Defining Characteristics: 

• Great beginner frog
• Bright yellow-green spots on black background
• Moderately shy
• Easy to breed
• Quiet call
• medium sized dart frog
• Can be kept in groups
• This morph was bred in Europe. We imported the animals in December 2024 and they passed quarantine.

Name: Dendrobates auratus 'Colombian Yellow', also known as the Capurgana auratus. Commonly called the Green and Black Poison Dart Frog. The species is commonly referred to as 'Colombian Yellow' in the United States frog hobby. Simply calling the species 'auratus' is fairly common, as well.

Recommended Vivarium Size & Setup: A 10 gallon aquarium is suitable for a single Dendrobates auratus 'Colombian Yellow', but Josh's Frogs recommends a 20H or 18x18x18 glass terrarium for 1-3 frogs. Auratus will not climb as much as other varieties of dart frogs, and prefer a horizontally oriented tank. Panamanian auratus seem to appreciate a water feature, such as a small pond.

ABG mix or Josh's Frogs Dart Frog BioBedding in conjunction with our other bioactive layers (false bottom, substrate barrier, sphagnum moss and leaf litter) are great substrate options for your dart frog setup! Both of these mixes support microfauna populations, which help break down waste and mold within the tank.

Want to spice up your enclosure with live plants? Our experts have curated kits of easy-to-care-for and SAFE plants for your dart frogs. Check them out here!

Not sure how to set up a vivarium? Check out this video: Dart Frog Vivarium Set Up - Start to Finish

Temperature (°F): They can tolerate a temperature range of 65 to 85°, but prefer temperatures in the low to mid 70s. Temperatures over 85°F are dangerous. Use a digital thermometer to monitor temps in your tank.

Humidity: Like most poison dart frogs, auratus prefer a humidity range of 80–100%, 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 to 'Colombian Yellow'. Auratus in particular seem to enjoy a wetter environment and higher ambient humidity levels vs other species of poison dart frogs, and will be more active in a more humid environment, especially when provided with a water feature. In the wild, auratus are commonly found in association with streams.

Use a digital hygrometer to monitor humidity levels in your enclosure.

Size: Adult female Colombian Yellow auratus are larger, measuring in at approximately 1.5 inches. Male auratus are a bit smaller, averaging about 1.25 inches at maturity. All of the Dendrobates auratus 'Colombian Yellow' froglets Josh's Frogs sells are well started juveniles, and measure at least 5/8 of an inch long.

Age: Dendrobates auratus 'Colombian Yellow' is capable of living well over 20 years in captivity under ideal conditions, although a lifespan of 10 years is more common. In the wild, it is thought that auratus may live 4-6 years. All 'Colombian Yellow' Auratus for sale at Josh's Frogs are well started juveniles, and are 2-3 months old.

Feeding: Like most poison dart frogs, Colombian Yellow auratus poison dart frogs prefer smaller foods. They will readily eat Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies. Adults can easily consume Drosophila hydei fruit flies and  pinhead crickets. All ages of poison dart frogs will enjoy springtails and isopods. All feeder insects should be dusted with  vitamin/mineral supplements. 

For more information on what poison dart frogs can eat, please check out our Feeding Dart Frogs blog.

Sexing: Dendrobates auratus 'Colombian Yellow' is not sexable until 10-12 months of age, and even at that age visual sexing is very difficult. Male auratus tend to be smaller than females, which often appear both longer and wider. Males also tend to have wider front toe pads and a less defined back arch than females. Josh's Frogs sells 2-3 month old juvenile Colombian Yellow auratus that are not sexable unless otherwise noted.

For more information on sexing poison dart frogs, check out our blog: How to Visually Sex Dart Frogs Part II

Color/Pattern: A typically green and black poison dart frog, Dendrobates auratus 'Colombian Yellow' is very variable. Varying amounts of black are overlaid with green to yellow-green coloration. As Colombian Yellow auratus age, their colors often change a bit as well. The intensity of the green can vary a bit. The green/black pattern typically resembles large spots on the back.

Josh's Frogs does not recommend, support, or endorse line breeding, as we believe this leads to weaker captive animals and nature has done a wonderful job of creating an amazing variation in color and pattern of poison dart frogs already.

Social Behavior: These frogs do well housed in groups their entire life, as long as enough space is provided. Josh's Frogs recommends approximately 10 gallons per frog. As they reach sexual maturity at 10-12 months of age, the social dynamic in a group of Dendrobates auratus may change, and females may eat each other's eggs. Female D. auratus 'Colombian Yellow' may fight with each other over a mate. For that reason, many breeders recommend keeping auratus in pairs as adults. In our experience at Josh's Frogs, generally this aggression is minor, and auratus make a great group frog.

Josh's Frogs strongly recommends against housing different species/morphs of dart frogs - for the health of your pets, please avoid mixing!

Breeding: Colombian Yellow auratus are easy to breed. Sometimes they lay eggs frequently, only to stop and go months before laying another clutch. Like most Dendrobates, eggs are deposited on a smooth broad leaf, or on a petri dish under a cocohut. Most egg clutches consist of 4-6 eggs. The eggs hatch into tadpoles, which then take 60-80 days to complete metamorphosis into miniature versions of the adults. 

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).

For more information on breeding and raising poison dart frogs, check out our 5 Tips for Breeding Dart Frogs blog!

Natural Range: Dendrobates auratus 'Colombian Yellow' is native to the Capurgana area of Colombia. Capurgana is a coastal city very close to the border of Panama.

History in the Hobby: Many different forms of auratus are present in the hobby, predominantly from Panama. Colombian Yellow auratus were introduced into the US hobby in 2013.

Links of Interest:

• Auratus Care Sheet by Josh's Frogs
• Wikipedia entry on Dendrobates auratus
• Auratus information on AmphibiaWeb