# Frogs & Toads > Dart Frogs (Dendrobatidae) > Beginner Discussion >  Newbie questions

## newbiefrogger12

Hi all 
This my first post. I am also looking to get my first dart frog. I am only 14 so everything needs to be mom approved. For those of you who are worrying I am not going to care for it i also care for a couple herps. I have all the tanks in my room and my mom doesn't really want anymore large tanks. It would have to be a 12x12x18. I wan looking at COMPLETE 12x12x18 Dart Frog Kit - Complete Dart Frog Kits | Josh's Frogs would this be O.k.? For frogs I was thinking of getting 2 Dendrobates imitators. I dont want to have the female-female or male-male conflict. Do i have to have male-female? I really dont want to breed them having no place to put them. Based on your experience is it hard to cultivate your own fruit flies and spring bugs? If you have any input or questions just post. Thanks

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## Brett

For your very first dart, I'd do the same kit and stuff, but buy a pair of Dendrobates leucomelas, or Bumblebee dart frogs. They're bigger and a bit easier to care for than Ranitomeya imitator. And fruit flies are easy to culture in my experience, but it takes several days to produce. There's plenty of articles on this site for you to read as well!

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## newbiefrogger12

May i ask why they are easyer to care for or is it just there bigger. I liked the idea of then being both small and bold.

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## Brett

If I'm not mistaken, leucs can tolerate a far wider range of conditions, as well as last longer without food if you wind up with a shortage of fruit flies or something. Chances are, you'll wind up addicted beyond hope of recovery just like the rest of us dart froggers!

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## newbiefrogger12

I am fine looking at diffrent frogs as long as they are active. Thats pretty much why i wanted the immitator specificly.


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## newbiefrogger12

I just did the reading on the lecus I think i will go with them. How do you get the substrate to stick to the top of the tank so you can grow plants up there. Is the substrate that comes with the joeys kit O.K.


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## Will

The substrate that comes with the kit is fine.  That is what I have in all my enclosure.  The ABG soil mix is fantastic for growing plants and the darts love the leaf litter.  My Tincs have a little tunnel system built under all the leaves.  As far as plants on the background that is a different beast, those are custom made and will take about a week to 2 weeks to setup and cure to be frog safe.  There are a bunch of videos on youtube that show how to build a custom background in Dart frog enclosures.  Hope that info helps!

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## newbiefrogger12

I love making backgrouds so this might work. So far I have made a lepoard gecko insert. A 500 gallon iquana tank. A fully custom bearded dragon tank. Now making a mali uromastix tank. So this will be easy and cool.

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## newbiefrogger12

Is there anything else i need to know just like little random tips and stuff


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## Will

So there is another just getting into darts and there have been some really good info and tips passed on through that thread.  Take a read of this thread http://www.frogforum.net/dart-frogs-...ere-start.html and then let me know if you have any questions.

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## newbiefrogger12

Shuld I get 2 males or 2 females or a male female but i dont want to breed.


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## Brett

I have zero experience with D. leucomelas, but I've heard that they are excellent group frogs, so they will do fine if they're a female-female or male-male pair.

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