Reed frog :
The common reed frog (Hyperolius viridiflavus) is a species of tree frogs in the Hyperoliidae family found in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, andUganda, and possibly the Central African Republic, Chad, and Eritrea. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, dry savanna, moist savanna, subtropical or tropical dryshrubland, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, rivers, swamps, freshwater lakes, intermittent freshwater lakes, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, freshwater springs, arable land, pastureland, rural gardens, urban areas, heavily degraded former forests, water storage areas, ponds, irrigated land, seasonally flooded agricultural land, and canals and ditches.
These west African frogs have been known to spontaneously change sex from female to male. This likely occurs when the population does not have enough males to allow procreation and is accomplished when a chemical trigger activates the sex gene to disintegrate the female organs and develop the male ones
-Reed Frogs (Afrixalus, Heterixalus, and Hyperolius species) :
courtesy to : www.amphibiancare.com
Introduction: Reed frogs are small, semi-arboreal amphibians, native to sub-Saharan Africa. In the wild, they spend their days asleep resting in the sun, often perched on reeds or other emergent vegetation, hence the common name reed frog. There are over 150 described species, varying greatly in pattern and color. Individual reed frogs can change color dramatically depending on the environmental conditions they are exposed to, with some displaying attractive brightly colored stripes and spots. Most mature to a size of around 1 inch in length (2.5 cm), and because they are small and nicely patterned, they are often kept in captivity.
Frogs of three genera are found for sale under the common name reed frog: Afrixalus, Heterixalus, andHyperolius. Heterixalus is endemic to the island of Madagascar, with the starry night reed frog, H. alboguttatus, and Madagascar blue reed frog, H. madagascariensis being most often available. Afrixalusand Hyperolius are both native to mainland Africa, and are more frequently available than Heterixalusspecies. The argus reed frog (Hyperolius argus), painted reed frog (H. marmoratus), Mitchell’s reed frog (H. mitchelli), common reed frog (H. viridisflavus), banana reed frog (Afrixalus fornasinii) and clown reed frog (A. paradorasalis) are a handful of the more commonly encountered species in the pet trade. The basic captive care for all is essentially the same.
Heterixalus alboguttatus
Reed frogs can be acquired from pet stores, dealers, and fellow frog hobbyists. The overwhelming majority of reed frogs are wild-caught, and sometimes are not found for sale in the best condition. Starvation seems to be fairly common, with thin, malnourished frogs being seen for sale frequently. Choose your reed frogs carefully, and avoid those that are thin or otherwise look unhealthy. It's best to locate captive-bred reed frogs if possible, helping avoid the risks associated with those from the wild.
Cage: Being small amphibians, reed frogs do not require large enclosures, though they are very active and will use all of the room provided to them. A standard 10 gallon aquarium that measures 20 inches long by 10 inches wide by 12 inches high (50 cm by 25 cm by 30 cm) is large enough for a group of four to six reed frogs. Smaller cages can be used temporarily, but should not be used as permanent homes for reed frogs. Use a tight-fitting screen cover to offer ventilation and prevent escapes.
A simple cage setup can consist of moist paper towels or sphagnum moss as a substrate, a potted plant or two, and a water bowl for soaking. Soil mixtures and ground coconut husk fiber also work well as substrates. Pieces of driftwood, thin bamboo poles, and manzanita wood branches can be added as perches for the frogs at night, and are particularly useful when placed under a small heat lamp to provide a warm, brightly lit area for resting during the day. Both pothos (Scindapsus aureus) and snake plants (Sansevieria species) are good choices for reed frog enclosures, though many Sansevieria species will eventually outgrow the average-sized cage. It’s best to rinse plants off under tap water and grow them outside of the cage for several weeks to allow leaf shiners, fertilizers, and other potentially harmful chemicals to dissipate before placing them in with the frogs. If you do not have luck with live plants, artificial ones can be used as an alternative. Reed frogs also do exceptionally well when kept in planted tropical terrariums. See the article about tropical terrariums for more information.
