# My new Phyllobates vittatus



## leuc11 (Nov 1, 2010)

here are my new vittatus that I just got today from joshs frogs they are so cool


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## Boomer (Oct 28, 2010)

nice darts . hope to be getting some this weekend for my new tank . hope yours breed for you . enjoy.


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## srrrio (May 12, 2007)

Good for you, nice choice! So with your screen name does that mean you have leucs as well? 

Sally


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Great choice......make sure they have some Magnolia leaves or similar for leaf little.....leaf litter will also make them more bold and visible.....


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Nice! I love vittatus. They are such beautiful frogs.


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## leuc11 (Nov 1, 2010)

No I dont have any leucs yet I just couldn't think of a name. And Philsuma I am planning on removing some of the moss and replacing it with magnolia leaves. besides the moss is a little old over a year and its a little brown in some spots but anyways thanks for the comments I keep you guys updated


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## DJboston (Oct 25, 2008)

That's a species I would love to eventually work with! Have never owned any. Do they do well in groups?


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## leuc11 (Nov 1, 2010)

DJboston said:


> That's a species I would love to eventually work with! Have never owned any. Do they do well in groups?


I hear they do, do well in groups but I only have 2, They are very secretive frog but I do see them, probably because I don't have and leaf litter yet. they gust hang out on the plants and glass. never on the moss I don't know why but they don't, they do however spend allot of time together on a shaded leaf in the back of the terrarium its so cute to. Bailey

________________________

x2 Phyllobates Vittatus


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## alex111683 (Sep 11, 2010)

Like phil said. I would put leaf litter in there.


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## girlwithafrogtattoo (Mar 4, 2009)

those look like some neat little guys! Congrats on your new frogs!


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## leuc11 (Nov 1, 2010)

alex111683 said:


> Like phil said. I would put leaf litter in there.


i will put leaf litter in there and thanks for the posts guys


__________________________

Vittatus


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## david.cravens (Apr 20, 2010)

Very nice vittatus, Phyllobates has become my favorite group to work with. I currently have a group of 7 Phyllobates bicolors, couple of them came from Josh.


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

Here's a video of their parent's vivarium:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=456854798492&ref=mf

They seem to enjoy dimmer vivariums, and spend most of their time in the 'cave'. If they're anywhere else in the vivarium when I approach, they hide. If they're in the 'cave', they sit their and watch me.


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## dwizum (Oct 28, 2010)

I am interested in this species. Can people post up what you're keeping as far as density? i.e. how many individuals of what size/age in what size enclosure? I have found many comments that they are "easy to keep in groups" but little info on density.

Thanks!


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

dwizum said:


> I am interested in this species. Can people post up what you're keeping as far as density? i.e. how many individuals of what size/age in what size enclosure? I have found many comments that they are "easy to keep in groups" but little info on density.
> 
> Thanks!


Density and sex ratio....

Density - same as any other dart frog....."10 gallons per frog". Now before we get ino another huge debate......this "rule of thumb" IS an *over simplification* but I feel it's an accurate *starting point* for a new hobbyist.

Sex Ratio - For P. Vittatus? Any amount of males and/or females....bear in mind that for optimal egg production / survivablity, you would not want more than 2 or 3 females, especially in a smaller size viv.


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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

have 1 M in a 50 gal and 7 more (3 wks ootw) in a 10gal grow out tank and I will be getting 1 more sent to me soon ... so once the 8 growout a lil, ill have 9 in a 50 gal (depending on sex ratio). Mine are VERY skittish and hide with any movement outside the tank even tho my tank is heavily planted with lots of leaf litter. (But I also have a lot of lights on the 50gal due to my broms and jewel orchids.


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## dwizum (Oct 28, 2010)

How about overall habitat? I've seen a few conflicting reports of them staying on the ground vs. using vertical space. Any comments?

Hope I'm not hijacking the thread - just trying to consolidate information since there seem to be several people keeping the species in this thread.


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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

My M sits in the same spot almost all day everyday on the ground, but I have heard the same things u have. I guess every frog is different and it prob depends on "personality" too.


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## porkchop48 (May 16, 2006)

Mine tend to use their whole tank. I have large leafed plants in the tanks and they use them to climb. 

Now when I first put them in their current tank they did hide for a few week. 

The tank they were in before mine was a heavily planted 20 gal ( or 55 I can not remember it has been a few years) One pair stayed on one side one pair stayed on the other side.


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

I keep 2.2, with a couple dozen offspring that morphed in-viv, in an 18x18x24 exo without any problems. I catch the offspring when I can, but it's pretty difficult to keep up with them. I have never seen aggression of any form.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

*Small Vitattus* - froglet to under a year old, will hide _a lot_

*Larger Vittatus* - 1 year and older, will be VERY much more bold

LAYERS...i.e...2-3 layers of leaf little using some large semi curved leaves forming small huts will undeniably make them much more bold.

I keep over @ 40 large leaves in my viv, not counting the underneath layer ect.

I was recently in Costa Rica but I'm afraid it was the "other" coast and I did not get a chance to see these in the wild but I did make an effort to study the behaviour of it's "cousin" P. Lugubris. They stayed on the forest floor and occasionally used rocks and fallen trees / root systems but I did not note them to "Climb". If you study their body habitus, you will see that they aren't really designed for climbing. You may think that they "enjoy" climbing, but that may just be a product of a small viv and very little other places to go.

Like most PDF species...it's hard to "go wrong" with a vivarium design unless it's a massive water feature / palludarium ect.

There a ton's of opinions on this forum and lately, I'm seeing a lot of people who "don't believe others" or who are fishing for the answer they want to hear. Make your choice. I gave you a bunch of my time and experience to either take or leave.


