Invert Planet Forums - African Dwarf Frog Care and Information

African Dwarf Frog Care

African Dwarf Frogs are an amphibian, in the Pipidae family. They vary in color from brown, green, gray, have black dots and can grow up to 2". African Dwarf Frogs originate in Sub-Saharan Africa and are also called Congo Frogs or just ADFs, for short. African Dwarf Frogs have webbed hands and feet. So if you see an aquatic frog with claws it's most likely an African Clawed Frog which is very different in size and requirements.

Like any aquatic specimen a cycled tank is a must. This is not something you can skip out on, or just hope for the best with. African Dwarf Frogs cannot handle bad water, and adding them to an uncycled tank is sentencing them to death. African Dwarf Frog's skin offers little to no protection against harmful waste and toxins that are in uncycled, or badly cared for tanks. African Dwarf Frogs are fairly hardy and easy to care for when given the proper requirements, as most things are.

If you decide you want to own African Dwarf Frogs you must first understand that you need a minimum of two and a half gallons, per frog. The one gallon, per frog rule just isn't true. These frogs not only produce waste, but they need swimming room as well. It's recommended you keep African Dwarf Frogs in groups of three or more, so a ten gallon is a great start. The tank should not be more than two feet tall as African Dwarf Frogs are not great swimmers and they need to be able to reach the top for oxygen from time to time.

The substrate you use in your African Dwarf Frog tank should be too big to swallow, but not so big food gets lost in it. Sand is a great options for an African Dwarf Frog tank. ADFs appreciate a well planted tank, with some floating plants for them to cling to when near the surface. You can use real or fake plants, but ensure that all plants are soft, and do not have any rough edges where the frog can harm themselves. An African Dwarf Frog tank should also have a tight, secure lid as they are known to escape. A good way to ensure no escaping happens is to also leave the water an inch below being full (along with a lid).

Good tank maintenance is a must. As I stated before, African Dwarf Frogs do not do well in bad water conditions. The tank must be filtered and weekly water changes should be done, while cleaning the substrate. The filter should be a good quality filter, that doesn't cause too much noise or excess vibration as it can cause stress to your frog. A dechlorinater should always be used. Always try and find a brand that also binds heavy metal content, as these can also be harmful to ADFs. Bottle spring water is also a good option. Never use purified water for any aquarium.

African Dwarf Frogs are a nocturnal species, so they do best with a lighting cycle. A water heater is needed as they are sub-tropical and they do best with a temperature of 75F. African Dwarf Frogs adapt well to a range of hardness and pH levels.

The question of tankmates is very common when it comes to keeping African Dwarf Frogs. The first recommendation is other African Dwarf frogs, male or female doesn't matter. They do best when kept in groups or three or more. They are social and enjoy the company of each other. Another option is small, peaceful community fish. They should not be kept with too many bottom dwellers though, as they eat their food off the bottom and don't do well with competition. African Dwarf Frogs should not be kept with goldfish, as they have very different requirements. You should never keep ADFs with predatory fish. When adding tankmates you must also consider the needs of the tankmate, and ensure you have enough aquarium space based on everyone's personal requirements.

When it comes to eating, African Dwarf Frogs are not too picky. However, you must ensure that they are eating because they can starve to death. It's best to feed them food intended for carnivorous fish, not plant eaters. They enjoy bloodworms, brine shrimp, frog and tadpole pellets, shrimp pellets, water-borne insects, mosquito larvae, and grindal worms. A lot of people feed their African Dwarf Frog off of small plates because the frogs have poor eyesight and they rely on their sense of smell. If you use a small feeding plate they can learn to go the same spot during feeding time and it's cleaner for the tank, too. African Dwarf Frogs should be fed once a day. They will have a round tummy after eating. They can become obese if over-fed. Skipping a day now and them is okay.

Overall, African Dwarf Frogs are a great pet to own. Just be sure to provide their minimal needs and your keeping of them will be successful.

Quick Stats:

Minimum Tank Size: 2 ½ gallons PER FROG
care Level:Easy-Moderate**In an established aquarium
Temperament: Peaceful
Water Conditions:75F, Freshwater
Max. Size:2”
Diet:Mainly Carnivore
Origin:Sub-Saharan Africa
Family:Pipidae

African Dwarf Frog Feeding