# Feeding Ranitomeya



## SimonL (Aug 29, 2020)

Hello!
I have a pair of Ranitomeya Ventris for a couple of months. I have springtails in the tank, and also try to feed the frogs with dusted fruit flies. However I’ve noticed that they don’t really seem to be interested in the fruit flies, and if they do eat the occasional fly, it’s certainly after the vitamins have washed/shaken off. I’ve read that springtails are enough for younger Ranitomeyas, but then how do I deal with getting them their vitamins? I’ve bought some sprayable vitamins, but I imagine it’s tricky to measure whether it not the frogs are getting enough this way.... TIA


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

I'd guess that after a couple months, there are not enough springtails in the viv to support the frogs; they are likely eating more FFs than you think. If FFs disappear, and little poops appear, then the FFs are being eaten.  It is best to feed on a schedule and with an amount of flies that leave no FFs remaining in the viv the next morning (which means they were all eaten on the day they were fed, which is good enough).

If you're feeding daily, you might skip some days (I'm currently feeding evey third day or so). If the frogs are in good condition (i.e. not thin), then you could withhold FFs for a week, and then see how they eat.


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## bulbophyllum (Feb 6, 2012)

Your frogs really should be eating dusted FF's as their main diet. Or at least getting on them soon after the dusted flies are added. Maybe there is too much food available. 

My only suggestion is to stop feeding them for a bit. Let them deplete the available insects and get a little hungry. I bet that would be motivation to start taking dusted flies.

I say this assuming your frogs are of a healthy weight to begin with. If so give them a week with out feeding and then see if they take dusted flies. You are feeding melanogaster flies right? My imitators eat hydei but, they seem a bit big for them.

gary


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## SimonL (Aug 29, 2020)

bulbophyllum said:


> Your frogs really should be eating dusted FF's as their main diet...... You are feeding melanogaster flies right? My imitators eat hydei but, they seem a bit big for them.
> 
> gary


Thanks for the comments. Your comment regarding melanogaster vs hydei made me check the last batches I have bought. Although the packing says ‘small fruit flies’ but in smaller letters it says ‘drosophila hydei’ underneath  so will have to see if I can find some smaller ones somewhere.... they also sell ‘large fruit flies’ - not sure what those are, will check


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

Ranitomeya should really be eating mels -- no reason to do otherwise, and there's a good chance that your frogs aren't eating as well as they should be. Wingless are the best variety, IMO, and I'd recommend you culture your own -- less dependence on someone else to not run out, more control of quality, vastly less expensive, less wasteful (cups and lids are reusable for years) and much easier to whip up a batch than run to the local store.


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## SimonL (Aug 29, 2020)

Thanks. I’ve tried cultivating my own but without much success unfortunately. Will have to find somewhere that can sell me mels and then try again to cultivate


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## SimonL (Aug 29, 2020)

Although they must be eating some of them - I put flies in and they keep disappearing 


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

SimonL said:


> Thanks. I’ve tried cultivating my own but without much success unfortunately.


With a prepackaged media?


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## hp192 (Feb 28, 2016)

A couple observations:

1) My Ranitomeya readily eat both hydei and melanogaster. I feed every 2-3 days. Even my young ranitomeya have not had a problem with melanogaster. As mentioned above, they may be eating more than you think..check for fecal matter in the tank. Mine show immediate interest when the flies are introduced. If they're not eating, there may be other issues involved, ie. temperature, humidity, sickness, etc... Do they appear healthy? Active?

2) Culturing fruit flies shouldn't be difficult. Using a prepackaged media and with the cultures at the right temperature should be rather straightforward. When you say that you've had no success, were there no larvae? Did the cultures reproduce but die off quickly?


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## Broseph (Dec 5, 2011)

SimonL said:


> Although they must be eating some of them - I put flies in and they keep disappearing


At typical hobbyist humidity levels, flies won't last but a couple days in a viv anyway. They eventually find a drop of water to get stuck in and die. 



hp192 said:


> My Ranitomeya readily eat both hydei and melanogaster.