Heterixalus madagascariensis
An important part of creating the proper enclosure for reed frogs is lighting. While most amphibians have no special lighting requirements in captivity, reed frogs do best when kept in brightly lit enclosures. Standard fluorescent bulbs can be used for this purpose, and one or more should run the length of the cage. It’s best if these bulbs have a color temperature between 5000K and 6500K so that they produce a bright white, natural light. Set them on an electrical timer to provide a photoperiod of around 12 hours.
Temperature and Humidity: Within the cage, it’s best to provide a thermogradient which allows the reed frogs to regulate their body temperature properly. A low-wattage heat lamp can be placed above one section of the cage, preferably over a branch or perch, to create a warm spot that approaches 90°F (32°C) during the day. The rest of the cage should vary between 70°F (21°C) and 80°F (27°C). At night the heat lamp can be turned off, decreasing the temperature. Reed frogs are tolerant of many conditions, and healthy individuals can cope well with temperatures outside of their preferred range.
In the wild, reed frogs experience varying humidity levels depending on the season. During dry months of the year, it does not rain often, and the humidity level remains low, while during the rainy season, their environment is very humid. In captivity, the enclosure reed frogs are kept in can be misted with water several times a week to maintain moderate humidity levels. Sometimes this isn’t necessary if the room the frogs are kept in is already humid enough. To induce breeding, it’s recommended to spray down the cage heavily several times a day to keep the humidity level high, similar to what wild frogs would experience during the rainy season.
Water: Clean water should always be available for reed frogs to soak in, which they do often at night when they are active. Use water that does not contain chlorines, chloramines, or other harmful chemicals, and is otherwise safe. Tap water can be treated with a water conditioner if necessary.
Food: In contrast to their small size, reed frogs have a huge appetite, and will readily feed on most insects the size of their head or smaller. Crickets can make up the majority of their diet. Three to six can be fed per frog several times a week. Additionally, flightless fruit flies, houseflies, and small moths can be offered regularly to vary their diet. Coat their food in the proper calcium and vitamin supplements every couple feedings. Juvenile frogs should have their food supplemented more often.
Hyperolius puncticulatus:
Notes on reproduction and care
Mike Pingleton
In late July of 1998 I acquired seven African Sedge Frogs(Hyperolius puncticulatus). They were just-morphed froglets, so I set them up temporarily in a small plastic critter carrier literally stuffed full of fake plants. In the meantime I set up a thirty gallonvivarium for them, with an undergravel filtration system. The tank was planted with Spathiphyllum floribundum (Peace Lily) in pots - these plants do fine with their roots wet. I also added a heat lamp over one end of the vivarium - these frogs like it hot and would oftentimes bask under the heat lamp for hours at a time!
I fed the frogs daily, and twice a day on the weekends. I gave them plenty of lawn plankton while the weather was warm, consisting of springtails, leafhoppers, aphids, beetles, etc. Ants were ignored. They also received fruit flies several days per week. During the winter months I fed them both large and small fruit flies (H. sturdivant, D. melanogaster) daily in large quantities. Twice a week I fed them quarter inch crickets (a real mouthful for these little frogs) gut-loaded with flake fish food and papaya. The frogs grew rapidly on this diet.
In late September the males started to call. The males call all night long. There seems to be two distinct types of calls; one is the common "night" call, a sharp and very loud "geck geck". The other appears to be a mating call, which is slower, more like "rrreck". In response to the calling I began to liberally spray down the enclosure during the early morning and again in the evening.
Amplexing pairs were noticed during the Christmas holidays. During amplexus, the female crawls around the enclosure with the male on her back, looking for a place to deposit her eggs. The female will even take food with the male on board. Amplexus is when I finally figured out what each frog's gender was. I also discovered that the females are just a bit bigger (longer and wider) than the males.
On 12/29/98 a clutch of eggs was discovered. The eggs are typically attached to vegetation overhanging water. Subsequent batches of eggs were found in a plant pot, attached to some sphagnum moss, and under a flat stone at the water's edge. The eggs are encased in a clear, jelly-like substance which aids in keeping the eggmass attached to vegetation.
The tadpoles, after hatching, apparently feed on the jelly. I found this out by separating a group of newly hatched tadpoles into two groups. One group remained with the jelly mass, the other group was moved into a separate container. A week after hatching, the jelly group tadpoles were nearly twice the size of the other group of tadpoles, and the jelly mass was greatly diminished.
