellas just don't seem to be as common, at least that's what I'm finding in my research. I also like that they are smaller than some darts and I loved the few that I've seen in person.

Another issue that I'm coming across is that I have been stuck on the green-backed mantella (M. laevigata) ever since seeing them in a couple of the exotic animal library books. That jet black and green combo is beautiful. 

BUT.....from what I've researched these are some of the harder to find mantellas, and they're also more endangered in the wild if I remember correctly. Not to discount the other mantella species, I'm also interested in them as well. I don't know if its the designer in me coming out, but that black and green....

As far as breeding is concerned, I'm not too interested. If the starsi align and mother nature were to take over, and I get viable eggs. Let's just say that there would be a dance of joy in the Vigil household. 

I have the same problem picking a frog as I do designing/building  furniture. Too many options, colors, styles to decide from. Its hard to commit to a single idea! Oh well, I guess that's all part of the fun of frogs.

Thanks again guys, I appreciate your information. As always, any helpful advice is welcome

-Abran

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## bill

I think the biggest problem with mantellas, at least in the states, is that a very high majority are wc specimens. I had a quarter of M. Baroni last year that I was told were cb, but after a few days I figured out they were wc. They never acclimated and passed one after another after some time. If you decide to go the mantella route, deal with understory enterprises only. They do have a breeding program for mantellas. 

And for what it's worth, there are some really beautiful black and green darts as well  :Smile: 


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

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## bill

I am also like you in the respect that breeding really doesn't interest me. If I have tads, Wonderful, if not, I am happy with just the frogs. I just thought I would add the breeding info, just in case  :Smile: 


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

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## James

Late to the thread.


I'm not an expert on Mantellas (others are more qualified), but I have experience with them and am constantly learning more.


Paul and Bill have given excellent advice / comments. I have similar reasons for choosing Mantellas. 


First, I have always been interested in Madagascar, Tanzania, Seychelles, Mauritius as a starter.


I first became interested in Mantellas in the early 1990's...picked some up at a local non-chain pet store.  Bought a couple golden ones (aurantiaca) and a couple of red ones that had more bumpy skin and black ear spots.
They thought that all of them were the same type, but now we know that the red ones were milotypanum. Beautiful and unique frogs at the time….friends commented that the goldens looked like little men in orange suits that would pose all day.


Not much information was available in the pre-internet days !
 The wild caught Mantellas back then were unfortunately cheap and little was known about taking care of them and as a result, multitudes were sold and subsequently perished…..this was ghastly in retrospect.


The only dart frog I remember being sold back then were tincs.


I had the mantellas about a year before they died. The goldens layed eggs once but the eggs weren't fertile (which we now know is common for goldens).  From there I concentrated on breeding endangered day geckos for several years, but eventually didn't have as much time to devote and got out of the hobby altogether and transferred my collection to friends.


Jump forward several years and I wanted to get back into frogs....and I definitely no longer wanted to be constantly buying crickets (cost, and smell, etc.)


So it was either dart frogs or mantellas (your question).


I chose mantellas because 
- They are from Madagascar
- I knew they they were great frogs from having them before
- I knew they did great in groups
- I can raise their food (fruit flies, isopods, etc) and only periodically buy crickets to supplement.
- They are daytime frogs and aren’t calling at night.
- Not that many people raise them
- Even though they are more tricky to get to breed...I liked the challenge and this fills a void from the day gecko days of figuring it out.


Last year, I decided to jump in and have acquired/ set up breeding groups for seven species so far. (No where near what Joshua (mantellaguy) has in the UK):
- aurantiaca
- baroni
- betsileo (copper/reddish back)
- bernhardi
- nigricans
- pulchra
- viridis


The aurantiaca were cb from Understory. The viridis were cb from Josh's Frogs and Understory. 


The rest unfortunately were wc. 
I tried to get cb as much as possible, but with so few cb available in the US and the need for additional bloodlines I bit the bullet when they became available from the last import.