Interesting. I've never bothered with hydei because I didn't think the little guys would eat them. Now I might have to find room for more culture cups...


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

I wonder if frogs can get used to a size of FFs and not want to switch. After a good while of feeding wingless mels, I cultured hydei for a few rounds and gave up because no one wanted to eat them (not even my leucs, which actually will go around FFs to hunt springtails).


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## Broseph (Dec 5, 2011)

Socratic Monologue said:


> I wonder if frogs can get used to a size of FFs and not want to switch. After a good while of feeding wingless mels, I cultured hydei for a few rounds and gave up because no one wanted to eat them (not even my leucs, which actually will go around FFs to hunt springtails).


So maybe I don't need to find room for more cultures... The differences in feeding preferences among dart frogs is pretty interesting. My terribilis completely ignore springtails and will attack leaves that move on the ground, and I think if I let my springtail population get big enough the pumilio would quit eating melos altogether.


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## SimonL (Aug 29, 2020)

hp192 said:


> A couple observations:
> 
> 1) My Ranitomeya readily eat both hydei and melanogaster. I feed every 2-3 days. Even my young ranitomeya have not had a problem with melanogaster. As mentioned above, they may be eating more than you think..check for fecal matter in the tank. Mine show immediate interest when the flies are introduced. If they're not eating, there may be other issues involved, ie. temperature, humidity, sickness, etc... Do they appear healthy? Active?
> 
> 2) Culturing fruit flies shouldn't be difficult. Using a prepackaged media and with the cultures at the right temperature should be rather straightforward. When you say that you've had no success, were there no larvae? Did the cultures reproduce but die off quickly?


I don’t see the frogs all the time, but they are still fairly new to the tank and I have been advised that it would take some months before they are really active. One of the two is certainly more active than the other. 

Regarding the cultures, in some of them I have had moderate success, but the flies for off quickly, in others nothing. Wondering if mites are the cause of problems here


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## SimonL (Aug 29, 2020)

Socratic Monologue said:


> With a prepackaged media?


Yes, the media is pre packaged. In theory add water and it’s ready


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## hp192 (Feb 28, 2016)

SimonL said:


> Yes, the media is pre packaged. In theory add water and it’s ready
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Read some of the posts about fruit fly culturing on this site....there's a trove of great information from people who know a lot more than me. I use hot water and a little white vinegar, then sprinkle some cinnamon in the bottom once the media has cooled. This helps with mites. Mites shouldn't be too much of an issue during the early stages of the cultures...they tend to hit developed cultures, in my experience. I keep my cultures higher on shelves, especially in the winter, to make sure they're warm enough. Make a couple cultures at a time in case one crashes.

Some ranitomeya species are bolder than others. Most of the species I've kept are rather shy if there's a lot of movement in the room. 

If you're still having trouble, drop me a PM. Good luck.


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## Tijl (Feb 28, 2019)

Hi Simon, I have melanogaster available.

The recipe for them is also quite easy :

I use for D.Melanogaster (10cups/80gr ea) :


450ml water

1/2 banana

100ml natural vinigar

50ml grenadine

mix this together while adding wholeweat (Brinta) until It become very solid and you can put your spoon straight up in the mix. Done.


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## SimonL (Aug 29, 2020)

Tijl said:


> Hi Simon, I have melanogaster available.
> 
> The recipe for them is also quite easy :
> 
> ...


Thanks Tijl, I will give that recipe a try. Are you located in NL or BE?

Thanks also HP for the tips


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## Tijl (Feb 28, 2019)

BE located


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## N. Veen (Aug 26, 2020)

SimolL.

You could try the readymix from terrafauna. It works for the small and big fruitflies. I have been using it for years. And have no issues getting enough flies


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## Lunchmeat (Nov 10, 2020)

Josh's Frogs has 'smaller melanogasters'. You can also feed younger flies which tend to be smaller. I feed regularly at the same time, and also dump a few when I see one on a ledge or plant. They usually snap up a few there. I'm in the same boat, I don't see them eating often but I do see poop on the glass and less flies.


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