On 1/20/99 back legs appear on the first tadpole. On subsequent days, the tail starts to shrink, and the head diminishes in size. Once the front legs appear, the tadpole's appetite diminishes, and soon they stop feeding altogether.
Once the hind legs appear, the tadpoles are transfered to a covered container for the remaining metamorphosis. The young froglets will crawl up out of the water and hide in the plants, typically still having a bit of tail left.
On 1/27/99 the first froglet crawls up on the side of the container. A small bit of tail remains, but disappears over the next few days. The froglets were separated into small groups and placed into glass jars containing real and artificial plants. Within a few days they were taking small fruit flies.
The froglets grow quickly on a diet of small crickets supplemented with fruit flies. I have discovered that the frogs fail to thrive on fruit flies alone and perish before reaching adult size.
In retrospect I think there are two important factors in successfully raising and breeding these frogs. The first is sunlight or an overhead light with a 'sun bulb' that provides plenty of light and heat (90F plus). The second factor is a varied diet of small insects that includes small crickets.
- Marbled Reed Frog
Marbled Reed Frog (Hyperolius marmorata)Picture courtesy of Michael Jefferies
The Marbled Reed Frog comes in various shadings and markings.They are African in origin. Although they can often have a marbled appearance, it is often common for this frog to be spotted and even striped.
Males have a round bulge in the centre of their throats. On the frogs' undersides they are whitish yellow. They have red thighs, palms and soles.
It is most often found around ponds and lakes in the damp and humid vegetation. In captivity they live in an arboreal vivarium setup and can live happily there in large groups.
If you are keeping one as a pet in a vivarium, the bottom of the vivarium should be supplied with a large area of water with tall aquatic plants. The section that is dedicated to the land area could have peat covered with moss. On this land section, live plants should be placed such as Scindapsus.
As the frogs do enjoy a climb around, make sure that you arrange a small network of branches. Keep the vivarium humid through the use of a mist spray. Daytime temperatures should be maintained at between 22 - 28 degrees centigrade, with a slight drop in temperature at night to no less than 18 degrees centigrade.
These little frogs are very sensitive to unclean surroundings,so please take care of them and keep vivarium setups clean and hygenic to ensure the good health of your frog.
They are also agile so catch them only when necessary and hold them securely in your enclosed hands.
It is important that these frogs are quarantined before introducing them into an existing collection.
A similar breed of frog is the Clown Reed Frog, Afrixalus dorsalis.
During the day the marbled reed frog will sit on leaves high up in the corner of the vivarium, usually with legs and arms pulled tightly in. When you mist spray in the evening they will quickly become alert and active. They will climb around using their sticky toe- and finger-pads.
They will eat crickets and love flies. You could dust these with calcium and vitamin supplements.
Clown Tree Frog :
History:
The Clown Tree frog is an amphibian that is native to the humid rainforests of the Amazon, and the forested areas of Guiana. In North America, Clown Tree frogs enjoy moderate popularity due to their attractive looks and easy maintenance.
Temperament:
Clown Tree frogs are generally gentle timid frogs not given to undue aggression or biting. As Clown Tree frogs can not be picked up and handled regularly, they are basically impossible to tame. Clown tree frogs have extremely sensitive skin that can absorb the chemicals and oil from a person’s hand; the chemicals and oils on people’s hands can kill them. Clown Tree frogs are usually quiet frogs, only becoming noisy during the breeding season. Clown Tree frogs can be kept either solitary, two females, a male and females, or in a small group of one male and several females. Males should not be kept together as they will fight.
Habitat:
A single adult Clown Tree frog requires an aquarium that is at least 10 square feet large, with the focus of the aquarium being more on height and width, than length. The natural habitat of Clown Tree frog is humid jungles, so owners should try to mimic their natural environment as much as possible when they set up the tank; the aquarium should include both a large water dish and a dry land area. The bottom of the water dish should be lined with about two inches of aquarium gravel and the water should be a minimum of half the height of the frog, since the frog will soak in the water not swim in it. It is important that only chlorine free water is used as chlorine could kill the frog. The dry area of the aquarium should be covered in about two inches of gravel with about five inches of moss or peat soil substrate on top. A hollowed log, flat stones, large branches, a reptile hide and plants should be placed in various locations in the dry land area. Clown Tree frogs require daytime temperature to be 76-80 Fahrenheit and night time temperature to be 70-76. They also require a humidity level of 60-80 percent, so owners should mist the aquarium once a day.
