# P. Vittatus went Black?!



## crentania (Jul 22, 2008)

So, I haven't been around much lately.. lost my caucheros to a freak power failure this winter (sad, sad day) and then had a baby, so it's been a bit hectic. However, I've been getting back into the swing of things again and had a very odd thing happen. One of my female vittatus has turned black. You can still BARELY see her metallic orange stripes if you look closely, but everything else is BLACK. 

I'm pretty sure she just laid a viable clutch as one day she was pretty poofy, and the next, skinny mini, and now I've got wigglers on a brom, but it could have been the other female in the tank.

She's eating like a pig, and is plenty active, she's still bold as can be (except for when that darn camera comes out), she's just.. turned black. 

Humidity is 99%, temp is higher - 74-79 degrees depending on time of day.
Has anyone had/seen this happen before? 

Here she is (the flash really brought out what little of her orange there is):









And here is one of her tankmates:


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

i had a fish do the same thing a while back. i started to feed with color enhancing food, and slowly the color is coming back. i wonder if it related to egg production?


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## crentania (Jul 22, 2008)

It's possible, but she's been laying for at least a year now. Oh well. I suppose if she's eating and active, then all is fine right?


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## rozdaboff (Feb 27, 2005)

If that is a recent picture, she appears very slender. Since you mention she has a vigorous appetite but remains very thin, I am very suspicious of a gastrointestinal parasite or other underlying systemic disease. I would start off by having a fecal exam performed.

In a state of chronic negative energy balance (such as GI parasitism), it would not be surprising if maintenance of dermal pigment cells was impaired.


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## randommind (Sep 14, 2010)

Have you considered e-mailing Dr. Frye? Send him those pics and all the info you can. Here is his e-mail: [email protected]
I hope everything works out for that little guy.


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## porkchop48 (May 16, 2006)

epiphytes etc. said:


> i had a fish do the same thing a while back. i started to feed with color enhancing food, and slowly the color is coming back. i wonder if it related to egg production?


 
I have a small group that I have had for well over 2 years that I do not supplement with any kind of color inhancers and have never had this happen. 

While I agree that the frog does appear thin and dull I do not think it has anything to do with egg laying. 

I agree more with the possibility that it may be a parasite or something internal going on with the frog.


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## varanoid (Jan 21, 2011)

randommind said:


> Have you considered e-mailing Dr. Frye? Send him those pics and all the info you can. Here is his e-mail: [email protected]
> I hope everything works out for that little guy.


Don't want to volunteer Dr. Frye's services for him as I have never personally dealt with him, but this is who I would contact if I were in your shoes.


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## Phyllobates azureus (Aug 18, 2010)

crentania said:


> So, I haven't been around much lately.. lost my caucheros to a freak power failure this winter (sad, sad day) and then had a baby, so it's been a bit hectic. However, I've been getting back into the swing of things again and had a very odd thing happen. One of my female vittatus has turned black. You can still BARELY see her metallic orange stripes if you look closely, but everything else is BLACK.
> 
> I'm pretty sure she just laid a viable clutch as one day she was pretty poofy, and the next, skinny mini, and now I've got wigglers on a brom, but it could have been the other female in the tank.
> 
> ...


O_O
Thats.....wierd. All my darts are in good health, i've never even heard of a dart losing its warning colors before. I agree with Randommind, i'd contact Dr. Frye if i were you. 
Also, try to quarantine the frog.


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