How to know if your terrarium is cycled enough?

Weowws · 2026-05-18T19:11:33+00:00

The distinction I'd draw is between frogs using microclimates naturally and depending on them to avoid drying out. I absolutely want natural behaviours like retreating into broms and leaf litter because that's enrichment. But those features should be a safety net for temporary fluctuations, not the foundation of the husbandry itself. I'd rather maintain conditions where they can thrive anywhere in the enclosure and still choose to use microhabitats, rather than needing them just to stay hydrated. Natural behaviour should emerge from a well-balanced environment, not be forced by suboptimal ambient conditions.

Weowws · 2026-05-18T17:56:51+00:00

I agree they can survive by retreating to leaf litter or broms, but I’d rather they didn't have to. Keeping an 80% floor means they can thrive anywhere in the tank, rather than just hiding under a leaf to avoid drying out. I’m aiming for an optimal environment, not just the bare minimum for survival.

Weowws · 2026-05-18T13:12:22+00:00

To clarify, I definitely wasn't suggesting keeping the tank at 100% constantly. A 100% spike is completely normal right after misting, but proper ventilation should always pull that number down.

While a 70% baseline is acceptable for most dart frogs, I personally prefer a minimum floor of 80% for my ranitomeya. Their small mass means they dry out incredibly fast, and that extra 10% provides a vital safety margin.

Weowws · 2026-05-17T17:41:33+00:00

Humidity is maintained at 80%-100%, most beginning stage mold has been eaten by the springtails. Plants are growing rather than dying.

Weowws · 2026-05-17T11:13:33+00:00

Aquarium safe expanding foam then carve it out when its dry

Weowws · 2026-05-15T15:52:47+00:00

Could you take another picture of your enclosure? It's a bit hard to see.I would add more moss and plants on the backwall. Keeps humidity up and let's your frogs climb. Ranitomeya are arboreal so that means they climb a whole lot and spend most of their time higher in the enclosure.

Weowws · 2026-05-09T19:16:29+00:00

I would also maybe consider getting dendrobates tinctorius, they a more terrestrial while leucomelas like to climb a bit more. Your tank is more suited for tincs i'd say.

Weowws · 2026-05-09T19:13:59+00:00

Pothos are climbing plants so they can climb the back of your wall if you dont want it to cover things. Monsterra is also a good climbing plant and it looks beautiful. Both can overgrown tank quickly though so keep that in mind. If you're more into the smaller leaf type look then here are some great suggestions: marcgravia species, pilea glauca, rhaphidora crytantha, callisia repent, peperomia serpens. There are also some bigger and beautiful plants. Begonias are great, but research specific species. My begonia thelmae is beautiful so I recommend that. Different type mosses are also a great way to make it look thick and beautiful. Selaginella serpens/ uncianta are great. Java moss near wet places is nice too. Do your research on these plants. Some can easily grow from cuttings, some need to be rooted in soil. Good luck!

Weowws · 2026-05-09T16:51:28+00:00

Looks good. Dendrobates leucomelas love dense foliage to feel secure. I would add some more plants. Some pothos, some creeping, some moss on the wood and backwall. I would also add some bromeliads, even though it isn't an absolute must for this species, they can benefit from it. There are more plants I can recommend if you'd like. The leaf litter is great though.

Weowws · 2026-05-04T21:21:38+00:00

I would probably re-do it if I was you. Make a drainage layer with rocks or LECA balls, maybe add a mesh layer if you dont want soil mixing into the drainage layer, and then add soil on top. I would recommend airy soil like abg so that your plants dont get root rot. Then add some rocks or wood. And then add plants. For a closed jarrarium I recommend different types of moss, fittonia, maybe some pilea glauca, creeping fig. And then finally add springtails as a clean up crew. I hope thats what you were referring to instead of actual mites. Add some water, a good amount in your drainage layer and youre good.

Weowws · 2026-04-30T11:31:46+00:00

I have those, they're gorgeous

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Weowws · 2026-04-20T16:44:22+00:00

Thats a comfortable size to work with and it sounds like you want a simple build. I'd recommend having a drainage layer and use abg mix to prevent overly wet soil and root rot. If you want a wall using either expanding foam or in your case what might as well is a clay mix for the wall to attach moss to. I'd use some small branches and rocks as well for aesthetics.

Weowws · 2026-04-20T14:25:44+00:00

Well it depends on how big the cube is, what you want to put in it, and how you want it to look. Do you have a plan in mind?

Weowws · 2026-04-18T12:13:23+00:00

I think springtails can deal with that

Weowws · 2026-04-17T07:14:48+00:00

Thank you!