Appearance and Care:
Clown Tree frogs are small colourful tree frogs. Adult Clown Tree frogs measure 1-2 inches; female Clown Tree frogs are larger than males. Clown Tree frogs are dark red or reddish brown with pale yellow or white markings.
The water in the aquarium should be changed weekly. Non-chlorinated water should be used as chlorine can be absorbed through the frog’s skin and kill it.
Diet:
Clown Tree frogs are carnivores that only eat live food; they eat basically anything that is smaller than themselves. Clown Tree frogs eat crickets, small earthworms, mealworms, beetle larvae, and moths.
Health:
Clown Tree frogs have an average life span of 10-15 years. Most veterinarians do not have the training to treat frogs so owners may have difficulties finding a veterinarian if an emergency occurs.
Reed Frogs as Pets
Reticulated Clown Tree Frog - Hyla Leucophyllata
The reticulated morph of the clown treefrog also called the giraffe morph. This morph is infequently encountered, with the spotted morph being more common in the area. A common treefrog of emergent aquatic vegetation, and often found together with Hyla triangulum and Hyla punctata.
How to care for clown tree frogs
Clown Treefrog Care And Breeding
courtesy to : www.reptiles magazine .com By BY DANTÉ FENOLIO
From my earliest fieldwork in South America, I’ve been captivated by the beauty of the clown treefrog (Dendropsophus leucophyllatus, formerly Hyla leucophyllata). These frogs are common around human settlements, so the species and humans seem to mingle well. They are likely equal in encounter rate to something like the hatchet-faced frogs of the genus Sphaenorhynchus. Anyone who has worked anywhere in these species’ range for any length of time just can’t miss them. For example, both the clown treefrog andSphaenorhynchus can be readily observed in cesspools covered with floating vegetation in and around the Amazonian city of Iquitos.
Because clown treefrogs aren’t hard to find across the Amazon and the Guyanas, they have become a semiregular import in the pet trade. Proof of their long-standing status as a commercially important species can be found in the many images of captive specimens appearing on items such as calendars, stationary, books and pet trade literature.
Because clown treefrogs aren’t hard to find across the Amazon and the Guyanas, they have become a semiregular import in the pet trade. Proof of their long-standing status as a commercially important species can be found in the many images of captive specimens appearing on items such as calendars, stationary, books and pet trade literature.
Wild Clown Treefrogs :
The clown treefrog is the namesake species for a group of related frogs that also include Dendropsophus anceps, D. bifurcus, D. ebraccatus, D. elegans,D. rossalleni, D. sarayacuensis and D. triangulum (Faivovich et al., 2005). If the genus Dendropsophus sounds unfamiliar, all are former members of the genus Hyla (Faivovich et al., 2005). Frogs within this group are smaller members of the family Hylidae and the subfamily Hylinae. Most never exceed a couple of inches in total snout-to-vent length. Most of these species have a darker brown base color with yellow, tan or cream markings.
Dendropsophus leucophyllatus exists in a variety of patterns, some of which are considerably different in appearance. In fact, the giraffe phase morph of D. leucophyllatus was described and recognized at one time as a separate species, Hyla favosa, which was later synonymized with the then H. leucophyllata by Titus, Hillis and Duellman (1989).
In the wild, the clown treefrog group generally breeds around temporary forest pools or “floating meadows.” A floating meadow is an oxbow or slow-water area of a river where the surface is covered by floating plants such as Pistiaand/or Eichhornia spp., among other aquatic floating and emergent plants. Most of the frogs in this group can also be found around forest clearings with ponds.
