Every month, we will be featuring a different frog with expanded information and special prices. Please check back monthly to find out what will be the next Frog of the Month.

The frog for September is the 75% Orange form of Dendrobates galactonotus. D. galactonotus is has several different forms that are available in the hobby. Most of the forms in the U.S. hobby are identified by the confusing method of assigning a percentage number to the amount of coloration on the frog’s back. For example, 75% Orange implies that 75% of the frog would be orange in color. There is another form called “95% Orange”. This is to infer that 95% of the frogs back will be covered by the orange coloration. These are two, entirely different forms. People should not confuse the two forms because of individual variability that may cause a 75% Orange form to have more than 75% coverage. By that same token, a 95% Orange frog that has less than 95% coverage should not be labeled 90% or 85%. If it is the same form, it should be called as such, regardless of the exact amount of coverage. It should also be said that the Solid Orange form of D. galactonotus is yet, another form, and not the result of a 95% Orange frog that just happened to get more orange.

D. galactonotus '75% Orange'

D. galactonotus '75% Orange'

75% Orange D. galactonotus are pretty uniform in coloration. They are usually pumpkin orange on their entire back which only fades to a yellow-orange right where the black and orange meet on their sides. Their hind legs will have some amount of orange as well, but their front legs are usually just black.

Breeding for D. galactonotus usually takes place in a bower, where the female will lay eggs that are often white or tan in color. The male’s call is a soft, but long and drawn out, metallic buzz. The tadpoles seem to require a higher protein diet than other, closely related Dendrobatids such as. D. tinctorius. This can be accomplished by using live foods and/or freeze-dried bloodworms in their diet. They are also very susceptible to developmental problems if their water temperature is not monitored. Temperatures that are too cold seem to contribute to Short-femur development in the froglets. The water temperature should be kept in the mid to upper 70’s F (23-26 degrees C.). The froglets that emerge grow rapidly, and develop their color quickly.

The 75% Orange from of D. galactonotus is a strikingly colored frog. They are very hardy, and reproduce well in captivity. Growing success in breeding has made this species very affordable, even for the beginning hobbyist. We would highly recommend this frog for all hobbyists.