Blue-legged mantella (Mantella expectata)

Short answers

Blue-legged mantella: How big does the enclosure need to be?

50×40×50 cm for a group, planted.

Blue-legged mantella: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 19–25 °C in summer, 3–4 °C cooler at night, basking spot No basking spot — direct heat is harmful, at night 17–20 °C.

Blue-legged mantella: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Weak UVB recommended (UVB 2.0).

Blue-legged mantella: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 5–10 years.

Blue-legged mantella: Is it suitable for beginners?

Rather not – it is considered an intermediate species (difficulty: Intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

19–25 °C in summer, 3–4 °C cooler at night

Night temperature

17–20 °C

Basking spot

No basking spot — direct heat is harmful

Humidity

60–80 %

UVB

Weak UVB recommended (UVB 2.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

50×40×50 cm for a group, planted

Substrate

Only about a third planted, moist forest-floor area with drainage, moss and leaf litter; the rest set up like a rocky streambed of stone slabs and gravel, with a slope so that moist and noticeably drier zones sit side by side. Plus a shallow water area.

Feeding

Food

Crickets, house crickets, fruit flies and firebrats, dusted regularly with calcium and vitamins

Feeding interval

adults 3–4×/week

Key facts

Adult size

males 23–27 mm, females 27–30 mm

Life expectancy

5–10 years

Origin

Southern Madagascar, the Isalo massif: sun-exposed, intermittently flowing rocky streams and canyons

Protection status

CITES II — proof of origin required

Brumation

At least 10 weeks of dry dormancy below 20 °C (winter values 15–18 °C), less than 12 hours of lighting and heavily reduced misting; water about every two weeks in winter

Cohabitation

Group housing possible. Raise juveniles separately from adults. Not because they would be eaten — these animals are far too small for that — but because the larger ones get to the food first and the smaller ones fall behind. Provide enough hiding places so that every animal can retreat, and feed separately if there is a size difference.

Notes

From a drier region than the other Mantella species — mist markedly more sparingly and keep to a long dry season.

Do you keep this species?

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Look for Blue-legged mantella (Mantella expectata) in the marketplace →

Related species

• Baron's mantella (Mantella baroni) – Intermediate
• Bernhard's mantella (Mantella bernhardi) – Intermediate
• Betsileo mantella (Mantella betsileo) – Beginner
• Cowan's mantella (Mantella cowanii) – Intermediate
• Black-eared mantella (Mantella milotympanum) – Intermediate
• Yellow mantella (Mantella crocea) – Intermediate
• Golden mantella (Mantella aurantiaca) – Intermediate
• Green mantella (Mantella viridis) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Blue-legged mantella (Mantella expectata) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (50×40×50 cm for a group, planted), substrate (Only about a third planted, moist forest-floor area with drainage, moss and leaf litter; the rest set up like a rocky streambed of stone slabs and gravel, with a slope so that moist and noticeably drier zones sit side by side. Plus a shallow water area.), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.