Ranitomeya reticulata (pronounced Ran-it-oh-may-ah re-tick-you-latta (as in latte) are varying degrees of orange, red, or yellow with mild black patterning.  Reticulata are one of the smallest Ranitomeya, only the size of a pinky nail!  These little fellas are rocket-fast and typically quite bold, having no idea of their tiny stature.  They are diurnal like all Ranitomeya, so you won’t have to get up late to watch them.  They should be active when you are!  Introduced as early as the 80s, care for these fingernail frogs is still considered advanced due to their small size, and difficulty to raise the froglets.

Life in the Vivarium
Like all dart frogs, reticulata require a humidity range of 70-100%. They can survive for brief intervals at 50% humidity if clean water is provided for them to soak in.  You can place a bromeliad or small shallow dish of water in the enclosure or add a pond feature to achieve this.  Remember, reticulata cannot swim well, so ensure that the water source is shallow and easy to get out of. The water level should be no higher than the smallest frog can sit in with his head and upper torso out.

reticulata thrive at temperatures near 21°C (70°F) but can survive a range of 18°C-27°C (65°F-80°F).  Never exceed 29°C (85°F) as this can be fatal to the frogs. Generally a heat source such as a pad or light is not needed on a dart frog vivarium, apart from any lighting for plants.  Do not rely on sunshine from a window, because the sun through the glass will heat up to extremely unsafe temperatures very quickly. Keep note of any air conditioning or heaters used in your home as well, as they may affect the temperature in your frog cage.

It is possible to house a single reticulata in a 7 gallon aquarium.  We recommend a 30cmX30cmX45cm (12”X12”X18”) enclosure – but bigger is always better. This size vivarium is suitable to house 2-3 adult reticulata.

As juveniles you can house several reticulata together, however as they mature you will want to separate them.  In our experience reticulata females are hyper aggressive and should not ever be housed together.  The size of the vivarium provided and the individual personalities of each animal will dictate how many frogs you can keep in an enclosure.  It is common to keep a pair of frogs in one enclosure.  If you want to add a second male it can occasionally be done but is not recommended.

It is common for a healthy Ranitomeya to live to 10+ years in a vivarium. Please consider this before deciding to take them home to your family. As with most amphibians they are considered a “hands off” pet similar to a fish. Due to their delicate and permeable skin, it is not advised to handle your frogs. The chemicals, oils and debris on your hands could prove fatal to your dart frog pet when it is absorbed through their skin. It is recommended that you wear powder free rubber gloves if you are required to handle your dart frogs. In an emergency, such as an escape from the enclosure, try to capture them as fast as possible (bare hands will do… if needed) as they will try to hide quickly, and unfortunately this will become fatal very rapidly.

Reticulata require small live prey to hunt. This is easily achieved by providing them with flightless or wingless fruit flies. Baby and juvenile reticulata will eat Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies, and large adults may seek out Drosophila hydei. Springtails are also a wonderfully sized snack for fingernail frogs.  The flies and springtails on their own are a poor nutritional source.  We recommend “dusting” your fruit flies with a high quality vitamin and mineral supplement. We use and recommend Dendrocare all in one vitamin/mineral supplement. You can combine and use other supplements available to you, however please ensure you research what ratio or frequency you can supply vitamins as some can be lethal in high dosages.

It is recommended to build a bioactive vivarium for your dart frogs. This is achieved by introducing isopods and springtails into the environment. These little land crustaceans (no they are not insects!) will eat the decaying and decomposing bio matter as well as any excess feces in the vivarium. Some of these micro fauna will be eaten by your dart frog, as a little snack.

As with all our frogs, we do not recommend that you house multiple species or morphs together. Please supply each group with a vivarium to call their own.

Breeding in Captivity
Reticulata is difficult to breed in captivity, and is considered at least intermediate.  Their tiny size, tiny eggs, and picky laying habits mean you’ll want to be experienced before attempting these little frogs.  Eggs will be laid in the leaf litter or in a bromeliad in a secluded location. Many hobbyists will place film canisters all over the floor of the enclosure, both on top of and in the leaf litter, for the frogs to lay in.  Reticulata frogs are known for being slightly picky about where they lay, and their eggs are notoriously difficult to find.  No adult care will continue after reticulata eggs have been laid, so it is up to the keeper to ensure eggs remain moist and tadpoles have adequate nutrition.  Typically 4-8 eggs will be laid at one time.  The eggs take approximately 10-14 days to fully develop.  The tadpoles will take approximately 60-80 days to fully metamorphosis into colorful little froglets.

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