# Breeding Pumilio and other "Thumbnail" species



## CharValley (Feb 29, 2016)

I have had success keeping and breeding a number of the larger Dendro's. I have kept pumilio's and R. fantasticus - white banded. I have had some difficulties with these smaller jewels. Some feeding issues, escapes and a "mysterious" death or two. But my female white banded is going on her 3rd year in my care and she is looking nice and healthy with a good body weight.

During my breeding of the larger Dendro's I have never seen an issue of keeping different species next to each other. Whether or not they could see each other there was breeding in those tanks with no visible influence or conflict by neighboring breeding pair.

Now the new pairs that I have, my Green Gold Dust and Colon Draco seem to be having a competition between males. They seem to be in a calling battle where once one stops the other begins almost immediately. The Draco male seems to have the loudest and longest call, I wonder if I could hold my breathe as long as he does LOL.

My question is, Does the fact that they can see each other influence or interrupt possible breeding with one or both pair?

I moved the tanks so that neither pair can see each other but they still do seem to be influenced by the calling back and forth. I'm just wondering if I shouldn't do some thing else to help promote breeding. I have 3 more pair coming in March and wanted to ask if any one has had experience with this question in their own breeding success or failures and any recommendations to help my hobby promote the best possible breeding success.

Thanks for your experience and recommendations in advance 

Charlie


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## medusa (Oct 30, 2011)

Hi Charlie!
In many frogs having the chorus of competing males calling is a stimulus for female egg production/breeding. I am not sure if it has been shown to work this way with dart frogs, but I would not be surprised if it has, or is in the future. Usually darts don't have any problem breeding when kept in single pairs, but some other frogs are reluctant to breed without competing calling. As long as they are not in contact with each other to actually fight and chase each other I don't think there is any harm in them hearing the others calling. It won't deter them, and may actually encourage them.

Back in the '90s frog keepers including myself used to make recordings (on cassette tape!) and play them back to their frogs in an attempt to stimulate breeding. I am not sure if it actually worked, for me at least. But it was fun doing it anyway. Does anyone still do this?


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## CharValley (Feb 29, 2016)

Hey Medusa!

Thanks for that experience of yours with the calling. I know that I have sought out calls from specific species if I only have one pair of that species and breeding seems to stall. 

Like you I believe that having other frogs calling and able to hear a competition of other males calling seems to stimulate breeding. I'm not sure but it could also be stimulating the female to develop eggs to be laid knowing that a mating male is available to her.

My only concern was that all my breeding experience is with the larger Dendrobates and I wasn't sure if the same experience with the calling would hold true with the smaller pumilio's. 

The Draco is so loud that when the male Basti is calling you can barely tell he is making noise, so I wasn't sure if the female basti would be adversely effected by that and more importantly would being able to have each pair be able to see each other if that visual of a louder male seen by the female from the other pair might not want to focus on him and loose track of her pair partner in the tank she is in.


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## CharValley (Feb 29, 2016)

There is something else I want to say here even though this is not the thread I want to put it in. For some reason my account was lost along with all of the post credit I had received, so I can not post this review under "Vendor Review".

I recently purchase a group of Isopods and springtails from medusa. I wanted to seed my pumilio tanks before I received the frogs so timing was important to me. Also, I had just received a shipment of springtails from a Retail vendor and was very disappointed by what I received.

Medusa not only took the time to help me with how to work with springtails and the isopods but had a variety of isopods and explained the pro's and con's of each type.

Medusa worked with me on the type of payment, my scheduling/delivery needs and helped me feel comfortable with how to maintain both types. The price that he asked for the isopods and springtails was very reasonable.

Most importantly is that when I received the order from him not only did I have healthy and active bugs but there was a generous amount of each type of isopods and the springtails were easily visible and lively. The cultures of springtails were teaming with visible sizes and ages from adult to newly hatching.

After only a few weeks I have moved those cultures into shoe box size tubs and when I open any one of them the top of the charcoal looks like it is coated with powdered sugar and jumping every where. So much so that I can consistently feed and seed tanks from them.

I can not thank Medusa enough for the great value of isopods and springtails that he sent and his willingness to help me with his knowledge of culturing both!

If you are looking for a supply of isopods or springtails and want to be able to order with confidence then I sincerely recommend contacting medusa!
(Triple A Rating!)

Thanks again Medusa!

Charlie


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## medusa (Oct 30, 2011)

I had to "like" and "thank you" for that post, haha 

You bring up an interesting question about whether the presence of a louder male stud will distract a female from her wimpy (arranged marriage) mate. I really don't know. Hopefully she won't hold out for a male she can't even contact. But again, its an interesting question.


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