How to Care for Albino African Black Clawed Frogs

The Albino African Black Clawed Frog is a fully aquatic species of frog originating from the west coast of Africa. It makes for a fascinating pet. Both albinos and regular Black Clawed Frogs can be readily found in pet stores specializing in reptiles and amphibians, as their care needs are exactly the same. But even persons who've kept frogs as pets before may have trouble with this particular species, as their needs are different from the norm. Learn how to properly care for this type of frog.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 5 Gallon Tank
• Low Flow Filtration System
• Non-chlorinated Water
• Sand or Earth
• Fish Tank Decorations
• Frog Food

1. Prepare a fish tank for the frog to live in. This species spends one hundred percent of its time in the water so you will need to set up a tank of water as if you were keeping fish. For one or two frogs, a five gallon tank is the absolute minimum. The females can get to be about six-inches-long, the males being slightly smaller. This species is very active and likes to have plenty of room to move around.

2. Use clean sand or earth to line the bottom of the tank. These frogs will actively attempt to eat pebbles or gravel if it’s small enough to fit in their mouths. In other words, regular fish gravel is not appropriate. Along with the gravel, you should also include foliage, fake or real, good sized branches, and other decorations that give the frogs plenty of places to swim around and hide under.

3. Install a low-flow filtration system to keep the frogs' waste from polluting the water. African Black Clawed Frogs, either albino or normal, prefer water with little to no current. Any system particularly loud or powerful is not recommended. The amount of ammonia from the frogs' waste can become toxic very quickly. For this reason, the tank's water should be completely replaced weekly. Also, the tank's water should be completely chlorine free; any chlorine in the water will sicken and kill the frogs within a matter of hours--if not minutes.

4. Install a thermostat. This species is particularly hardy and has been known to survive temperatures below freezing point, but they can sicken if the temperature of their environment is off for prolonged periods. Water temperature should stay in the low 70 degrees F range year-round.

5. Feed the frogs roughly three times a week, but don't stint on the portions. These frogs subsist mainly on live food and have very strong hunting instinct. They can and will eat anything they can fit in their sizable mouths, though it can often be the death of them. Don't give them tetras or feeder goldfish as they contain an indigestible enzyme which can give your frog serious trouble. Instead give them blood worms, mosquito larvae, earthworms, tubifex worms, live ghost shrimp, beefheart brine shrimp, shrimp pellets and live guppies. They will readily stuff themselves, but don't worry about feeding them too much; they have enough sense to stop before they harm themselves.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep the males separate from the females if at all possible. Albino African Black Clawed Frogs mate frequently and their tadpoles require care distinctly different from that of other species of frog hatchlings.
• This species of frog lacks a tongue to grab food with; instead it will scoop food into its mouth with its front legs/flippers.
• These frogs are voracious eaters and will readily attack other species of animal or smaller frogs they come across, because of this do not put other animals or fish in the same tanks As African Black Clawed Frogs.
• Before purchasing these frogs, ensure that you have both the time and money to adequately care for them. This species of frog can live for over fifteen years and represents a sizable investment.

Resources

• Breeding Habits of the Albino African Black Clawed Frog

[carag]

on 7/1/2009 My Albino African clawed frog ate 3 or 4 pebbles...and I do feed him 3 times a week. I don't think he'll be able to "pass" them. Any suggestions anyone?

[jetta88]

on 4/21/2009 i HAVE MY FROG ABOUT 4 YEARS AND IN A TANK WITH GOLD FISH THAT ARE LARGE. i HAVE A SMALLER FROG THAT IS ABOUT 2 YEARS OLD AND i PUT IN THE SAME TANK AND AFTER A WHILE THE LITTLE FROG WAS HANGING ON THE BIG FROGS BACK RIDDING AROUND. i DIDN'T KNOW IF THE LITTLE FROG WAS TRYING TO MATE OR JUST BE FRIENDLY. hOW OLD ARE THEY BEFORE THEY MATE? jetta88

[cha44]

on 4/8/2009 I have had my african albino clawed frog for approx. 6 yrs. now and have not had a prob. til now, she doesn't seem to have any interest in eating for the past couple of days

[froggygirl101]

on 4/3/2009 i ahve had my african from for over 4 yrs and am wanting to get him a friend of his own kind. He was in a tank of many fish for about a week and the fish, bigger than him, were "disappearing". im not sure if it is worth getting this 2nd frog and rishing him eating the smaller one ans possibly dieing :/ Anyone with experiences Help! Please

[kayleeshoe]

on 1/21/2009 hi i have my african albino clawed frog for quite a few years now,and i believe this article overexaggerated.mine is in a 10 gallon tank with a goldfish.it tried to eat the fish a few times,but after a few weeks,i noticed they are now nuetral to each other.(similar to keeping a cat& dog together long enough,they stop fighting.)regular fish gravel is at the bottom,and i dont change the water often.i feed him regular reptile/anphibian pellets,and he is still healthier than most frogs of its kind that i have seen.