All species
amphibianintermediate
Dyeing Poison Dart Frog
Dendrobates tinctorius
Living jewels — electric blue, yellow, or orange — active by day in a jungle vivarium. Captive-bred ones lose their wild toxins entirely.
1.5–2.5 in10–20 years
Habitat
Enclosure
18×18×24 in or 20 gal, heavily planted
Temperature
72–80°F — no hot basking spot
Humidity / Water
80–100%, misted daily
Heating & lighting
No basking lamp — they overheat above 82°F. A planted vivarium with leaf litter, springtails, and isopods; mist daily.
Diet
Feed these
- Flightless fruit flies — the staple
- Springtails
- Pinhead crickets, dusted with every feed
Never feed
- Overheating above 82°F
- Large crickets
- Wild-caught insects (pesticides)
- Handling — captive-bred are non-toxic but still delicate
Feed dusted fruit flies daily to every other day. Bold, daytime-active, and curious — the most 'watchable' pet amphibian.
Cohabitation
Can live with
Other dyeing dart frogs — same-morph groups
Never house with
Different dart frog morphs — hybridization and fighting Frogs of different sizes Any fish — this is a terrestrial setup
Keep same-morph groups only. Never mix morphs or species — dart frog hobbyists guard against hybridization fiercely.
