[Rain_Frog]

I would like to place a scavenger in my frog tank. It would make my ecosystem nearly perfect. I really dislike the snails and slugs in there. They eat the leftovers out of the dish, but then occasionally nibble the plants too. I know hissing cockroaches are supposedly scavengers, and not predators. I know they eat decaying plant and animal matter, but I'm not sure if its wise to keep them with a dart frog. They may not eat the frog, but I wonder if the big bug could disturb a frog as it might compete for the frogs hiding spots. We're talking tinctorius here, mostly groundwelling.

 

[Ryan]

why not use pill bugs? Safer and they eat decaying matter also

 

[Guest]

potato bugs? would that actually work? could be cool.

 

[Derek Benson]

Madagacar Hissers can get 4"+ in length. I wouldn't trust a hungry scavenger in a tank with 1/2" dart frogs. And what if it's a gravid female? Larger frogs will eat the roaches.

 

[EDs Fly Meat]

Pill bugs ok, potato or hissers no way

I think some pill bugs would be okay. Some peopel feed young pillbug nymphs to their frogs. I think they are too high in chitin (Impaction risk). But they are great detritovors. A potato bug or Jerusalem cricket is a bad idea. They look cool, but are nasty predators in the insect world. Like hissers they are opportunistic and may turn the tables on your frogs.
My two cents,
Dave

 

[Rain_Frog]

potato bug??

whats a potato bug actually>? I did put a small, average, cockroach in there, and haven't seen it since. Doesn't look like its harmed the frog at all. But I'll avoid the hissers, and if the cockroach turned out to be a female with eggs, I'll probably have to tear the tank down and get rid of the nymphs unless the frog gets them. I really don't think it's that much to worry about. But what is a potato bug>?

 

[Ryan]

Correct me if you are talking about something different.

 

[EDs Fly Meat]

Ryan has a potato bug or Jerusalem cricket

A classic potato bug! Well done Ryan. AKA:Jerusalem Cricket
Dave

 

[Derek Benson]

I believe that there was an article about those guys in a REPTILES magazine issue this year or last. I don't think they've been publishing that archnid article for very long.