Clown treefrogs have a distinctive raspy call with a harsh primary note followed immediately by several equally raspy but shorter notes. Often eggs are deposited on leaves immediately above water. Hatching tadpoles drop into the water and live along the bottom of the aquatic system. At the right times, large breeding aggregations of clown treefrogs can be observed with hundreds of frogs participating in the event.
The Right Setup for Clown Treefrogs :
If these frogs are maintained properly, they are truly hearty in captivity. They live at least four to five years in captivity, and they will fill the area around them with their loud vocalizations at night.
Clown treefrogs do well in a taller vivarium. Try to provide — at minimum — 30 inches of height from the substrate. These frogs thrive in a vivarium with controlled ventilation so as to allow the slow turnover of air with the maintenance of an internal microclimate having a higher humidity. For example, Exo Terra terrariums have a screen built into the enclosure’s top and ventilation ports on the face of the units below the front opening doors.
These elements provide quite a bit of ventilation, perhaps too much for clown treefrogs if the terrarium is kept in an air-conditioned home. This can be easily remedied by placing a custom-cut piece of glass over the top of the terrarium. I place small squares of cardboard at each corner of the top, under the glass, so the glass is lifted up off the top slightly. This modification slows air movement but doesn’t eliminate it. I have a group of clown treefrogs maintained in exactly these circumstances.
PHOTO CREDIT: DANTÉ FENOLIO
A smaller member of the family Hylidea, clown treefrogs have a striking pattern. The giraffe phase is undoubtedly one of the most brilliant patterns of any hylid frog in South America.
PHOTO CREDIT: DANTÉ FENOLIO
Clown treefrogs breed on aquatic vegetation. Their eggs are deposited on leaves immediately above the water. Tadpoles have an interesting black marking that makes them easier to identify.
Clown treefrogs flourish when provided with live plants. The leaves should be large and strong enough to hold the frogs’ weight. Including live plants requires a lighting system that can accommodate them. A full-spectrum fluorescent bulb, which is replaced every four to six months, is ideal. A 12-hour light-dark schedule works fine, and a timer automates the system nicely. With healthy live plants, the frogs have plenty of places to climb and sleep. A cork bark piece or two and some well-placed thin branches top off the items that help provide cover and climbing material.
I am picky about what I use for substrate and how I arrange it. I like to use terra cotta balls, such as Hydroton, as a base layer of substrate in terrariums. The spaces between the balls can accommodate excess water and keep it away from terrarium occupants. Stagnant water in a terrarium can cause bacterial problems with amphibians. Conversely, you want your substrate to maintain its moisture. Damp terra cotta balls and the water between them become your terrarium’s moisture reservoir. The balls can absorb water and release that moisture as the upper substrate dries.
For the upper substrate, I have used two different mediums. I like crushed coconut shell, which is widely available commercially in pet stores. It is sold in dry bricks that can be moistened. I also use true sphagnum moss. If you opt for the ground coconut shell, a shallow layer of moss between the ground coconut shell and the terra cotta balls prevents the shell from filling all of the spaces between the terra cotta. Either of these substrates works well.
Clown Treefrog Care
Temperatures are not as critical with clown treefrogs as they are with other tropical amphibians. I have maintained this species at a wide range of temperatures, but I focus on preventing the nighttime temperatures from dropping below the low 70s or high 60s (Fahrenheit). Daytime temperatures should not exceed the mid-80s. Maintain humidity by misting the enclosure once a day. Make sure some moisture is in between your terra cotta balls at the base of the substrate mix. Add water accordingly.
Regular access to clean, fresh water is a must for nearly any captive amphibian. Use a plastic or ceramic dish that you can easily access. Make sure to change the water, and maintain a shallow amount of clean water at all times. Often, crickets jump into the water dish and drown, and dead crickets quickly foul the water. This problem can be avoided by placing the water dish on top of an upside down terra cotta flowerpot, which raises the level of the water dish. The odd cricket that escapes your feeding dish (described below) is far less likely to end up in the raised water dish. The elevated pool of water will not change accessibility for your frogs.
Feeding can be accomplished easily in a smooth-sided glass dish. A glass dish with taller sides is ideal. Crickets can jump several inches in height, and you want to contain them in the feeding dish.
