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Phantasmal poison frog
Epipedobates tricolor
The Phantasmal Poison Frog is an active, vocal amphibian originating from the Ecuadorian Andes. Renowned for its bird-like trill and bold stripes, it thrives in a well-planted, humid terrarium.
Class:Amphibia
Order:Anura
Family:Dendrobatidae
Subfamily:Colostethinae
Genus:Epipedobates
Species:Epipedobates tricolor
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
70 - 90 %
Day temperature
22 - 25 °C
Night temperature
18 - 20 °C
Ambient temperature
22 - 25 °C
Minimum enclosure
>= 50 L
UVB
Low
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Epipedobates tricolor, the phantasmal poison frog, is native to the western slopes of the Andes in Ecuador, occurring in provinces such as Bolívar, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, and Santo Domingo. It inhabits humid tropical forests, mountain streamsides, and agricultural areas like cacao and banana plantations at altitudes between 300 and 1,800 meters. It thrives in leaf litter near flowing water.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Belongs to the family Dendrobatidae. It is famous in scientific literature for producing epibatidine, an alkaloid painkiller hundreds of times more potent than morphine without the addictive properties. In captivity, these frogs lose their toxicity because their poison is derived from eating wild arthropods. Several genetic morphs exist.
Behavior and Habits: Diurnal and very active. While they lack the large adhesive toe discs found in strictly arboreal frogs, they are agile climbers that readily scale low vegetation, rocks, and mossy trunks. Males are territorial and highly vocal, producing a beautiful, loud, bird-like trilling call that can be heard throughout the day.
Morphology: A small species of poison frog, with adults measuring between 1.5 and 2.5 cm in total length. The coloration is striking, featuring a bright red or deep reddish-brown base color split by three longitudinal stripes of neon green, yellow, or white. The skin is smooth, and the head is wedge-shaped with large, expressive eyes.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: An enclosure of at least 45x45x45 cm is recommended for a small group of 3 to 4 frogs. The setup should be heavily planted with humidity-loving species like Bromeliads, Pothos, and mosses. Provide climbing branches, cork bark tubes, and a thick layer of leaf litter on the floor. A small, shallow water feature is beneficial.
Lighting and Heating: Prefers moderate temperatures between 20 °C and 25 °C. Temperatures exceeding 27 °C are highly dangerous and can be fatal to this species. Low-intensity (2-5%) UVB lighting is recommended to aid in calcium absorption, stimulate natural behavior, and support the growth of live terrarium plants.
Humidity and Hydration: Maintain relative humidity between 80% and 95%. Mist the enclosure 2 to 3 times daily with reverse osmosis or distilled water. Provide a very shallow water area (no deeper than 1 cm) or a shallow dish with fresh dechlorinated water, ensuring there is no risk of drowning for these poor swimmers.
Feeding and Supplementation: A micro-insectivore. They feed on tiny live insects such as flightless fruit flies (Drosophila), springtails, pinhead crickets, and aphids. Dust all prey items with a high-quality calcium and vitamin D3 supplement at every feeding, and include a vitamin A supplement once every two weeks.
Compatibility: Best kept in small groups with a female-biased sex ratio (e.g., 1 male to 2 females) to prevent excessive vocal competition and territorial disputes among males. Do not house with other poison frog species or different amphibians to avoid cross-infection and hybridization risks.
Health and Common Diseases: Susceptible to Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) due to poor supplementation, skin infections from stagnant conditions, and parasitic infestations. Ensure the terrarium has good ventilation via screen vents to prevent stagnant air. Monitor new frogs closely for any signs of lethargy.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Epipedobates tricolor, the phantasmal poison frog, is native to the western slopes of the Andes in Ecuador, occurring in provinces such as Bolívar, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, and Santo Domingo. It inhabits humid tropical forests, mountain streamsides, and agricultural areas like cacao and banana plantations at altitudes between 300 and 1,800 meters. It thrives in leaf litter near flowing water.
Origin
Extra-Amazon South AmericaNorth America
Amphibian profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 2.65 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 2.65 cm. The AmphiBIO v1 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 2.65 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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