I have successfully taken them through quarantine and acclimated them. I lost very few frogs during this experience, with the biggest hit being from the betsileo. I’m happy to say that they are doing great after 10 months and so much so that I recently started cycling them. We’ll see what happens this year.




As I mentioned, I'm no expert but I can give you my insight with the behavior of the ones that I have and my experiences thus far. 


 There are a lot of differences in reported behavior, etc. Mantellas and part of this, I feel may be due to different bloodlines (different import populations). I suspect that this also happens comparing different bloodlines / sourcing of dart frogs as well. I also know from my experience that individual differences exist within my groups….some individual frogs seem to be more curious. Also this behavior may change once they are in breeding mode.


BTW Devin Edmond's site is a great one for Mantella info and pictures: Mantella Frogs


aurantica - These are the most active ones I have. Both males and females are out and active during the day. They cannot climb the glass very well and also have problems with water that is too deep….I unfortunately lost one this way even though I had a way for them to climb out. Now the water available is only deep enough for them to stand in with their heads out of the water. I don’t have this worry with the others I have. They don’t seem to dig much into the moss under the hides, but sometimes one of the males will. They have a low jump.


berhardhi - These are my second boldest / active….and the smallest mantella. They call often (only mantilla with a trill call) even when it’s not mating season! They are intermediate climbers and like to periodically go into the water and out. They don’t seem to dig much into the moss under the hides. They have a low jump.


nigricans - These are a great color of green similar to the laevigata. These are next in the boldness scale. They stand their ground when I reach into the cage. These also are the escape artists. They jump the highest and can climb the best of the ones I have. They are the only ones that have temporarily escaped. They also are very fond of the water and periodically go into the water and out. They were constantly splashing out the water in the bowl in the quarantine tank and doing their business there. They don’t seem to dig much into the moss under the hides.


baroni - These are next on the boldness scale. They are also the largest mantellas I have.They have phenomenal colors and bright orange legs.  They can climb fairly well. Not as interested in the water. They don’t seem to dig much into the moss under the hides. They have a medium jump.


betsileo - The ones I have are copper/reddish on their backs rather than brown. These are intermediate in boldness for me. They also have some ability to climb glass but less than others. They don’t seem to enter the water much. They dig a little into the moss under the hides. They have a low jump.


viridis - The males periodically come out during the day, but the females hide. Interestingly they are most active at dusk and for a while after the lights go out. They can climb and jump very well, just under the nigricans’ skill. They don’t seem to go into the water on purpose, but have no problem with it if they happen to misjudge their jump. They like to dig into the moss under the hides.


pulchra - These are the most secretive I have, but are really beautiful…including a bright red leg flash, metallic heads, and blue/green side patches.  Even though they are secretive, they don’t seem to panic if the hide they are under is lifted up, etc. ...they just cringe a little. They don’t climb the glass as well as others and also do not jump too high. They love to dig a lot into the moss under the hides.






cb Commercial Sources:
Josh’s frogs sells cb viridis. (they have some right now)
Understory sells cb aurantica, cb viridis and a few others.


Both of these sources are great. Otherwise check the boards for hobby breeders....do your homework.


Most Mantellas listed for sale commercially are wild caught. I think the last import from Madagascar was late 2013/early 2014 and this was the first one in a few years. That’s the shipment that my WC came from to put together my breeding groups. 
As Bill alluded to, it can be painful seeing frogs not make it during quarantine / acclimatization. You need to know what you are doing and not take it lightly.
That’s why I also recommend cb when possible.


These are my observations so far….as you can see they are all great but different.
It comes down to personal choice (and availability unfortunately)


My top personal favs from what I have are the aurantica, bernhardi, nigricans, pulchra….but they are all great and no regrets.


(Choosing Mantellas doesn’t preclude one from having darts as well  :Wink: 


Cheers!


James

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## James

Just wanted to correct my typing in that they do call at night as well.

I meant to type that they "aren't calling at night as loudly as tree/reed frogs" (IMO)

J

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