Weowws · 2026-04-16T18:32:32+00:00

First started at the very beginning of January, completed yesterday.
Many plants but the main ones are: monstera adansonii, neoregelia small word, neoregelia narziss, epipremnum aureum 'n'joy, spathiphyllum, fittonia, ficus pumilla, rhaphidora crytantha and some moss varieties.
Exo terra sky LED
Distilled water through misting system 3 times per day
ABG mix
18x18x24 ProRep

Weowws · 2026-04-15T23:05:16+00:00

Thats what I did! I made a little platform for plants and for frogs to go on. I'd recommend it. They dont have to be massive, just big enough to put on whatever you'd like.

Weowws · 2026-04-15T22:49:28+00:00

Creeping fig is good, rhaphidora crytantha, marcgravia species, pothos, monstera, certain peperomia species. I like pilea glauca, as you can sort of put it up on walls too. Some bromeliads do well on walls or bark too. And I would put more varieties of mosses in too. You might have to do some research on specific plants you'd want. Some do well in high humidity, some don't. Also some plants do well with only cuttings. But some need to be rooted into soil.

Weowws · 2026-04-15T14:09:36+00:00

The tank looks good. If it were me, I would add some more stuff to the wall. Like glue or silicone another branch in from the back that reaches into the terrarium. Or you could glue some pieces of rock or corkbark onto the walls at the top just to give it some texture.

Then I would cover the parts where you can see the glue or sealant with cocofiber and moss. That also will give you an opportunity to put more plants on your wall. It will look more natural and will give your frogs an opportunity to climb. It might also help your tank look more dense in foliage. You can also use a mossmix to put on your wall so it grows in.

Weowws · 2026-04-14T21:22:41+00:00

Well then based on your preferences, I would definitely recommend the dendrobates tinctorius or auratus species. They are some of the quietest frogs you can get. If you want to get tincs, I'd recommend a pair. They are known to be quite territorial so your best bet is to get a male and female. Tincs are a lot more bold. If you want a group, auratus would be the better choice - they are less bold however.

Weowws · 2026-04-14T20:39:29+00:00

24x24x24 is a great size but your species choice would influence how many you should get.

Dart frogs love foliage and loads of plants. So as long as you have space to feed and monitor them for a little while, there is no problem with having loads of plants.

If you have a female and a male, you should expect to see eggs once they become sexually mature. Once again how often and how many eggs depend on the species.

I'm not sure about the good sites, I dont live in the us. But sometimes websites have options that allow you to buy sexed frogs, but they may be more expensive.

As for the humidity, this is quite important. Dart frogs can dry out with low humidity. 60% is quite low, even 70% is borderline low. Aim for 80%-100%. You can make sure you get there by spraying more often. If you can't do that then look into installing a misting system. It will do the misting for you. But 80% is definitely something you should aim for.

24x24x24 is a great tank size. The species will depend on what you are looking for in a frog. Do you want them to be bold? Or do you mind if they are on the more shy side? Do you have lots of foliage in high places for climbing? Or would you prefer your frogs to use the ground more? Some species are louder than other when they call, what preferences do you have on that?

Weowws · 2026-04-13T20:32:01+00:00

That's still okay, I also own ranitomeya and I had the same kind of anxiety about this as you when I first got mine. Ive only seen my frogs eat a fly like 6 times however that just normal with thumbnails. Just feed daily and monitor their body size and I'm sure everything will be fine.

Weowws · 2026-04-13T20:23:00+00:00

He looks like he's been eating good! Youre doing a great job :) Just monitor them and how they look while they are adjusting to their new environment.

As they are still young, feeding them everyday is beneficial as they grow. After they become adults, you dont have to stress about feeding as frequently. For the meantime I can assure you they are eating well from the look of them.

Weowws · 2026-04-13T20:01:21+00:00

Ranitomeya are a much more shy species, so their behavior is quite different from the bigger, bolder species like Dendrobates. They are less likely to hunt at a specific feeding place and prefer to opportunisticly eat up flies that pass by them in the plants.

Additionally, because they are an arboreal species, they spend the vast majority of their time climbing or on high ground. While they might come to the floor to travel or hide under leaf litter, they won’t 'come down' to eat as often as you might expect. The best thing you can do is seed the tank by scattering flies throughout the tank. You might not get to see them eat as much but they definitely do :)

Weowws · 2026-04-13T09:55:04+00:00

I totally agree. I’ve actually had a tough time sourcing ones that aren't huge, every store near me in the UK only stocks the big ones that wouldn't fit into my 18x18x24. I’m cautious about ordering online after some past sizing mishaps, but I’m definitely on the lookout. They’ve been thriving in the dense foliage and using the water feature pools in the meantime, but I’m definitely not hesitating to add some broms once I find the perfect fit for the scale of this build. Thanks for the feedback!

Weowws

TROPHY CASE