any special quirks with imitators?

[rattler_mt]

i have 3 young imitators showing up next week, had not planned on them but i got a deal i couldnt pass up. they are one of the very few thumbs that interest me. ive had tincs and azureus for over a year and several Mantella species for around 10 months with no problems so i think i can handle the lil guys just fine. i understand the basics of their care but any odd quirks with the species that i should be aware of?

[Lukeomelas]

You shouldn't have any problems. There really isn't much different care wise for thumbnails vs. larger frogs. They are just a lot smaller! Have fun with them, imitators are my favorite frog of all time.

[sports_doc]

quite easy....I have 5 in a 20H vert....with a pond in the front
They breed regularly although mostly infertile eggs the past few months..

any specific questions?

S

[rattler_mt]

not that i can think of, i figured if i treat them like my M. laevigata but with even more verticle hiding spots and vegitation i would be good. i cant seem to think of anything specific, was hoping someone mentioning something would make me think of asking something i might have forgotten.

they will be going into a 10 gal for awhile until i get the new Mantella tank up and running at which point i will tear apart and sterilize and rebuild the 18 cube exoterra the mantellas are in and give that to the imitators. i figure a mass of branches with broms and orchids attatched, gravel/leaf litter bottom with pool and some aquatics and i would be good. by far my most simple setup(no soil and terrestrial plants) but i think it will turn out fine and ideal

[sports_doc]

mine spend 90% of the time in the branches and upper decks and breed in horiz film containers mounted on the side walls, no water in them.

S

[rattler_mt]

mine spend 90% of the time in the branches and upper decks

thats what i figured which is why i wasnt planning on any soil or terrestrial plants. some natural colored gravel with some magnolia leaves should make a functional and nice looking bottom. maybe a java fern or crypto in the water. how deep is your pond?

pockets of vegitation attatched to the branches with open spots for wrestling contests or whatever.

i think im going to have to find 2 more before winter cause i read they do best in groups bigger than 3 as the third frog becomes a "third wheel". with a larger group things are better.

[sports_doc]

Originally Posted by rattler_mt

thats what i figured which is why i wasnt planning on any soil or terrestrial plants. some natural colored gravel with some magnolia leaves should make a functional and nice looking bottom. maybe a java fern or crypto in the water. how deep is your pond?

pockets of vegitation attatched to the branches with open spots for wrestling contests or whatever.

i think im going to have to find 2 more before winter cause i read they do best in groups bigger than 3 as the third frog becomes a "third wheel". with a larger group things are better.

pond is about 2 inches deep. It encompasses the entire front 3 inches of a 20H vert


like this, although that is the tricolor tank. That pond is a bit over full, b/c it contained 12 tads at the time....

The imi tank is similar with 3 levels made by great stuff/siliconing some Malasian drift wood to the back wall at various heights.

S

[schegini14]

nice tank Doc. Is that plastic your using to keep the humidity up?

[Homer]

My setup for my D. imitator intermedius looks a lot like Sports Doc's. I have the screen area on top without any plastic over it, but I do have a drip wall that runs all the time. No broms, a few plants, and about 6 film canisters. I get 1-4 (but usually 1 or 2) tads each week pretty regularly as long as I pull them.

[JoshKaptur]

Beautiful tank and beautiful imi pic! Thanks for the new wallpaper.