The advantages to using a feeding dish are several. First, the food is always in the same place, and the frogs become accustomed to a feeding station. Second, because the frogs are conditioned to feeding from the same dish, they are more likely to try any appropriately sized live food item you place in the dish. I have been able to use this trick to get various frog species to try live food items I otherwise was not able to get them to eat. Third, by confining crickets to a feeding dish, they cannot crawl down into odd corners of the terrarium or into the medium and die. Finally, a quick glance into the dish is all that is needed to know how much food is available for the frogs. Making sure live food is regularly available is a big part of the long-term maintenance of healthy amphibians.
Occasionally wash the feeding dish. The walls of the dish accumulate debris from the frogs crawling in and out of it. This debris ultimately provides the crickets with a gripping surface, and they will begin to escape from the dish.
Gut loading food items is another important part of maintaining healthy captive amphibians. The term refers to feeding a food item, such as crickets, a rich diet before offering it to an amphibian. This procedure helps supply nutrients to captive animals. Gut-loading ingredients are often diverse. There is no single ideal formula, and perhaps if science had a better handle on what amphibians require nutritionally, we would realize that different species require different levels of various vitamins and minerals.
In my more than 25 years of working with amphibians, I have always done well with squash. I like yellow squash, spaghetti squash, pumpkin, acorn squash, etc. Squash is good for you as well, so why not buy some at the market and provide your crickets with the internal parts you won’t eat? Other appropriate gut-loading material includes kale, chard, spinach, bok choy, small amounts of carrot mixed with other ingredients, and other leafy greens.
All should be thoroughly washed with a liquid dish soap to ensure any pesticide residues are removed first. Gut load crickets 24 hours before feeding them to your amphibians. I also dust crickets every other feeding with Heptivite vitamin and mineral supplement. I have also used Rep-Cal calcium supplements every third feeding.
Using a Rain Chamber:
Clown treefrogs have been captively reproduced on a sporadic basis for years. Breeding this species usually requires a rain chamber (RC), which I will detail briefly. The RC creates conditions in an enclosure that simulate a rain storm. The RC also provides appropriate egg deposition sites.
Several factors need to be considered in setting up a RC. First, “rain” can be generated through two possible avenues. You can use a misting system that draws from a reservoir of clean water. It includes an overflow in your RC for excess water to drain and leave the system. The second avenue includes a recirculating system. A pump draws water from a pool in the bottom of the enclosure and pushes that water through plumbing and back out of a spray bar or sprinkler head at the top of the enclosure.
PHOTO CREDIT: DANTÉ FENOLIO
Clown treefrogs have bulging eyes that add to their charming personality.
Using a misting system and a reservoir of fresh water has the advantage of always showering clean water onto your amphibians and hopefully onto their eggs. When I say “clean” water, I mean water without high bacterial loads. This system best simulates natural conditions, but the downside is that the reservoir needs refilling. If you need to mist the frogs for a longer period of time, it can be a difficult job to keep up with.
I have seen this problem circumvented by plumbing the misting system directly into a water supply. Then water is drawn through a carbon filter to remove chloramines/chlorine. The design is a bit more involved, but it eliminates the key drawback of the misting system approach. A timer can be used to automate this system, but know that if you don’t refill the reservoir and the timer comes on, the pump can burn out and may become a fire hazard.
The second design, a recirculating system, does not require the constant water supply, and it can be run for extended periods. However, as the frogs defecate in the water, bacterial counts in the recirculating water climb. This may not be a problem for adult frogs, but freshly deposited eggs are vulnerable. Never mist on freshly deposited eggs using a recirculating system. The likelihood of a bacterial problem with the egg clutch is high. In addition, these systems require frequent water changes.
PHOTO CREDIT: DANTÉ FENOLIO
The standard phase of the clown treefrog is set on a background color of brown. The pattern ranges from a light cream color to a brilliant yellow.
The design can be augmented to easily address this problem. For example, I described in a previous article (Fenolio, 1996) a RC with an external pump that distributed water to several possible outlets through a series of valves. These valves distributed water three ways: recirculating it into the base pool of the RC, pushing it through misting heads plumbed into the top of the enclosure, or through an alternate valve where the water could be diverted to a drain. This third option made water changes of even larger volumes a short task. An in-line filter was also included so biological filtration was maintained in the same manner as someone uses a biological filter in an aquarium. The pump used to create the rain can be automated through the use of a timer.
