How to Breed Peacock Frogs

Despite their name, peacock tree frogs (Leptopelis vermiculatus) are not particularly colorful. However, these frogs are appealing in other manners, such as their tiny size, striped legs, wide eyes and very feisty natures. The species is native to Tanzania. Most of the peacock frogs available in the pet trade are wild caught. With a growing awareness of how the trade in exotic pets can affect wild animals, the market for captive-bred amphibians is developing. If you are experienced with breeding amphibians, breeding peacock tree frogs could be a rewarding and potential profitable experience. It is not, though, a project for beginners.

Things You'll Need

  • 20-gallon or larger tank with light
  • Tank divider
  • Substrate and land plants
  • Gravel, aquatic plants and filter
  • Flake food
  • Phytoplankton
  • Live food
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Instructions

    • 1

      Set up a large breeding tank with a tank divider to create a water section and a land section. The land section should be like the frogs' normal terrarium, with moss and growing plants. The water section should have gravel, aquatic plants and a filter. Leave the tank for at least a week to allow the aquarium section to cycle and the plants to become established.

    • 2

      Introduce one or two male peacock tree frogs and one female. Mature females are significantly bigger than the males. Care for the frogs as normal.

    • 3

      Adjust the period the tank light is on each day to mimic the seasons in the frogs' natural habitat to stimulate breeding. It is probably simplest to start off with the season you are currently in yourself and follow a natural calendar. If you are in winter, adjust the lights to the winter photoperiod in Tanzania. Adjust to the spring photoperiod gradually. Times of dusk and dawn in different places are widely available on websites such as Gaisma.

    • 4

      Perform weekly partial water changes in the aquarium section, replacing about 25 percent of the water with fresh, dechlorinated water.

    • 5

      Feed the hatched tadpoles with a mixture of high-quality flake food for omnivorous fish and phytoplankton. After a couple of weeks, add live food, such as daphnia. Determine the proportions of each type of food to feed by the amount the tadpoles eat. They also may scavenge for detritus in the tank.

    • 6

      Transfer the froglets to terrariums after they leave the water. It is best not to house large numbers together because peacock frogs are a notoriously aggressive species.