# I need help with plants for Ranitomeya variabilis



## Youngherp420 (May 3, 2011)

hey, I am in research mode and ive been researching everyday learning. I will set up a 65 gallon well designed vivarium.Now I have a few question.

1.) I know species should not mix but can i get away with Ranitomeya variabilis "Highland",Ranitomeya ventrimaculatus "Iquitos" or any Ranitomeya in a 65 gallon tank?

2.) These frogs are from peru and I would like to get plants that my frogs would like. Which plants would fit them as well as where would you get them?

cant wait to start my viv!!! . a construction journal with my tank will be posted when i start. Thanks


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## JimO (May 14, 2010)

Any species in that genus can cross breed and should not be housed together. There could also be aggression problems. Also, that's a huge tank for thumbs, but I do have some good news. Variabilis do well in groups. A viv that large could house several pairs. I have two males and three females in a 20-gallon tank. Now, that was not my intention and I wouldn't recommend it, and it's a long story how I ended up with such a large group, but they are doing great and I have over 40 tads/froglets since they started laying in December. My original intention was to have a trio of one male and two females. 

You'll get a lot of opinions as to how many could be housed in a viv that size. Get as much good advice from experienced keepers as you can (I've kept variabilis for less than a year and this is my first and only breeding group - so I don't include myself as experienced). You have time to decide how many frogs to get, but please don't mix species or color morphs from different populations.

There are two variabilis morphs available in the hobby; one is referred to as the "nominal" or "northern" morph and was imported by INIBICO. That is what I have and they have been in the hobby for several years. More recently Understory Enterprises has been offering variabilis from a different locale, referred to as the "southern" morph. These two morphs should not be mixed either. Here is a good reference describing both and their habitat.

Dendrobates.org - Ranitomeya variabilis


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## dablock (Aug 7, 2007)

I have found that variabilis and auratus do very well together. The auratus stay low in the tank and the variabilis stay high. There is no agression between the frogs and no chance of cross breeding.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Here we go


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## santoury (May 3, 2011)

Thoughts:

Number 1. Don't bother mixing them up for some already-obvious reasons. If you want more than one type, it's easy enough to keep them in separate enclosures. 

Number 2: Let's focus on this, I think you'll get a much better and positive response  
My own thoughts are to avoid the usual plants - it seems like everybody is growing the same things in their vivariums - it gets boring very quickly - so maybe something new - ant plants, terrestrial orchids, maybe even get funky with experimenting, such as a Wisteria vine kept small, etc.


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## 31drew31 (Nov 14, 2010)

This list will help you find some plants native to Peru and other South American countries. 

http://www.biotopicdesign.com/neotropical_plantlist.pdf


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## Youngherp420 (May 3, 2011)

JimO said:


> Any species in that genus can cross breed and should not be housed together. There could also be aggression problems. Also, that's a huge tank for thumbs, but I do have some good news. Variabilis do well in groups. A viv that large could house several pairs. I have two males and three females in a 20-gallon tank. Now, that was not my intention and I wouldn't recommend it, and it's a long story how I ended up with such a large group, but they are doing great and I have over 40 tads/froglets since they started laying in December. My original intention was to have a trio of one male and two females.
> 
> You'll get a lot of opinions as to how many could be housed in a viv that size. Get as much good advice from experienced keepers as you can (I've kept variabilis for less than a year and this is my first and only breeding group - so I don't include myself as experienced). You have time to decide how many frogs to get, but please don't mix species or color morphs from different populations.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much for this information . this really has help alot about what to do


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## Youngherp420 (May 3, 2011)

dablock said:


> I have found that variabilis and auratus do very well together. The auratus stay low in the tank and the variabilis stay high. There is no agression between the frogs and no chance of cross breeding.


thats something to think about


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## Youngherp420 (May 3, 2011)

santoury said:


> Thoughts:
> 
> Number 1. Don't bother mixing them up for some already-obvious reasons. If you want more than one type, it's easy enough to keep them in separate enclosures.
> 
> ...


1.) now i know that i cant mix but know what thats okay.

2.) thats great advice


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Ferns in the genus Microgramma would look great tangling through a viv that size. Look up M. lycopodioides. I love that fern, and it would be a plant from the same general area your frogs are coming from.


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## Youngherp420 (May 3, 2011)

frogparty said:


> Ferns in the genus Microgramma would look great tangling through a viv that size. Look up M. lycopodioides. I love that fern, and it would be a plant from the same general area your frogs are coming from.


those sounds great. I will look into them, thankyou


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