There are other RC system considerations aside from the two described above. Water temperature can be used to change temperatures in the RC if a temperature swing is one factor that cues your frogs into breeding. I have not used temperature swings to breed clown treefrogs, but they may respond to them. A simple submersible aquarium heater works in both systems.
Further, live plants can be maintained in a rain chamber through several measures. I recommend using plant species, such as Philodendron or other viny, aerial-root species, that can be raised and maintained hydroponically. This way, no dirt is introduced into the system as a potential source of bacterial contamination. Appropriate lighting needs to accompany live plants.
Rainy Reproduction :
Providing proper egg deposition sites is a must in any RC design. Clown treefrogs deposit eggs on the leaves of floating aquatic plants. For my frogs, I adjusted the water height in my RC, raising it to 6 or 8 inches. I added water lettuce (Pistia sp.). These plants float on the surface and have leaves that can hold the weight of the frogs and their eggs. Water hyacinth also works. Note that the long root systems of these floating plants can clog up an internal pump, and a modification of your RC design is necessary to keep roots from tangling up the impeller of the pump. This can easily be accomplished with an intake screen.
Another consideration for a RC includes determining when you rain on your frogs and the duration of these showers. I like to start the rain an hour or so before the automated lighting systems turn off. At first, I rained on the frogs for several hours into the night. I usually shortened the showers to one or two hours, split between just before the lights turn off and after they turn off.
I also rained on my frogs when storm systems passed through. This way, I had the advantage of decreased barometric pressure, which appears to be a cue for many frogs to initiate breeding.
Often frogs don’t breed right away. Every species responds to RC conditions differently. The group of clown treefrogs I bred did so after about 10 days of the described conditions. I have had to maintain groups of the yellow-eyed leaf frog (Agalychnis annae) in my RC for periods exceeding a month before they bred.
Increased humidity can heighten the likelihood of bacterial infections, and long periods of time in the RC especially multiplies these problems. If the frogs’ skin becomes red or if open sores develop, return frogs to their regular enclosures with a decreased humidity and seek immediate veterinary assistance. Successful amphibian breeders keep a close watch for signs of trouble in the RC. Always make sure easy pathways are available for amphibians in an RC to exit the water and take refuge in a protected site. Provide some ventilation to help reduce the likelihood of bacterial problems, and don’t forget to make regular water changes.
PHOTO CREDIT: DANTÉ FENOLIO
Clown treefrogs vocalize when barometric pressure changes accompany an approaching storm.
Tadpoles and Juvies :
After a number of days in the RC, clown treefrogs deposit their eggs on the leaves of live plants at or above the waterline. Average clutches in captivity typically range from 400 to 600 small eggs. Leave the eggs in the RC undisturbed, and they will hatch, depending on temperature, from five to 10 days later. Tadpoles spend most of their time on the bottom of the enclosure.
The young accept a wide variety of fish foods, including sinking pellets and small pieces of frozen fish foods. Experimentation with various foods is necessary, but I recommend starting with Sera Micron. It will sink after a while, and the tadpoles will feed on it on the bottom. Also dependent on the water temperature, amount of available food, and density and period between water changes, tadpoles metamorphose anywhere from two to five months. I recommend regular water changes of 25 percent or less as well as biological filtration, either through a sponge filter or other means. Limit strong water circulation because these tadpoles are not adapted to strongly moving waters.
Metamorphic frogs require an enclosure offering humid corners as well as regular ventilation. Too much humidity will lead to skin infections. Metamorphic frogs require a lot of available food and access to clean water. Make water available but keep it shallow; small frogs can easily drown. They like a terrarium well-planted with live plants.
Clown treefrogs are an excellent species to work with in captivity. They are hearty, can live for years and will breed in captive circumstances. These attractive frogs fill homes with their quirky vocalizations at night, and they are especially vocal when the barometric pressure decreases with an approaching storm. Best of luck with your clowns!