Dendrobatidae is a group of small, brightly coloured poison dart frogs that are becoming popular animals to be kept in public zoos, aquariums and household pets. To reduce reliance on wild ornamental trade, culture of poison dart frogs was carried out. This study aims to determine the effects of diets on the growth and behavioural performance of the tadpoles of Green-and-Black Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates auratus) and Blue Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius azureus).
Dendrobates auratus and D. tinctorius azureus tadpoles were subjected to different diet treatments - formulated diet (Tetrabits fish pellets) and natural diet (thawed bloodworms). During the sampling period, their total body length of the tadpoles of two species was measured using an image analysis software (ImageJ) so to determine their growth rate. A diet preference study using these two diets was also conducted. Results showed that tadpoles of both species fed with formulated feed had a faster growth rate. However, when given a choice, they preferred natural diet over formulated diet. It can be concluded that formulated diet is more optimal for the growth of these poison frog tadpoles but is less preferred as compared to natural diet. To maximise frog culture, formulated feed could be provided to boost growth rate whereas natural diet could be given as maintenance diet.