Heard a different call from my sirensis tank today

[parkanz2]

Hey all,

I've been hearing the typical high pitched trill, like the call on dendrobates.org, coming from my sirensis ever since I picked them up last September. But today (a day after getting moved into a new, bigger tank,) I heard something that sounded different. It was still a trill, but softer, lower pitched and in shorter bursts I think. They could have been doing this all along because they had been in a different room whereas they're near my desk now which I do most of my work at.

I've heard that the male can make different calls depending on if he's calling the female to mate, or if he's calling the female to lay eggs to feed tads (I think I heard of this in pumilio.) Anyway, I don't think it's a call to feed tads because I checked all of the plants and containers when I moved everything over to the new tank, though I certainly could have missed some eggs stuck to a leaf somewhere.

I was wondering if it's possible that my 1.2 trio is actually a 2.1 and that softer, low pitched call was the submissive male. I thought that two of the frogs were a bit slimmer and more male-like in comparison with my definite female who's very pair shaped. Does anyone have more experience with sirensis calls and have you figured out their meaning?

Thanks for the comments,
Max

[cmlloveless]

My imitatirs are the same way. I get a variety of different calls coming from the males. They tend to be loud when they are locating the female, or when they are haveing what I call a "yelling match" from one male to another in the tank next to it, but I have also heard the males get very soft when they are right next to the female.

[khoff]

Originally Posted by cmlloveless

I have also heard the males get very soft when they are right next to the female.

Yep, that's your answer. It gets shorter, quieter, and lower pitched when the female is close. Most ranitomeya seem to do this...my vanzolini do.

Kevin

[Jungleboy]

My sirensis do the same thing. I've noticed it more in the am than any other time.

[cmlloveless]

Originally Posted by khoff

Yep, that's your answer. It gets shorter, quieter, and lower pitched when the female is close. Most ranitomeya seem to do this...my vanzolini do.

Kevin

Just letting them know that they are tough when around other males, but can be gentle as apurring cat with the ladies!