THIS LISTING IS FOR REGISTERED WHOLESALE ACCOUNTS ONLY.

For retail customers, please check out our normal product page: Dendrobates auratus 'Pena Blanca' (Captive Bred) - Green and Black Poison Dart Frog

Defining Characteristics: 

• Great beginner frog
• Contrasting white and brown pattern (sometimes with blue toes!)
• Shy
• Very easy to breed
• Quiet call
• Large
• Can be kept in groups

Name: Dendrobates auratus 'Pena Blanca'. Commonly called the Green and Black Poison Dart Frog. The species is commonly referred to as 'Pena Blanca' in the United States frog hobby. These animals descend from frogs collected from the Rio Cascajal locale. 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 'Pena Blanca', but Josh's Frogs recommends a 20H or 18x18x18 Vivarium for 1-3 frogs. Auratus will not climb as much as other varieties of dart frogs, and prefer a horizontally oriented tank.

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°F, 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, Pena Blanca 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. 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.

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

Age: Dendrobates auratus 'Pena Blanca' 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 auratus for sale at Josh's Frogs are well started juveniles, and are 2-3 months old.

Feeding: Like most poison dart frogs, auratus prefer smaller foods. All of the Pena Blanca Josh's Frogs sells will readily eat Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies. Adults 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: Dendrobates auratus 'Pena Blanca' 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 Pena Blanca auratus that are not sexable unless otherwise noted. For more information on sexing poison dart frogs, please visit our How-To Guide on Sexing Poison Dart Frogs.

Color/Pattern: A typically white and brown/black poison dart frog, Dendrobates auratus 'Pena Blanca' can be very variable. Varying amounts of black to brown to bronze contrasts nicely will a bright, white or cream background. Pena Blanca auratus can have a more metallic blue coloration than other auratus morphs.

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.