# Breeding Mantella laevigata pics



## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

Here is a crummy pic of my mantella laevigata's in amplexus. ONe male is trying to wrestle the other off of the females back. They have been courting like this for the last 2 hours. I am very hopeful. Sorry for the picture quality, but I didn't want to disturb them by putting bright light on them, since this film canister is in a shaded area. Enjoy,








I have never seen any of my frogs in amplexus before, isn't it exciting?

Ed Parker


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## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

*Very* cool pic.

A triple-decker.

s


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## Derek Benson (Feb 19, 2004)

I didn't think mantellas went into amplexus? Thought the females jsut laid eggs and the males stayed around to fertilize them. I was reading a book Mantellas by Marc S., and that's what I gathered? 

Very cool laevigata picture. I have a lone laevigata, and it's a very cool animal.


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

IT isn't REALLY amplexus that they do, but they still climb on the females back, and perform a similar courtship ritual. Especially with the laevigata's, this is common. Marc's book mentions this I believe. I would have to go look it up though. I am still very hopeful. The other male finally gave up then left these 2 alone. They are so neat how they interact with each other. 

Ed Parker


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## Ben_C (Jun 25, 2004)

Derek,
You are correct, they don't go into amplexus.

Ed,
Nice pictures, good luck with them!

~Ben


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

WOOHOO!!!! I just checked the first film canister that I found them in and there is an egg!!! Now, they are all going for another canister. I can't believe it, I just barely moved them into this vivarium on last sunday. How crazy is that!!!


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## Derek Benson (Feb 19, 2004)

Very cool. Especially since most lay in bamboo and yours did in a film canister in some cork. Very clever idea. Will you be removing the eggs after a day or two? I heard theat they lay a few eggs, because the firs tone eats the others? A type of egg feeder, or atleast similar.


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

I am going to see if it hatches first, and if the female will return to the site to feed it infertile eggs. Marc S mentions that if you remove the tadpoles to raise them yourself, it takes about twice as long for them to morph and they are about half the size. So, if she will feed it then she can take care of it. If not, I will. I am very hopeful for future eggs now though. And she only laid one egg in the canister, which is consistent with the information on bamboofrog.org. I am just so happy.

Ed Parker


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## Derek Benson (Feb 19, 2004)

In that case, I'd hope that the female would take care of it. The site you mentioned, bamboofrog.org is very good. I read it when I first got my single laevigata, but never got around to getting anymore. They are very cool frogs and I like the fact that they climb more than others. Hope the egg is fertile, and the tad hatches well. Be sure and get some pictures when things settle down. Good luck


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

When things settle down??? You mean, if things settle down?? They are still fighting over the other film canister. IF theywould just look around, they would find plenty of canisters. I will definitely post if the egg is fertile, and if the female takes care of it. Still crossing my fingers though. I shouldhave more in the other canister by now, I just don't want to disturb them. Anyway, hope for the best !!!!! 

Ed Parker


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## Ben_C (Jun 25, 2004)

Good Luck! Dr. Heying's site is very informative, indeed! Not sure if she put her disscertation online or not, but I have it in *.pdf if anybody is interested...
~Ben


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

I am interested!!! I would love to see it. 

Thanks ben,

Ed Parker


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## Ben_C (Jun 25, 2004)

Ed,
just e-mailed it to you...
~B


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## Christian (Mar 8, 2004)

*wowowowowow*

I want it please.....



For the mantella prince..... your are some lucky ^@#$%^&*(&^%$#.....


I wish you a lot of little mantella....


Christian


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## Ben_C (Jun 25, 2004)

Christian, 
what is your e-mail addy?
~B


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## Christian (Mar 8, 2004)

[email protected]


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

Just found another egg in the same film canister!!!!! I haven't had a chance to check the one in the log yet, because they won't leave it alone. I bet their is a bunch of eggs in it, seeing how 2 males and 1 female have been in it everytime I check for the last 5 hours!!!! HOORAY, it is so exciting

Ed Parker


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## Derek Benson (Feb 19, 2004)

Awesome. What ratio do you have?


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

I have a 3.2 ratio I believe


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## steelcube (Mar 17, 2004)

Ben... could you send one to me?? Thanks.

