How to Care for African Dwarf Frogs

African dwarf frogs make great pets. You don't have to walk or groom them, yet they provide hours of entertainment by frolicking in the water. And some owners swear their frogs sing! These amphibians live under water all the time. Look to these water frogs as good pets for a beginner once you understand these steps for African dwarf frog care.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Aquarium with lid
• De-chlorinated water
• Frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, or amphibian food pellets
• Aquarium heater (optional)
• Filter (optional)
• Bamboo plant (optional)

1. Buy African dwarf frogs at a pet store. Buy at least two as company for each other. Make certain you choose active frogs with clear eyes and no skin sores. Don't confuse African dwarf frogs with African clawed frogs or dwarf clawed frogs, a larger and more aggressive species.
2. Use a regular aquarium with a lid, allowing for no more than two frogs for every gallon. Overcrowding causes stress on the frogs. Start with a larger tank if frogs will share a home with fish. The aquarium top should not have holes in it, although air slits are OK. Remember, these are frogs, and frogs jump.
3. Provide clean, de-chlorinated water for the aquarium. Let tap water stand for at least 24 hours to allow chlorine to evaporate, or use de-chlorinating drops available at the pet store. Frogs function best in water that is 76-78 degrees. If water temperature falls below 68 degrees, buy a tank heater. Change water as it becomes murky. If you want to decrease the number of tank cleanings or plan to add fish, you should have a filter.
4. Feed your African dwarf frogs frozen bloodworms or brine shrimp from your neighborhood pet store. These frogs need protein. They also have to locate their food by sight, not smell, so make sure you drop the food near your frogs. Live bloodworms and brine shrimp are favorites, but messier than their frozen counterparts. You can also feed your frogs amphibian food pellets that sink to the bottom of the tank. An easy to grow bamboo plant in the tank offers nutrients to the frogs as well.
5. Watch your frogs swim. At times, they look like they are leaping around underwater. They do have their down time though. Look at the bottom of the tank as they blend in with their surroundings. Sometimes they float near the top. A slight tap on the glass will assure you that they're not dead.
6. Look for signs of illness. Cloudy eyes or a lack of appetite can be signs of problems. African dwarf frogs are hardy creatures, but sometimes bacteria or a low pH level can cause problems. Test the pH level occasionally. These frogs like it best between 7.2 and 7.6. Frogs do occasionally shed their skin. This is not a sign of illness, but a normal part of their development.

Tips & Warnings

• If you notice tiny black things swimming around your tank, your frogs have mated and given you some tadpoles. Separate them from the adults as soon as possible, in case the adults mistake them for food. Due to the small size of the tadpoles, it might be easier to move the adults to a different aquarium. Offer the tadpoles a protein powder made for fish or spirulina flakes. After they grow a bit, switch them to frozen bloodworms.
• You can mix your African dwarf frogs with non-aggressive freshwater aquarium fish like tetras and goldfish.
• Cover filter openings with clean hose or cheesecloth to prevent frogs from getting caught. They are attracted to the air current.
• If you have a joint fish-frog community, remove the frogs to a new tank when a fish dies. The tank must be cleaned before the frogs can join the fish again.
• Don't overfeed your frogs. Give no more than your frogs will consume in an hour or two; if food remains in the water, it will rot and cause disease. Never feed your frogs fish flakes that float. On the opposite end of the scale, African dwarf frogs sometimes become anorexic because they can't find their food, or fish in the aquarium eat it. If this happens, scoop your frog into a smaller container of chlorine-free water and leave it alone with food until it eats enough.