[PW] Re: PET: African Dwarf Frog. . . care?

[Daphne Drewello]

Dian Borek wrote

> I had a young man in tonight that bought 4 of these but the pet store
> gave him no 'care' instructions.

Another great site with everything you ever wanted to know, including care:

http://davidcecere.pipidae.org/Page2.htm#care

Care & Feeding

A common misconception is that these aquatic amphibians can be cared for as
if they are goldfish. Though they can thrive in a tropical fish aquarium
special care must be taken to prevent them from starving to death. These
frogs are bottom feeders. Their preferred diet consists of blood worms (live
or frozen), small (or chopped) earthworms, tubifex worms, etc. I have
observed them eating fish flakes only on rare occasions and never in any
quantity. I have heard from numerous owners reporting that freeze-dried food
has caused health problems in their frogs. I suspect that the freeze-dried
food causes intestinal blockages that are usually fatal.
African dwarf frogs seem to be visual hunters, but it's likely that they can
also detect food by scent. Their nearly binocular eyesight will detect
movement once they are close to the food. They feed by striking suddenly at
their prey. They don't chew their food, but gulp it down whole. These frogs
will eat huge amounts of food for their size. Care must be taken not to over
feed as they will search for any and all food in their tank and eat until
every morsel is gone. It's best to feed them every other day. Adjust the
amount of food so that their bellies are just beginning to bulge when the
food is gone.
H. boettgeri and H. curtipes are unusual for frogs in that they do not ever
need to leave the water. In fact they will dehydrate very quickly if they
do. Their water should be filtered and temperature controlled. Frogs are not
able to regulate their body temperature internally the way other animals do.
Frogs rely on their environment being the proper temperature for them to be
comfortable. H. boettgeri will do well at a temperature of 25 degrees C. (77
degrees F.). They do not appear to be bothered by a few degrees of
fluctuation overnight. H. boettgeri and H. curtipes come from the Congo
region of Africa and are adapted to a higher pH than most aquariums. H.
boettgeri will do best in a tank with a pH of 7.6 to 7.8. Since most fish
prefer a pH closer to 7.0 you might want to consider putting H. boettgeri in
their own tank, especially if you want to do any breeding.
I was able to keep a Chinese algae-eater and a corry catfish with my frogs
at the higher pH with no problems. I recommend these types of fish for your
frog tank as they help keep the tank clean and they don't harass the frogs.
Gold fish and most tropical fish can be very aggressive to the dwarf frogs
and they will compete with the frogs for their food.
I have written a detailed account of my recent breeding events which
includes my tank setup and water conditions.

I believe that live food should be supplied whenever possible.



Daphne Drewello
Alfred Dickey Library
Jamestown, ND