I'm Considering Adopting Some African Dwarf Frogs

Reido Dorito

Reido Dorito

AC Members
Jun 6, 2017
133
4
18
Hey there! Here recently, I've been looking at adopting a couple of African Dwarf Frogs from my local Petsmart. I've researched a little bit, and I have the little pamphlet-thingy from the pet store. However, I'd really like to hear about others' experiences in caring for them. I plan to get them in a couple of weeks, and I'd love to know the best techniques for feeding them (meaning good food and things like that), good home setups (meaning what rock ornaments/plants I need to get and things like that), etc. so I can provide the best home possible for the little toadies! :)

Right now, I have a Top Fin 5.5 Gal. Aquarium Starter Kit with LED Lights. It came with a Top Fin Power Filter with cartridge and an LED hood in which the filter fits. There is a gap for feeding, which is uncovered. I'll have it running for the next couple of weeks so it can cycle through and get the pH and temperature right and stuff like that.

If you happen to know whether or not the bubbles from the filter will bother the frog(s), please let me know, otherwise, if you want, just tell me some techniques that you've learned in keeping them, as far as feeding and stuff like that goes. Also, please let me know what decor your frog enjoys the most in your setup.

I also don't want to know how many frogs to get. Do they like being in a community? Or would they just prefer hiding out all the time. How many frogs would do well in a 5.5 gallon? I want to have a good amount of space for each, and I also

Again, I'm really new to this, and I want to have my aquarium right before I go adopting one or two frogs.




Here's my current aquarium setup.Photo on 6-6-17 at 4.02 PM.jpg
 
A 5gal would be OK for a frog or 2. Do not think the bubble would be a concern, but I would raise the water a little more. They like blood worms, shrimp, ect. Like any fish, they like warm, clean, water.
 
A few things I would suggest are:

1) raise the water level in the tank. You don't want that much splashing it will cause calcium build ups and increase the evaporation rate.

2) How are you cycling the tank? Two weeks will not cycle a tank and if you are just letting the water run through the filter with no ammonia source, two days is the same as two weeks is the same as two months. I would suggest looking up the nitrogen cycle and how to do fishless cycling. The frogs are just as sensitive to ammonia as fish are.

3) One or two frogs in that set up is plenty. Provide plenty of hiding places such as leafy plants (fake or real) and caves.

4) They have terrible eyesite and do not see food well. We had to train ours to eat out of a bottle cap. The contrast of the red or black worms on the white cap was enough for them to see and we fed them at the same time every day. You can use an eye dropper or small turkey baster to place the food on the cap. Provide blood worms, amphibian pellets (they used to be in the reptile section at PetSmart), mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, and other small meaty bits.

5) Disregard pretty much everything in that brochure. I worked for PetSmart for almost 6 years and I can tell you the info in that is basically garbage.

6) Get a test kit and monitor your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Change 30% of the water or more once a week or any time the levels are above normal.

7) Keep your receipt. PetSmart guarantees a return of an unhealthy animal. Watch for any signs that the frog isn't well (i.e. discoloration, poor swimming, etc). I like to think I worked in a fairly good PetSmart, but my distributor wasn't very good and the frogs never did well.

Finally, this is just a personal thing, but you aren't really adopting them from PetSmart. You're purchasing them. PetSmart does not rescue these guys and rehome them, that's what an adoption is. They purchase them at a minimal price from mass breeders and venders and house them in large distribution centers that are fairly poorly maintained in a lot of cases and then they sell them to you at about 30x the cost. PetSmart pays about $0.10 for each frog they sell to you at $2.99.

If you can, I would suggest purchasing from a local pet store with a good reputation.
 
Thanks for the info, Tifftastic! Gee, it kinda seems like PetSmart really is unethical. I mean, you've got a bunch of teenagers in there who don't seem to care about their job. Or at least that's how it is at mine, anyway. I don't know. I don't really have any local pet stores here. It's just a couple of PetSmarts here, several PetsWays (which I've been in before on previous ventures. It's about the dirtiest pet store I've ever been in. :rolleyes:), and a PetCo in a neighboring town. So, unfortunately, I won't be able to get some frogs from a local breeder. I guess PetSmart is the next best thing. All of the frogs looked healthy and active, and I'd like to think that know a good bit about how to identify healthy ADFs.

Anyway, thank you for your feedback! It helped quite a bit. Have a good one!
 
Good advice from Tiff.
 
Yup. And you, too! Thanks!
 
Would either of you happen to have any live plants to recommend? I know that there are many of them out there, and that they all have different benefits, but I'd like to know what plants are the most helpful. I'd prefer live plants because I feel like it will help to keep the tank clean and the frog happier. Plus, many of them keep ammonia, nitrates, etc. in check, as well as purify the water.

Perhaps there are benefits to having fake plants, but I feel like live plants would work much better. I just REALLY dislike the thought of plastic plants releasing chemicals into the frogs' water. I understand that there are silk plants that you could buy, but still. =P

Anyway, I would really appreciate your thoughts on that stuff.
 
Reido Dorito said:
Would either of you happen to have any live plants to recommend? I know that there are many of them out there, and that they all have different benefits, but I'd like to know what plants are the most helpful. I'd prefer live plants because I feel like it will help to keep the tank clean and the frog happier. Plus, many of them keep ammonia, nitrates, etc. in check, as well as purify the water.

Perhaps there are benefits to having fake plants, but I feel like live plants would work much better. I just REALLY dislike the thought of plastic plants releasing chemicals into the frogs' water. I understand that there are silk plants that you could buy, but still. =P

Anyway, I would really appreciate your thoughts on that stuff.
Click to expand...

All live plants will benefit you in terms of nitrate reduction, but those with faster growth rates will reduce the nitrates greater. Stem plants like elodea (if it's not illegal in your state/county), hornwort, rotala, and wisteria will work great for cover for the frogs and are fast growers and they are usually easy to find. Additionally, java moss. The other benefit is that if you haven't grown plants before they're super easy.

That log is practically begging for Anubias or java fern (or both!). They're easy to grow, but a little slower.

Another easy grower is most of the Cryptocorynes (undulata or wendtii are my personal faves). They grow pretty quick and do well in low light.

What you'll really want is plants with low light requirements as you have a pretty low tech set up.

Additionally, you may want to check out http://www.aquabid.com/ if you only have box stores near you finding those plants is going to be a little difficult. PetSmart will have some, but not all.
 
Okay, cool. I think that I'll plant some dwarf anubias, like you said, as well as a java fern, since you can tie their roots to logs/rocks. Of course, it always helps that they don't require much light, because, well, you saw my tank. Three white LED bulbs and some indirect window light probably won't do too much there. Anyway, I'll go check out PetSmart later on, and, if they don't have those two, I'll just order online. Thanks for the help!
 
So I went to PetCo and bought a couple of ADFs! They're so cool! PetCo just got them in yesterday, and I'm pretty sure that they're really young. Each one is maybe an inch or so long. Also, Tiff, I did take your suggestion and raise the water level so as not to disturb the little guys (or girls, I dunno). At the moment, one is hiding behind the filter. (Don't worry, it's not by the intake. Just burbling) I gave it a few pellets and it took them, so it seems to at least be relatively fine. The other has been hiding under an outcrop. It's poked its head out a few times now. I can see her front claw as we speak.

I only bought one Anubias Congensis and planted it toward the front of the habitat. They haven't really checked it out; just got home a few minutes ago. The two seem pretty okay, and I hope that their habitat is suitable for them.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to tell the gender of a juvenile?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom