Behaviour

Fighting

Most Dendrobates species will fight under certain circumstances. Males may get into territorial disputes, but females may fight to the death! Fighting can be reduced by providing sufficient space. In nature, Dendrobates species will defend territories of several metres in diameter, so you're going to need a very big vivarium to prevent aggression! Visual barriers so the frogs can "escape" from each other are also important. In practice, the usual solution is to maintain Dendrobates species as pairs (or trios if sufficient space is available).

Phylobates and Epipedobates species can generally be kept either as pairs or as mixed sex groups if sufficient space and visual barriers are present, but once again, crowding frogs is a sure way to induce aggression, stress and disease.

Male Mantellas are aggressive to other males during the breeding season, but no harm is usually done, and these frogs generally breed better in mixed sex groups than when kept as isolated pairs.

Toe flicking/fluttering

Digital fluttering, to give it it's correct name. This is a normal reaction to food (prey) items. Many Anuran species show this behaviour, not just dart frogs. The purpose, whether to attract food insects, scare them into moving, or whether this simply represents excitement, is not known. There are some reports of toe flicking being used a communication signal between frogs.

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