Hello, I’m new to the Dart Frog Community.
I bought a setup a couple months ago that had one Dendrobates Auratus Green and Black and two Dendrobates Auratus highland bronze. (This was before I realized that mixing species, even subspecies was frowned upon) I bought the setup and group of frogs from a craigslist ad. The two Highland Bronze seem to be a breeding pair and have produced two clutches. The first clutch has begun morphing into froglets but the first two both had SLS and sadly passed away. I’m waiting on the others to pop out their front legs and see the results. After doing more research and seeing a post about mixing subspecies when breeding and the negative results that can have (I’ll put the quote below) I began to wonder if the froglets having SLS was more than just a random accident since the parents are given vitamins and all other care parameters are great. I have just come to find out that my male is actually a Dendrobates Auratus El Cope. Would that explain the SLS in the froglets? I still don’t know if the rest will be healthy or not. I have changed the parameters in their vivarium to try and stop them from breeding which has worked thus far. I have also never seen the Green and Black breed with the El Cope. She’s basically the third wheel in the group. I’ve seen the highland bronze take part in some mating rituals i.e. rubbing the male and both of them sitting in the film capsule together and always seeing her with the eggs never the green and black.
My big question is, will all future froglets continue to have SLS? When I bought this whole setup I was quite excited to think about having babies and bought all the necessary supplies to ensure they have the best care, setting a separate vivarium for them to grow up in and everything. I honestly feel so bad for losing two already, I honestly didn’t know the El Cope species existed. When I tried to search what morphs they were (the guy I bought them from couldn’t tell me, red flag I know) highland bronze came up and matched the female perfectly. I just assumed that the male was the same and had a unique pattern that’s all.
I know cross breeding/hybridization is very frowned upon in the community and I do feel terrible for it. So please I’m only looking for help here on what to do.
I bought a setup a couple months ago that had one Dendrobates Auratus Green and Black and two Dendrobates Auratus highland bronze. (This was before I realized that mixing species, even subspecies was frowned upon) I bought the setup and group of frogs from a craigslist ad. The two Highland Bronze seem to be a breeding pair and have produced two clutches. The first clutch has begun morphing into froglets but the first two both had SLS and sadly passed away. I’m waiting on the others to pop out their front legs and see the results. After doing more research and seeing a post about mixing subspecies when breeding and the negative results that can have (I’ll put the quote below) I began to wonder if the froglets having SLS was more than just a random accident since the parents are given vitamins and all other care parameters are great. I have just come to find out that my male is actually a Dendrobates Auratus El Cope. Would that explain the SLS in the froglets? I still don’t know if the rest will be healthy or not. I have changed the parameters in their vivarium to try and stop them from breeding which has worked thus far. I have also never seen the Green and Black breed with the El Cope. She’s basically the third wheel in the group. I’ve seen the highland bronze take part in some mating rituals i.e. rubbing the male and both of them sitting in the film capsule together and always seeing her with the eggs never the green and black.
My big question is, will all future froglets continue to have SLS? When I bought this whole setup I was quite excited to think about having babies and bought all the necessary supplies to ensure they have the best care, setting a separate vivarium for them to grow up in and everything. I honestly feel so bad for losing two already, I honestly didn’t know the El Cope species existed. When I tried to search what morphs they were (the guy I bought them from couldn’t tell me, red flag I know) highland bronze came up and matched the female perfectly. I just assumed that the male was the same and had a unique pattern that’s all.
I know cross breeding/hybridization is very frowned upon in the community and I do feel terrible for it. So please I’m only looking for help here on what to do.
I know this is not what you want to hear but I would still recommend not mixing subspecies. This is more for line protection than anything else. If they breed (and they will if you are doing everything right) then you will not be able to do anything with the babies accept keep them yourself. You will end up with tuns of tadpoles/froglets and nowhere for them to go (unless someone wants to buy the hybrids, which most people will not). The young MAY also suffer from outbreeding depression, which would mean the young will be sick/not viable. I would find a subspecies that you like and stick with that. I keep Highland Bronze and Turquoise Auratus (separately!) and they are absolutely amazing in my opinion.