Defining Characteristics:

• Great beginner frog
• Contrasting black and yellow coloration
• Bold
• Easy to breed
• Quiet call
• Large
• Best kept in pairs
• This morph was bred in Europe. We imported the animals in December 2024 and they passed quarantine.

Name: Dendrobates tinctorius 'Alanis'. The Alanis and Inferalanis morphs are the same population—they were separated on import by color/size, which can be attributed to the age of the animals. Commonly called the Dyeing Poison Dart Frog (based on an early belief that natives used brightly colored frogs to dye fabric).

Recommended Vivarium Size & Setup: A 10 gallon aquarium is suitable for a single Dendrobates tinctorius 'Alanis', but Josh's Frogs recommends a 20H or 18x18x18 glass terrarium for 1-3 frogs.

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): D. tinctorius 'Alanis' can tolerate a temperature range of 65 to 80°, but prefer temperatures in the low to mid 70s. Temperatures over 85°F are dangerous. Monitor temps with a digital thermometer.

Humidity: Like most poison dart frogs, Alanis prefer a humidity range of 70–100%, 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. Measure humidity with a digital hygrometer.

Size: Adult female Alanis are larger, measuring in at approximately 2 inches. Male Alanis are a bit smaller, averaging about 1.75 inches at maturity. All of the Dendrobates tinctorius 'Alanis' froglets Josh's Frogs sells are well started juveniles, and measure at least 5/8 of an inch long.

Age: These frogs are 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 Alanis may live 4-6 years. All Alanis for sale at Josh's Frogs are well started juveniles, and are at least 2-3 months old.

Feeding: Like most poison dart frogs, Alanis prefer smaller foods. All of the Alanis Josh's Frogs sells will readily eat Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies. Adult Dendrobates tinctorius 'Alanis' will readily consume D. 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: D. tinctorius 'Alanis' is not sexable until 10-12 months of age. Male Alanis 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 juveniles that are at least 2-3 months old (out of the water) and are not sexable unless otherwise noted.

For more information on sexing poison dart frogs, please see our blogs: How to Visually Sex Dart Frogs: Part I & How to Visually Sex Dart Frogs: Part II

Color/Pattern: They are mostly black in color with a varying degree of yellow on the back. The blue in the legs and on the belly is typically a very deep, dark blue. Some Alanis display a lot of yellow, while some show just faint yellow lines. 

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: Alanis do well housed in groups up to sexual maturity, 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 D. tinctorius may change, and all but one female may need to be removed. Female D. tinctorius may fight with each other over a mate. For that reason, many breeders recommend keeping Alanis in pairs as adults.

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

Breeding: Alanis are very simple and easy to breed. Like most Dendrobates tinctorius, Alanis are best bred in pairs as adult females may fight with each other in the presence of a male. Generally, eggs are deposited on a smooth broad leaf, or on a petri dish under a cocohut. 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 and female).

For more information on breeding and raising poison dart frogs, please read our blog: 5 Tips for Breeding Dart Frogs

Natural Range: Dendrobates tinctorius 'Alanis' is native to Suriname. An exact locale is questionable—the area of origin is rather large.

History in the Hobby: Alanis have been around for a very long time in the US hobby, having originally been imported in 1999. Alanis have been imported multiple times at later dates.

Links of Interest: 

• Tinctorius Morphguide, with great information on all morphs of Dendrobates tinctorius.
• IUCN Redlist article on Dendrobates tinctorius.