Steven


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

Well, I was examining some of the eggs this morning, and I can see a vertebrae and a head forming in one of the eggs. I have received 8 eggs total now from them in the last two days!!! I am so excited, their tads and frogs are supposed to be really hardy and I can't wait to raise them up. I will get some pics of the developing eggs when they are a little bit more noticeable.

Ed Parker


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

Just wanted to post this pic of 2 fertile eggs, day 3








Hooray!!!

Ed Parker


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## Derek Benson (Feb 19, 2004)

So, I take it you removed them form the parent's tank?


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

I removed these 5 from the parents tank, because they kept stepping on them. I left 3 that were in the film canisters un disturbed, to see if they would develop and if the parents would care for them.


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

Just a quick update, I have one large tadpole from the first group of eggs. He unfortunately ate the other tadpole with him . However, since then I have gotten 10 eggs, and so far 4 have been fertilized. So, they are getting much better at breeding. Hooray!!!

Ed Parker


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

Is that a FW clam in there?


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

hehe, no it is just a rock. I bagged the gravel idea though, heard of to many horror stories with using gravel and rocks.


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

What's wrong with gravel?


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

The tadpoles can get stuck underneath it, and then they grow so fast that they can't get out, and then die. I have seen it happen a few times. It is also a problem with breeding fish. i can't tell you how many guppy fry I have lost because of this. SO, to errr on the save side, I won't use gravel until the tads are large enough to not fit in the cracks. If you use sand, or a really small gravle, you shouldn't have aproblem though.

Ed Parker


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## steelcube (Mar 17, 2004)

So Ed, How did you set up their terrarium and get them to breed?

SB


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

Just a quick update on how things are coming a long. enjoy

Ed


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## Devin Edmonds (Mar 2, 2004)

Looking good Ed! Make sure to keep us updated with more photos in the future,


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## yuri (Feb 18, 2004)

Hey Ed,

Any updates on your mantella tadpoles?

Yuri


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

Hey yuri, 
I forgot all about this post. I have had 3 froglets morph out in the last few weeks, three more should be out this week, and then I have about 20 tadpoles, and the parents are still laying fertile eggs every week !!! I will get some pics up soon. I have to fix my camera, seeing how my mom dropped it and destroyed it . Thanks for the interest,

Ed Parker


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## yuri (Feb 18, 2004)

Gret news Ed.

Have you had success lately with other species of Mantella?

Yuri


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

not really, I have been getting clutches from my viridis, but haven't really produced anything from them. I am going to set up some milotympanum this weekend, and get them going, as well as a few other species nwo that I have mates for some of them. The milotympanum I have are very bold, and I would expect to breed fairly soon. THey even call from their quarantine home right now, very outgoing. I will keep this board posted though as too when I do have more success. 

Ed parker


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

Just a few pics of the froglets


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## Devin Edmonds (Mar 2, 2004)

Thanks for updating the photos Ed. Miniature replicas of the adults, very cool. Next time they lay, could you take a few pics of the eggs and their location in your terrarium? Thanks for sharing the pictures,


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## Ryan (Feb 18, 2004)

How many have morphed, and are morphing?


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

Ryan, I have 3 froglets that have morphed. Another tad should morph by tonight or tomorrow. Then I have 5 tads with back legs, should be out within a few weeks, then I have several tads with no legs, should be out in a month or two. I also have several eggs that were just laid last night, as well as a few developing eggs. They fertilize about 30% of the eggs that they lay. 

Devin, here are some pics of the egg sites, and some of the eggs.

Right Side of Viv- A. Film canister in cork, water trickles down around canister B. Right corner of viv, sits inside little pouch made of coco liner C. Right side of viv, sits in another pouch. B is used most often, but all have had successful fertilizations in them.









Left side of viv - D. Film canister sunk down into hollow cork tube, has tads in it as of now E. Canister in pouch on left side wall - tad just morphed out of it last week F. Water feature - pond, has large tad in it now, had one morph out of it - tons of trophic eggs have been laid in it to feed the first tadpole it raised.









Right corner Pouch, has about 3 eggs in it









Left side canister, also has a few eggs in it









Hollow cork tube canister, has afew eggs and a few tads









I hope this helps you out, take care,

Ed Parker

by the way, they have not produce any eggs in the canister I have just suction cupped to the glass. They have laid eggs in the water feature in the left front corner of the vivarium, as well as ontop of a rock that constantly has a stream of water running over it, and on the cork log that has a trickle of water running down it.


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