Oophaga Andresi "Tado" Care Guide

Housing Requirements

• Terrarium Size: 18 x 18 x 24 Exo Terra or similar minimum for a pair; 24 x 18 x 24 preferred. Vertical space matters, males call from perches, not from the floor.
• Tank Mates: Sexed pairs work best. Histrionica-complex frogs are more territorial than tinctorius or auratus, and females can be rough on each other, so groups are not recommended without experience and a large, well-broken-up tank.
• Temperature: 72-78°F (22-26°C) during the day, 65-70°F (18-21°C) at night
• Humidity: 80-100% relative humidity, sustained. Tadó itself is one of the wettest places on Earth and these animals do not tolerate dry cycles.
• Lighting: Standard vivarium LED on a 12-hour day/night cycle; UVB is not required, dust prey with a quality calcium plus D3 supplement instead

Substrate & Environment

• ABG mix or similar well-draining substrate over a drainage layer
• Live plants, including bromeliads with water-holding cups, which double as tadpole-rearing sites
• Deep leaf litter, cork bark, and film canisters for hides and calling perches, Oophaga spend more time in cover than Dendrobates
• Clean, dechlorinated water source; strong misting or a mist system to hold humidity

Diet & Feeding

• Fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster and hydei) as the staple
• Springtails, aphids, and small isopods as supplemental prey; springtails especially for juveniles
• Dust flies at most feedings with a quality calcium plus vitamin A supplement, Oophaga are more sensitive to vitamin A deficiency than most darts
• Feed 4-5 times weekly; adjust for body condition

Breeding

• Sexual maturity around 10-18 months
• Males call from raised perches; pairs deposit small clutches of 3-10 eggs on smooth surfaces or in film canisters
• Obligate egg-feeder: the female must carry her tadpoles to individual water sites, bromeliad axils or film canisters, and feed each one unfertilized eggs. Pulling tadpoles for artificial rearing is possible but advanced and not routine.
• Clutches are small and intervals are long; expect a handful of froglets per pair per year, not a Dendrobates-style output

Special Notes

• Formerly filed under Oophaga histrionica; described as O. andresi in 2018. Most trade material and older care references still say 'histrionica Tado'.
• More reclusive and more territorial than Dendrobates. Heavy planting, deep leaf litter, and vertical structure let them settle and stay visible.
• Extremely sensitive to chemicals, chlorine, and swings in humidity or temperature
• Handle only when absolutely necessary for medical care or moving
• Quarantine all new animals for 30+ days