Dendrobates leucomelas Terrarium Design

Good terrarium design is crucial for the health and well-being of your Dendrobates leucomelas. Each component of the terrarium design accounts for an important role.

Drainage – 1.5″ – 3″

Good drainage is essential to provide a void for extra water within the terrarium to gather. As an added benefit, the retained moisture will keep the humidity up in the tank.

Good – Leca – PH neutral, lightweight and allow soil to drain freely and provide good oxygen and crevices for plant roots.

Better – Eggcrate – Saves a lot of weight! Easy to cut and arrange to create height differences.

Best – Growstones -100% recycled, environmental friendly and lightweight. Much easier than working with eggcrate

**Keep an eye on the water level, as it rises siphon out the water before it floods the substrate above.

Substrate – 2″-3″

The perfect substrate is light, airy and provide good drainage. I would recommend ABG mix. ABG stands for Atlanta Botanical Gardens after the company that originally developed the mix. This is a mixture of 2 parts tree fern fiber, 1 part peat moss, 1 part charcoal, 1 part spaghum moss and 2 parts fir bark. You can make it yourself if you are planning on a couple of terrariums or you can buy it from NEHerp or Glass Box Tropicals.

ABG is my favorite mix as the charcoal keeps air pockets and helps the mix stay fresh while absorbing a small amount of water.

**Make sure to add a substrate barrier to prevent substrate from falling below into your false bottom and fouling the water. Many people use Window screen or landscape fabric.

Cleaning Crew

Not everyone loves dealing with bugs, however they have a very important role within the tank’s ecosystem. These bugs eat decaying wood and plant matter along with mold and convert it to nutrients for the plant to use. The small bugs also make a great snack for hungry frogs. By seeding your tank before adding frogs, you will allow the populations to rise.

I would recommend a mixture of Springtails and Isopods to get your tank started.

Leaf Litter

Leaf litter very important for a healthy tank as it protects the microfauna below and will keep the frogs out of the dirt. Dirt sticking to frogs can cause unnecessary stress and cause health issues. A nice thick layer of leaf litter will help them become more bold as they can always hide under some leaves. Using different types of leaves will each provide their own strengths and by combining them you will leave nice voids for microfauna and leucomelas to strive.

Oak- small and last awhile due to their waxy coating

Magnolia – nice and thick and take a long time to break down. Act as a good hiding place and visual barrier for the frogs.

Sea Grape leaves – nice flat and thick leaves. These can be laid down flat against the substrate. Sea Grape leaves have a leathery feeling which adds a naturalistic appearance within the terrarium.

Indian Almond leaves – These leaves may be used in leaf litter and as an added bonus they have anti-bacterial properties.

Plants

Living plants are essential for keeping the tank’s ecosystem alive. There are a variety of plants that can be found online, in a reputable pet store and at an expo.

Dendrobates leucomelas will make use of sturdy plant leaves as well – Photo by Nikki Sigmon

Wood

Wood is a good way to help make the tank look more natural. Leucomelas will use the woods to hide under, jump on top of or climb on. Manzanita wood is very hard and durable within the tank environments. Grapewood is less durable and will mold rather quickly within the tank environment. Cork is another good decor piece as it does not break down in the humid tank environment.

Coco Huts

You can place a petri dish underneath the coco hut and you may be lucky enough that they will lay eggs under it instead of having to dig through the leaves.

Ultimate Dendrobates leucomelas Care Guide:

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