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Green and Black Poison Dart Frog
Dendrobates auratus
The Green and Black Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates auratus) is a beautiful amphibian famous for its metallic emerald-green and black contrast. It is a hardy, terrestrial species ideal for densely planted rainforest terrariums.
Class:Amphibia
Order:Anura
Family:Dendrobatidae
Genus:Dendrobates
Species:Dendrobates auratus
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
80 - 100 %
Day temperature
22 - 26 °C
Night temperature
20 - 22 °C
UVB
Low
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Distributed throughout Central America (Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama) and northern Colombia. They are commonly found in humid rainforests, cocoa plantations, and damp gardens, staying close to small streams and moist leaf litter.
Taxonomy and Genetics: A member of the Dendrobatidae family. Adults reach a length of 3.5 to 4.5 cm. Their smooth skin features a dark base color overlaid with bright metallic emerald-green, bronze, or blue bands, spots, or reticulations.
Behavior and Habits: Generally shy, nervous, and elusive compared to D. tinctorius. They spend much of their time hidden in dense foliage, emerging during early mornings or after rainfall to hunt. Males produce a soft buzzing mating call.
Morphology: Minimal sexual dimorphism. Mature females are slightly larger and rounder than males, while males may exhibit slightly broader toe pads on their front feet during breeding periods.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: Requires a horizontal terrarium with moderate height (minimum 45x45x60 cm for a small group). Provide a dense planting of Pothos, ferns, and bromeliads (Neoregelia), alongside a thick layer of oak leaf litter and hiding caves.
Lighting and Heating: Prefers moderate temperatures of 23 to 26°C during the day, with a night drop to around 20°C. Avoid temperatures above 28°C, which cause stress. Low-intensity 2-5% UVB lighting is highly beneficial.
Humidity and Hydration: Maintain high humidity levels (80-95%) through regular daily misting. Proper ventilation is essential to ensure fresh air exchange and prevent stagnant conditions that promote bacterial infections.
Feeding and Supplementation: Strictly insectivorous. Feed 4-5 times a week on wingless fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster or hydei), springtails, and dwarf isopods. Preys must be dusted with high-quality calcium and vitamin D3 powder.
Compatibility: Relatively peaceful and social compared to D. tinctorius. They can be housed in groups or harems (one male, multiple females) in spacious setups with visual barriers. Occasional dominance wrestling may occur.
Health and Common Diseases: Highly sensitive to chytrid fungus and poor hygiene. Ensure skin remains glossy and free from retained shed. Lethargy and half-closed eyes are early signs of stress, nutritional deficiencies, or overheating.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Distributed throughout Central America (Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama) and northern Colombia. They are commonly found in humid rainforests, cocoa plantations, and damp gardens, staying close to small streams and moist leaf litter.
Origin
Cosmopolitan or introducedExtra-Amazon South AmericaCentral America and CaribbeanNorth AmericaEast AsiaTropical oceans and reefs
Amphibian profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 4.2 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Toxicity
- No verified data available
- Life stage
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 4.2 cm. The AmphiBIO v1 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 4.2 cm for this species, recorded as snout–vent length (SVL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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