AJCs Virtual Frogroom: Epipedobates hahneli

Epipedobates aff. hahneli

Tank 1

Vivarium: 600 x 450 x 380 mm, LECA substrate.

Flora: Anthurium "Ramona", Ficus repens, Fittonia "Argyroneura Minima", Hedera helix, Neoregelia olens (not shown), Scindapsus aureus, Soleirolia soleirolii, Spathiphyllum, Vesicularia dubyana.

Fauna: 0.0.8 Epipedobates aff. hahneli.

Diet: Drosophila melanogaster, springtails, Tribolium larvae, Achroia grisella larvae, sweepings (sweepings (field plankton)).

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Epipedobates hahneli

I obtained a number of tadpoles of this frog from Remco Stuster in October 2004. A number of them developed spindly leg syndrome (or a similar developmental problem), but I eventually wound up with eight froglets.

Epipedobates hahneli

This frog originates from Peru, and was collected by staff of the Prague Botanical Garden. They found them living along the Rio Pachitae close to the town of Panguana, living sympatrically with E. hahneli and at least one (maybe two) more undescribed hahneli complex species. However, they differ from E. hahneli in that:

The flash colour is orange/red rather than yellow as in E. hahneli
The ventral surface is black and white rather than black and light blue as in E. hahneli

Confirmation that they are a separate species will require genetic testing. Here's a recording of two males calling in opposition to each other from hidden perches high up in the viv. In spite of their size, these are easily the loudest frogs I have at the present time, and they can keep this up for hours at a stretch! Calling at this intensity usually lasts for several days, one male setting another off, until a spawning occurs and the calling suddenly stops.

E. aff. hahneli tadpole. I raised these communally in 3.5 litre food container with ~2.5 litres of water, ~50 ppm CaCO₃, pH 7. This method also worked well for E. boulengeri.

Juvenile E. aff. hahneli.

Poison Dart Frogs: Facts & Advice on Care and Breeding
Richard D. Bartlett

Advice on all aspects of ownership, from selecting good specimens and determining sex to breeding, feeding, providing correct housing, and health care. Animals are described as they exist in their natural environment, and advice is given on ways of mirroring aspects of nature to help animals thrive in captivity, heavily illustrated with colour photos. (Amazon.co.UK)

The striking flash marks are clearly visible in this photo.

A clutch of E. aff. hahneli eggs. They prefer dry film containers sloped downwards at a 45° angle to broms for spawning!

Parental care of eggs in film container.

A clutch of developing E. aff. hahneli eggs. It took the adults almost exactly one year after metamorphosis to produce their first fertile clutch.

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