A Tinc question and a Mantella question

[HunterB]

1. I picked up 2 tinc froglets at a reptile show this Saturday and am almost certain they're alanis but after looking around, I'm slightly confused...Saurian.net lists the inferalanis and alanis as two seperate morphs while Herpetologic.net lists them as the same. What's what?

2. Mantella Expectata are drier mantellas that enjoy warmer temps then other mantellas. From what I've been told, they also need running water to promote breeding. I'm in the process of building the stream in their tank so obviously this will increase humidity. If I just use the stock, screen lid, will this keep humidity lower because the moisture can evaporate..?

Thanks in advance =)

[Woodsman]

Alanis and Inferalanis appear to represent two morphs that were selected out of a diverse wild populatiuon. So in one population, you can find animals that look like both morphs. In the hobby, I would say that most people keep them seperate (like Blue and Gray-leg Powderblues and Reginas and Giant Oranges). It would be a good idea, though, for breeders to take some of the known bloodlines and breed them together. This would help eliminate long-term genetic bottlenecking and health problems in the frogs.

Hope that helps. Take care, Richard in Staten island.

[Devin Edmonds]

2. Yes, go for a screen lid. pay attention to the ambient humidity level in the room they are kept in though, and if things are drying up too fast during certain times of the year, set some glass over part of the screen or tape on some plastic wrap. I have not bred this species, but running water is not required to do so (people have had success in fairly basic setups) Mantella expectata are not so much a streamside species as other Mantella, though no doubt turning the stream on during a simulated wet season would probably help stimulate breeding activity. good luck, get them breeding!