# Frogs & Toads > Dart Frogs (Dendrobatidae) >  Ants in dart frog terrarium?

## Staarbit

I'm not sure if this is the correct place to ask this but here I go!

I'm pretty new to dart frogs; I only got my four azureus about a week ago. But we have a bit of an ant problem at the moment and the ants seem to have found something worth taking in the tank I set up for the frogs. They're absolutely everywhere in there. I read somewhere that ants can make dart frogs poisonous again. Does that count for all ants or just the ones that naturally have a bit of toxicity? My infestation seems to be just normal black ants. Also! If the dart frogs eat them will any harm come to them? or should I start figuring out a way to keep them out of the tank?

Thanks!

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## James

Mites are now thought to be the major food source for inducing toxicity rather than ants, although this may be dependent upon species of frogs and the mites/ants and also the local tropical environment where they exist. I doubt that the black ants will induce any toxicity.

The frogs may eat the ants (depends on frogs and ant type) as ants are part of the normal diet in the wild, but a *bigger concern* is that the ants will stress out / be harmful to the frogs.

I recommend finding a way to keep them out of the tank.  Frogs don't like being "swarmed" by fruit flies (if overfed)  so the same and worse would hold true for ants.



James

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## Lynn

If this were my enclosure , I would remove the frogs to a ( safe) temp tank and get rid of the ants.
Trap them, wait them out , whatever it takes.
I agree with James... the ants could stress the frogs ...or worse..... bite the frogs.

 :Butterfly:

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## bill

i agree with Lynn. i would get the frogs into a temp enclosure and work on eliminating the ants. then you have the biggest question to deal with, where did they come from?

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## Cris

I'd also be worried about the ants having come into contact with chemicals before they entered the viv. You don't want your frog eating them if they've been contaminated by pesticides or fertilizers.

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## Paul

Agree with Lynn and Bill. I wouldn't be concerned about the frogs becoming toxic because of the ant, but to many varriables exist with ants in the tank to risk it.

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## Vivariums In The Mist

You probably also should be concerned with ants in your pants...

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## Lija

Agree with Lynn, Paul and bill!

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