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## dwizum (Oct 28, 2010)

Philsuma said:


> There a ton's of opinions on this forum and lately, I'm seeing a lot of people who "don't believe others" or who are fishing for the answer they want to hear. Make your choice. I gave you a bunch of my time and experience to either take or leave.


Woah.  All I'm doing is asking honest questions. Not sure where or when I've insinuated a lack of appreciation.

That said, I hope it would not be rude of me to ask you to answer the specific question I posted regarding how many of this species are you keeping in what size enclosure? I'm not really looking for vague rules of thumb but rather real data on what people are doing and whether or not it's working. If it's too much effort, or my question is somehow insulting, please feel free to ignore me.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

dwizum said:


> Woah.  All I'm doing is asking honest questions. Not sure where or when I've insinuated a lack of appreciation.
> 
> That said, I hope it would not be rude of me to ask you to answer the specific question I posted regarding how many of this species are you keeping in what size enclosure? I'm not really looking for vague rules of thumb but rather real data on what people are doing and whether or not it's working. If it's too much effort, or my question is somehow insulting, please feel free to ignore me.


Maybe I have you confused with another poster....maybe there are 2 different Vittatus threads / questions. If so, sorry. There does appear to be people asking them same questions, ect.

As far as real data....I have observed the frogs in their natural habitat and sucessfully kept and bred the species in question for over 2 years. Nothing that I post on this forum, would I ever consider "vague". If you want real data and direct experience.....I posted it.


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## dwizum (Oct 28, 2010)

Not to be blunt, but I asked:



> Can people post up what you're keeping as far as density? i.e. how many individuals of what size/age in what size enclosure?


And you posted:



> Density - same as any other dart frog....."10 gallons per frog". Now before we get ino another huge debate......this "rule of thumb" IS an over simplification but I feel it's an accurate starting point for a new hobbyist.


That strikes me as vague - in fact, you pretty much said yourself that it was an over simplified rule of thumb. Again, I'm not trying to be rude here, or start an argument. I'm just trying to ask a simple question. *What size is your enclosure? How many vittatus are living in it?*

If you're not interested in supplying this information, that's fine. I'm sorry if I've caused discomfort by asking for it. As a newcomer to this forum, it seems like a straightforward and honest question, and it is one that I could not find solid answers to via the search feature.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

dwizum said:


> If you're not interested in supplying this information, that's fine. I'm sorry if I've caused discomfort by asking for it. As a newcomer to this forum, it seems like a straightforward and honest question, and it is one that I could not find solid answers to via the search feature.


Not a problem. Let me rephrase.

I have kept P. Vitattus in different size vivariums and with varying sizes and sex ratios. 

*What I recommend* that you, as a new hobbyist do, is that you plan on 1 vitattus per @ 10 gallons of enclosure size. That is a solid, safe recommendation. The sex ratios are not important, especially since you have not indicated an inclination to breed them.

I am sure that you can get someone here to tell you that you can "fit" at least 5 or 8 vittatus in a 20 gallon cage or possibly someone stating that there should only be 2 housed together, and you know what.....that's fine.

I enjoy reading opposing viewpoints, discussing and arguing. I'm not always right either and I'll admit that too.

There you have it...I hope my recommendation, found above, is a little more clear.


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## dwizum (Oct 28, 2010)

> There you have it...I hope my recommendation, found above, is a little more clear.


For the record, your recommendation is crystal clear. Thing is, I am not looking for a recommendation or rule of thumb.



> I enjoy reading opposing viewpoints, discussing and arguing. I'm not always right either and I'll admit that too.


That's great. I too enjoy a good discussion at times. However, this is not one of those times. In this case, at the risk of beating a dead horse, I am looking for a straightforward answer to a specific question. I hope you can respect the fact that I am an intelligent person interested in a specific piece of data for my own reasons. Thanks.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

dwizum said:


> For the record, your recommendation is crystal clear. Thing is, I am not looking for a recommendation or rule of thumb.
> 
> 
> 
> That's great. I too enjoy a good discussion at times. However, this is not one of those times. In this case, at the risk of beating a dead horse, I am looking for a straightforward answer to a specific question. I hope you can respect the fact that I am an intelligent person interested in a specific piece of data for my own reasons. Thanks.


There are NO recognized experts here. We are ALL amateur hobbyists. You are _only_ going to get advice, opinions and recommendations. You have to WEIGH them yourself. I know that's hard to do when you are new....but all I can say, is read, read, read.

If you spend an entire weekend researching the species P. Vitattus, Enclosure sizes, with respect to number of animals, I think you are going to find enough of a compilation of posts / threads to speed you on your way to DEVELOPING a starting idea or concept of what you are going to attempt.

_P. vitattus_ are great. Get a 20 gallon long aquarium with a glass top. That size is perfect for 2 or 3 adults _or_ possibly to "grow out" 4 froglets.


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## dwizum (Oct 28, 2010)

Crap dude, you just don't get it, do you.

I AM NOT LOOKING FOR RECOMMENDATIONS OR ADVICE ON HOW TO SET UP A TANK FOR THESE FROGS.

I am simply interested in knowing - who has kept them, what size tank they used, and how many they had. That's it. I'm sorry if me asking this simple question is somehow hard to understand, but that's all there is to it.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

I have 4 vittatus. Two are in a 26g bow front and two are in a 10g.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

I have 2 _P.vitattus_. I have had them for a few years now.They are in a 20 gallon long aquarium. They have laid eggs and transported tadpoles in the 20 gallon long aquarium. I think they are happy and smug in there.


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