What you see is what you get! This is the EXACT Starry Night Reed Frog available for sale. Weights are accurate as of the date displayed. Sex is indicated if available, but not guaranteed. These are NOT retired breeders!

Defining Characteristics: 

• Great beginner frog
• Bright coloration
• Bold
• Easy to breed
• Moderately loud call
• Great in groups
• Nocturnal

Name: Belonging to the family Hyperoliidae, the Starry Night Reed Frog is scientifically known as Heterixalus alboguttatus. Sometimes referred to Spotted Reed Frogs or simply 'starry nights', these frogs are so named for their contrasting yellow and black pattern, which resembles the sky on a clear night.

Recommended Vivarium Size: A 10 gallon aquarium is suitable for 2-4 Starry Night Reed Frogs, but Josh's Frogs recommends a 20H or 18x18x18 glass terrarium, as it will allow for easier cleaning. Not sure how to set up a reed frog enclosure?

Check out our video on How to Set Up a Terrarium for Reed Frogs!

Want to spice up your enclosure with live plants? Our experts have curated a kit of easy-to-care-for and SAFE plants for your reed frogs. Check it out here!

Temperature (°F): They can tolerate a temperature range of 65 to 85°F, but prefer temperatures in the mid 70s. Temperatures over 90 degrees are dangerous. A low wattage basking spot, with a temperature of 85-90°, will be utilized but is not absolutely needed.

Humidity: Like most frogs, reed frogs prefer a humidity range of 70 – 80%, but can tolerate humidity down to 50% for short periods of time if the frogs have access to water. Low humidity levels, especially without access to water, can quickly be fatal. Starry Night Reed Frogs occur in the marginal areas between water and land, referred to as the riparian zone. As such, they require high humidity paired with substantial ventilation. 

Feeding: At Josh's Frogs, we feed our reed frogs dusted crickets. At 3/4", juvenile reed frogs can easily take 1/8" crickets, and 1/4" crickets as adults. Make sure to dust all prey items with a quality vitamin/mineral supplement. We place the crickets in floating food bowls in the reed frog habitat, to prevent crickets from drowning and fouling the water. To learn more about feeding reed frogs, please watch our video on How to Feed Reed Frogs.

Social Behavior: These frogs do well housed in groups their entire life, as long as enough space is provided. 

Breeding: Reed frogs are very easy to breed—just house a male and a female together! When housed in a proper environment, Starry Night Reed Frogs are very prolific, laying clutches of 50-200 eggs every 2-3 weeks. Eggs are generally laid right above or below the water's surface, and quickly develop into very small, delicate tadpoles.

For more information on how to take care of reed frog eggs and tadpoles, please watch our videos on How to Care For Reed Frog Eggs, and How to Care For Reed Frog Tadpoles.

Josh's Frogs recommends purchasing multiple frogs if you are interested in breeding them–this greatly increases the chances of getting a pair (male & female). We recommend purchasing at least 4-5 reed frogs at a time. 

Natural Range: Heterixalus alboguttatus are native to Madagascar. They inhabit riparian zones, where a body of water (mainly a pond) meets the land. Among emergent vegetation, reed frogs spend the day sleeping on the underside of leaves. With their limited range and the seemingly imminent destruction of their native habitat, maintaining this species in captivity should be of the utmost importance.

History in the Hobby: Starry Night reed frogs have been imported directly from Madagascar several times over the past several decades. These imports are the foundation of the captive population of Heterixalus alboguttatus in the United States today.

Links of Interest:

• Wikipedia - article on the current habitat of Starry Night Reed Frogs in Madagascar
• IUCN Redlist - information on the current status of Heterixalus alboguttatus in the wild
• Breeding Blue Back Reed Frogs by Devin Edmonds in Reptiles Magazine
• AmphibiaWeb article on Starry Night Reed Frogs