Why the Right Plants Make All the Difference
When you’re building a vivarium for dart frogs, the plants you choose aren’t just decoration — they’re infrastructure. Live plants help maintain humidity, offer hiding spots, encourage natural behaviours, and contribute to the health of your bioactive ecosystem.
This guide will walk you through five top-performing plant types for dart frog enclosures and how to use them effectively, whether you’re setting up a beginner vivarium or designing a lush display tank.
What Makes a Plant Dart Frog-Friendly?
Dart frogs need consistent warmth, high humidity, and access to cover. The best vivarium plants:
- Thrive in 70–100% humidity
- Tolerate moderate to low light
- Grow well in confined spaces or on hardscape
- Offer vertical or horizontal coverage
- Are non-toxic and amphibian safe
Let’s dive into the five best options.
1. Bromeliads – The Iconic Dart Frog Plant
Bromeliads aren’t just visually stunning — they’re functional. Many species of Ranitomeya and Oophaga use bromeliads to lay eggs or deposit tadpoles in water-holding leaf axils.
Why they work:
- Naturally collect water
- Provide arboreal egg-laying sites
- Bright, tropical appearance
Best types for vivariums:
- Neoregelia (compact and colourful)
- Tillandsia (air plants for vertical spaces)
Position them in cork branches or suctioned planters halfway up the tank for both function and style.
2. Fittonia – Ground Cover That Pops
Also known as nerve plant, Fittonia albivenis brings striking leaf veining in green, red, or pink and thrives in high-humidity tanks.
Why they work:
- Excellent humidity retention
- Fast-growing and self-spreading
- Safe for frogs to hide in
These make great foreground plants. They can tolerate lower light but thrive under full-spectrum LEDs. Keep them trimmed to avoid overgrowth.
3. Peperomia – Compact and Easy to Maintain
Peperomia species come in many forms, from upright to trailing, and have fleshy, water-storing leaves. They handle vivarium conditions very well.
Why they work:
- Compact root systems
- Ideal for background planting
- Won’t overwhelm small enclosures
Try Peperomia caperata or Peperomia prostrata for texture variety.
4. Selaginella – Mossy, Dense, and Alive
Often sold as spike moss, Selaginella is a primitive plant that spreads beautifully across substrate and lower hardscape, acting like living moss.
Why they work:
- Dense coverage = humidity retention
- Aids in soil moisture stability
- Safe hiding for froglets and isopods
It’s sensitive to low humidity, so use it in established, well-misted enclosures.
5. Ficus pumila – The Climbing Carpet
Also known as creeping fig, this fast-growing vine loves to cling and crawl over backgrounds, cork, and foam.
Why they work:
- Provides vertical shelter
- Adds texture and depth
- Excellent at covering harsh hardscape lines
It can take over quickly, so trim regularly. Use it sparingly in small enclosures, or let it fill gaps in a large tank.
Bonus Mentions
- Anthurium – Stunning foliage, great for large tanks
- Philodendron micans – Velvet leaves and tropical appeal
- Pilea – Low light tolerant and frog-safe
- Mosses – From Java to sphagnum, they’re humidity superheroes
All are available seasonally in our rotating Bioactive Plant Bundle.
How to Plant a Vivarium
- Use a Bioactive Substrate Kit with drainage layer and mesh barrier.
- Arrange large hardscape items like cork, wood, and rocks.
- Start planting from back to front.
- Mist thoroughly and keep humidity high while plants settle.
- Add frogs only after plants have rooted and the ecosystem is stable.
Conclusion
A thriving vivarium isn’t complete without the right plants. By choosing species that suit the needs of dart frogs and work harmoniously with your bioactive setup, you’ll create a living, breathing slice of rainforest that’s as beautiful as it is functional.
Start with a pre-selected plant bundle or mix your own from the list above — just make sure you give each one time to root and grow before introducing your frogs.
