[benmz]

Hey all,
I have a few questions for those of you with "thumbnails" , specifically with vents. I have finally moved my 2 vents into their new enclosure, a 30 gallon set vertically with a horizontally openning door. I put up about a half a dozen or so bromeliads (mostly neorogelias) on a branch to simulate an upper canopy.
On another post I asked about film canisters and the information was very good. I would like some further information about them. How many canisters is a recommended amount to place around the enclosure? With your experience have the frogs prefered the canisters or will they just use the bromeliads? Also how many vents can you keep in a tank? I thought that there would be some competition if you had a large group, but after seeing the film canister orgy :shock: I have to question that realm of thought. Wouldn't the females potentially eat the others' eggs?
The two little guys have been hiding very well and I can only find one of the two each time I look around for them. They must be a little overwhelmed at the amount of space they have now since they crawl down deep into the bromeliad leaf axials. In your experience how long has it taken for a vent to get settled and start some reproductive behavior (calling and such) I've had the 2 since last November and they were held for me for about a month or 2, so they should be at or very near maturity.
I know that these are a lot of questions, I just want to get an idea of people's experience.

Thanks in advance.

-Ben

 

[melissa68]

a lot of questions

Bromeliads vs Film canisters - which do they prefer? I honestly don't know. I only use the film canisters in my tank. I have found that my vents prefer the white/translucent film canisters to the black ones. If I put black ones in, they won't lay but put the other in...and they will lay.

I have a total of 5 vents in my enclosure. I also only have one male (that is why there are so many frogs in there....the females came to the male's call) oh....and get that grin off your face! :lol:

It has not been uncommon to pull over 30 eggs out of 2 film canisters in an evening. Because I have a little, worn out male he isn't as 'potent' as he could be and usually only 1/2 the eggs survive.

I will put 1 - 4 film canisters in the enclosure. The first ones go on the front glass and the others go on either side of the tank.

Melis

 

[jbeetle]

I have both broms and canisters in my tanks. They use the broms for hiding, and I wouldn't be surprised to see some eggs in there if I went looking for them... but I figure I will let them raise these young (if they are laying in there) and I will pull all the eggs they lay in the canisters. I have 3 canisters in the tank, but could always add more if I wanted to. I have a group of 1:4 and then there is a pair in another tank. I am going to pull at least one of the females from the 1:4 and add her to the pair. This way the 1:4 male won't have as much work, and the other male can easily handle 2 girls. I think the number of canisters matters more if you have more males. I would at least have 1 canister to each male in the tank, if thats the way you want to go. They will use the broms, so you could just leave it at that... depends if you really want to produce them, or watch them raise young and ect. It is really cool to watch darts raise tads. I would add a couple more frogs to that tank if you get the chance... but thats just me. Mine settled in right away, and the male was calling seconds after being added to his tank(refering to the 1:4 group)! I found eggs the next moring, and they were good! It might be differnet since your tank is so large (which in the long run is a good thing), but I doubt it. My females are also more shy then the males. Ok, so I hope I replied to everything and I didn't ramble too much .

 

[andersonii85]

vents

Everyone pretty much covered it here but I would like to add that it all comes down to what you want to do. The canisters are easy to take out and remove eggs from. The broms provide a more natural look. They will lay in both, but in my experience the canisters are a better choice despite the aesthetics. Mine tended to lay in the canisters and sleep in the phytotelmata of the broms. Only once in two yearsthat I had broms in there did they lay in the broms. I have used black and white canisters and theys seem to make no difference...it is all in the placement. Place a few on the ground a some at the top. make sure that they have plants to climb to access the canisters at the top. I have also noticed that the canisters must be positioned at at an angle less than 90 degrees, otherwise they are less likely to lay in them. I guess this makes sense due to the angle of broms leaves. Hope that helps!

Justin

 

[benmz]

This helps out very much. Thanks for the info. I'll keep you posted on any breeding progress, that is if I have a pair. Is the only way to tell is vocalization or is there body shape differences between the sexes. One of mine definately seemed a little plum near the bottom. Is that indicative of being a female (I don't want to offend anybody here)... as with tincs and some of the larger frogs?

-Ben

 

[andersonii85]

This helps out very much. Thanks for the info. I'll keep you posted on any breeding progress, that is if I have a pair. Is the only way to tell is vocalization or is there body shape differences between the sexes. One of mine definately seemed a little plum near the bottom. Is that indicative of being a female (I don't want to offend anybody here)... as with tincs and some of the larger frogs?

-Ben

Ben,

The female tends to be slightly larger and definately more plump. Watch them when they are close together- sometimes you may not hear the male calling but you will see the vocal sac going. If you have a picture of them next to each other please post it and I can most likely tell you. I have had great success in sexing them and am almost 100% accurate.

Justin

 

[Dancing frogs]

So with amazonicus eggs, mine have been laying them in white cans 45 degrees, with water in them, should I leave the eggs as is, or pour them into a petri dish, so they aren't submerged?

 

[josh raysin]

leave the amy eggs submerged but separate the tads as they will eat each other. i have 6 vents in a 15 gal. no eggs yet but they are only 5-6 months old. i think they are 2.4 and a couple of the females are huge!

 

[Frogtofall]

leave the amy eggs submerged but separate the tads as they will eat each other. i have 6 vents in a 15 gal. no eggs yet but they are only 5-6 months old. i think they are 2.4 and a couple of the females are huge!

:shock: eeek

 

[josh raysin]

i purchased them from eds fly meat and i was told they could all be housed together in a 10 gal .

:shock: eeek

 

[Frogtofall]

i purchased them from eds fly meat and i was told they could all be housed together in a 10 gal .

:shock: eeek

Wow. Whatever works right? So long as they are healthy.

 

[josh raysin]

they are all doing good.

 

[KeroKero]

Its one of those crazy things that make you cringe - but some how manages to work. Vents especially seem to deal with being in larger groups (5+) in small spots - it might have something to do with how they are in the wild? I imagine their choice areas in the canopy are condensed into certain areas where the broms/plant of choice are condensed to take advantage of a light spot in the canopy. Since they are naturally condensed, maybe they've developed less adult agression - but MAN do the tads make up for it. It could also explain the tadpole agression - living in small spots where there might only be enough resources for one tad at a time would explain the super aggression towards tads and eggs - they can't have a brom axil buddy and have them both do well.

I've heard of groups up to 10 living happy as a clam at high tide in a 10 gallon, breeding like rabbits. I'm currently frog sitting a group of five (I believe 2.4) in a 5.5 - I wasn't enthusiastic about the small space but they don't seem to have issues, and I've had calling and courting already I might end up liking the buggers! lol.

 

[themann42]

i purchased them from eds fly meat and i was told they could all be housed together in a 10 gal .

:shock: eeek

i also know another breeder that keeps 6 in a 10.