7 Essential rules of care
The bigger the better
A lot of care sheets for Ranitomeya species specify only the minimum vivarium size. However, larger vivariums offer a wider range of beneficial temperatures and more hiding spots. Your frogs will display much more interesting behaviour, exploring and using every inch of the space!
Provide the right microclimate
Ranitomeya species are primarily lowland rainforest frogs and thrive in temperatures between 21ºC (70ºF) at night and 27ºC (80ºF) during the day. Humidity should be at 100% at night, dropping to around 75% by midday.
However, certain highland populations of species like Ranitomeya variabilis, Ranitomeya sirensis, and Rantomeya imitator prefer cooler temperatures, with daytime ranges of 22-25ºC and occasional nighttime drops below 20ºC. Make sure to check the origin of your frogs to provide them with the right microclimate.
Give a variety of food
In captivity, the main diet for Ranitomeya frogs consists of wingless fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) and springtails, as they prefer small prey. You can also add more variety with other small insect foods like pea aphids.
Tadpoles can be fed a mix of aquarium fish food, dried tadpole food and mosquito larvae.
Use fresh vitamines
Since our captive diet lacks essential minerals and vitamins due to the lack of UV exposure, it's important to supplement the food with vitamin dust. Specialised powders are available to dust the fruit flies before feeding. Be careful not to overdo it with vitamin A powder; once a month for this supplement is sufficient. You can also use carotene powder for an extra boost, ensuring your growing froglets get the necessary elements for colouring. Keep in mind that vitamin powders have a limited shelf life, so replace them regularly.
Provide enough bodies of water
If your care for Ranitomeya is sufficient, they will eventually lay eggs, and the males will transport each tadpole to its own small body of water. Offer them a variety of bromeliads and vertically oriented film canisters filled with water to give them options. It's always a surprise which spot they will choose as the preferred one.
Only one species per vivarium
It's a widely debated rule, but the strong advice from all experts is to keep only one species of dart frog in a vivarium. Ranitomeya species can unintentionally interbreed, which we must avoid at all costs to maintain healthy genetic populations in captivity. Additionally, mixing different dart frog species can lead to unpredictable aggression and suppression, ultimately resulting in the death of the animals. The territories in our vivariums are far too small for them to share with other frogs!
Watch their behaviour
Watching the behaviour of our captive frogs is, of course, the greatest joy of the hobby. The courtship rituals of the males, their breeding behaviours, and the wrestling matches between them are truly fascinating to observe. However, it's important to monitor for excessive aggression between males of certain species (like Ranitomeya imitator), as this can lead to suppressed frogs. In such cases, you should remove the suppressed frog to prevent its likely death. Some species are suitable for group care, while others are best kept in pairs.