[Hashbaz]

I am soon going to be setting up my first dart frog viv. Its going to be a 75 gallon aquarium with a false bottom. Above the false bottom, I am planning on ABG mix. For the top layer, I am planning on several different materials: carpet plants (dwaf baby tears (Hemianthus micranthemoides), riccia, glossostigma, etc), drift wood, leaf littler and bare substrate with stem plants growing in it.

I'm concerned about the areas with bare substrate. The plants I am hoping to grow in these areas will be too close to allow the use of leaf litter. I'm concerned about the frogs walking directly on the ABG mix and getting pieces of it stuck to them. Is this a problem? I'm thinking to cover the exposed substrate with a thin layer of something that won't stick to the frog. Would chopped leaf littler or long fiber sphagnum moss be a good choice here, or what would you folks recommend?

Thanks!

 

[fishieness]

most medias like the standard cocoa fiber will stick to them at first, but once saturated and matured, they do just fine hopping all over it.

 

[Mitch]

Putting long fiber sphagnum moss around the bases of plants will keep the substrate off the frogs, and can even be beneficial to the plant. In areas where there is space leaf litter is best.

 

[SanduskySerpents]

Putting long fiber sphagnum moss around the bases of plants will keep the substrate off the frogs, and can even be beneficial to the plant. In areas where there is space leaf litter is best.

I second that. Leaf litter is great! They like to hide under it to sometimes.

 

[Pumilo]

I prefer to cover all open areas with leaf litter.

 

[radiata]

I would not be concerned about any substrate adhering to a frog's skin. Based on my observations (admittedly only 4 species) dart frogs actually like to bathe (especially if your tank is having a low humidity issue). My small pools and film canisters get a lot of substrate debris accumulation that could only occur if they were visited frequently by frogs for a bath. (Keep in mind that dart frogs can drown if the water is too deep.) If you're doing a photo shoot, spray your subject(s) with water first to clean them off.

Ciao...