# What Supplement do you use?



## vivlover10 (Oct 10, 2010)

There are tons out there and was wondering which ones you use and how good they are?


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

There's only 6-7 commonly available in the U.S

I'd use em all in a rotation.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

I mostly use Repashy calcium plus ICB. Sometimes I use Rep-Cal with D and Herptivite.


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## Woodsman (Jan 3, 2008)

Repashy Calcium plus ICB and I cut it with equal parts of Repashy Superpig (color enhancer). I suppliment every day.

Good luck whichever you choose, Richard.


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## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

Whenever I feed I mix up Repashy Calcium Plus ICB and Repashy SuperVite. Once a week I also feed Repashy Superpig for color enhancement.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/57816-oh-no-supplements.html

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/fo...-supplementation-dusting-powder-rotation.html

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/44005-supplements-question.html

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/beginner-discussion/50287-many-supplements.html


This is a selection from a number of threads found using the search function. 

Ed


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## fleshfrombone (Jun 15, 2008)

Ed said:


> http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/57816-oh-no-supplements.html
> 
> http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/fo...-supplementation-dusting-powder-rotation.html
> 
> ...


What's the search function? You mean I can thumb through thousands of pertinent threads stored up over the years that could answer practically any question I could have about dart frogs and their care? What a novel idea!


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Repashy Calcium Plus ICB with just a bit (maybe 10 percent) Repashy Superpig for color.
Doug


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## mcadoo (Oct 16, 2006)

I rotate every other day between Rapashy ICB w/ Calcium, Rep-Cal Herptivite, and Rep-Cal Calcium w/ D and add Repashy Superpig to one feeding weekly or every two weeks.


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## WendySHall (Aug 31, 2010)

I use a 50/50 mix of Repashy Calcium Plus ICB and Repashy SuperVite every time I feed. I'd also like to add SuperPig at some point also.


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

common supp lists include the following

rep-cal
herptivite
repashy ICB
repashy superpig (or paprika)

and many choose to add one or more of the following:

dendrocare
superpreen
(human grade/ powdered) retinol

wendy: you should consider using your supplements in rotation rather than mixing them. 

james


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## WendySHall (Aug 31, 2010)

james67 said:


> wendy: you should consider using your supplements in rotation rather than mixing them.
> 
> james


Why rotation? 

I usually just mix a small (equal) amount of each for dusting each week. Does that somehow make them ineffective?


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

the supplements are sold separately because they have compounds that can degrade each other when mixed, resulting in a loss of effectiveness. im not sure just how quickly this happens, but this is one reason we generally rotate instead of mix.

james


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

WendySHall said:


> Why rotation?
> 
> I usually just mix a small (equal) amount of each for dusting each week. Does that somehow make them ineffective?


Hi Wendy,

Ed has produced a good deal of excellent info on this - shelf life, mixing supps, degradation ect. Search for it under his posts / screen name. 

As I understand it, mixing supplements does indeed inhibit effectiveness. Even letting the supplements in the dusting container for a week, means that they are degrading markedly.

I think storage of supps in a dark, cool place - I keep mine in the refrig.....is optimal.


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## mantisdragon91 (Jun 2, 2010)

As a quick note I personally shy away from Repcal(its primary source of calcium is crushed oyster shell and with oysters being filter feeders there are some issues of heavy metal toxicity to consider especially in light of how polluted our oceans are becoming). I have personally have had a lot of success with a mix of Nekton, Repashy and MinerAll used in a rotation.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Philsuma said:


> Hi Wendy,
> 
> Ed has produced a good deal of excellent info on this - shelf life, mixing supps, degradation ect. Search for it under his posts / screen name.
> 
> ...


You could also check out the articles in TWI's Leaf Litter magazine.... 

Ed


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## AaronAcker (Aug 15, 2007)

We use 
repashy ICB + Calcium mainly.. We do occasionally rotate a calcium only and a vitamin but probably at a ratio of 7.1.1


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## WendySHall (Aug 31, 2010)

james67 said:


> the supplements are sold separately because they have compounds that can degrade each other when mixed, resulting in a loss of effectiveness. im not sure just how quickly this happens, but this is one reason we generally rotate instead of mix.
> 
> james


Thank you, James. I never truly thought that only being mixed for a week would hurt anything. I figured if you took the WHOLE bag of each and mixed them, there would eventually be problems.



Philsuma said:


> Hi Wendy,
> 
> Ed has produced a good deal of excellent info on this - shelf life, mixing supps, degradation ect. Search for it under his posts / screen name.
> 
> ...


Although I don't consider myself dumb (nearly a 4.0 in my late-in-life college adventure), Ed can really lose me sometimes! Science is definitely NOT my major! Lol!

Ok...so... don't mix... rotate... don't leave them in the container... and keeping them in refrigerator I already had covered. 



Ed said:


> You could also check out the articles in TWI's Leaf Litter magazine....
> 
> Ed


Unfortunately, I don't have access to the magazine. 

BTW... I LOVE your intelligence!


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## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

Sorry to hijack, but is it fine if I mix the two only when I feed?- Meaning they are in separate containers for storage, but I take a pinch of each and put them in the same container for dusting the flies? Do they degrade THAT quickly, like in the hour it takes for the frogs to eat most of the flies? I do keep the supplements in airtight jars in a dark drawer.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Mitch said:


> Sorry to hijack, but is it fine if I mix the two only when I feed?- Meaning they are in separate containers for storage, but I take a pinch of each and put them in the same container for dusting the flies? Do they degrade THAT quickly, like in the hour it takes for the frogs to eat most of the flies? I do keep the supplements in airtight jars in a dark drawer.


I don't think degradation is a concern here, as much as possible absorbtion issues. When mixed and introduced to the animal at the same time, some vitamins and products could compete and their effectiveness could decrease.


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## Rusty_Shackleford (Sep 2, 2010)

I swear I answered this thread a month ago...oh wait I did. Gotta throw in my two cents worth. I use a combination of supplements. I use ICB, Supervite and SuperCal (mixed as directed), Dendrocare, and Rep-Cal and Herptivite (mixed as directed). I use these all in a rotation. When I get a new package of supplements I fill up a clean film canister for everyday use. The rest of the package I put in one of those vacuum sealed zip lock bags. Now here's the cool part. There is a little air pump/vacuum device that sucks all the air out of the bag. I store them in this bag in the fridge till my film canister is empty, then refill the film canister. Since I rotate the supplements the ones not being used on a particular day are also stored in the fridge in a zip lock bag. The supplements are stored in darkness and as near to airtight as I can get them. When taking them out of the fridge I also make sure they warm up at room temp for at least a half hour before opening them. I hope this helps.


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