# African dwarf frog questions.



## HMlairy (Jan 22, 2011)

*Hey guys,
I saw a few videos of ADF and instantly fell in love with them :love2:. I did try and find articles on this site for them but couldn't find any. I just have a few questions*:
*1. How many to get? (are they gregarious)
2. Do they need a solid surface above the water to sit and breath or can they just stick their head out of the water while clinging to the side of the tank?
3. * *What do they eat?
4. Can they co-exist with goldfish? (I've found mixed opinions of this)
5. How big do they grow?
May think of more questions in the near future, sorry for my ignorance :shock:
Also sorry for posting in the Freshwater Aquarium section, i couldn't think of where else to post.
Cheers HM
*


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## GwenInNM (Feb 2, 2011)

*Afd*



HMlairy said:


> *Hey guys,
> I saw a few videos of ADF and instantly fell in love with them :love2:. I did try and find articles on this site for them but couldn't find any. I just have a few questions*:
> *1. How many to get? (are they gregarious)
> 2. Do they need a solid surface above the water to sit and breath or can they just stick their head out of the water while clinging to the side of the tank?
> ...


He there!

Under the Fish Profiles, if you go to "Other FW Creatures" you'll find the profile there for African Dwarf Frogs. Never had them, but looks like your temp for the tank is okay. Assume they'd be okay with Goldfish, because GF aren't aggressive, but I have no clue. They do not need somewhere to sit to breathe air, but go to the surface to get air. They do best in groups. Food such as worms of all types is recommended, frozen or live. I'm sure someone else with experience will respond.

Best of luck.

Gwen


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## kaxt (Nov 10, 2010)

1. You can keep them singily or in groups, as long as you don’t overcrowd the tank. They don’t need to be kept in groups, but can be entertaining if kept together. They will also breed readily in an aquarium. 

2. If the current in your tank is strong they appreciate having something to hold onto. They only get their heads out of the water so you don’t need a solid surface, just some plant leaves or something. They like to just float at the surface with their arms and legs spralled, but can’t always do that if the water flow is high. Mine like to sit on top of the leaves of my sword plant. They can keep their head out of the water but their body submerged that way.

3. They eat meaty foods. They like any live or frozen food that can fit into their mouths. HBH also makes Frog and Tadpole Bites. A lot of frogs will eat these, but it’s not as good for them as the frozen stuff.

4. ADFs like warm tempertures so they wouldn’t be a good match for goldfish.

5. Adults are about an inch, maybe a little bigger.


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## HMlairy (Jan 22, 2011)

@Gwen and kaxt.
Freeze dried alright? I have freeze dried blood worms for my goldies but they float so could be an issue.
+
How many in a group? 3ish?


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## gordonuk (Nov 30, 2010)

HMlairy said:


> *Hey guys,
> I saw a few videos of ADF and instantly fell in love with them :love2:. I did try and find articles on this site for them but couldn't find any. I just have a few questions*:
> *1. How many to get? (are they gregarious)
> 2. Do they need a solid surface above the water to sit and breath or can they just stick their head out of the water while clinging to the side of the tank?
> ...


1. You can have as many as you want and can afford. I started off with 3 but now have 10 of them, tey are so cute, so many different manarisms.
2. They spend 99.9% time under water, the .1% is when they swim upto the surface to get a gulp of air then dive bomb back to the bottom. I have some floating plants and they usually reast one leg on the top of plant and head just below surface. I no longer have a lid on my tank as no way they can escape.
3. I feed mine frozen bloodworms, i hand feed them, they so tame they will sit on my hand under water and look expectantly for food.
4. They look better alone...
5. no more than 3cm in size, mine is mostly 2cm in size.

you can see the pics of mine at Tank Update


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## gordonuk (Nov 30, 2010)

HMlairy said:


> @Gwen and kaxt.
> Freeze dried alright? I have freeze dried blood worms for my goldies but they float so could be an issue.
> ?



If you put some frozen bloodworms on a plate then place a desk lamp over them and defrost that way, you also heat the worms slightly. If you pop them into the water and then tap the worm they will sink. If they are cold they will float.


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## kaxt (Nov 10, 2010)

The hardest part of feeding ADFs is training them where to find food in the first few weeks. They don't see well and they mostly find food by smell, if there are other inhabitants in the tank they can sometime eat all the food before the frogs are even aware there was food. Because of this it is best to feed them food that sinks and either feed them in the same place everyday or use something like a turkey baster to put the food right in front of their face.

Freeze dried blood worms float like you said and may be hard (but not impossible) to train the frogs to eat. I have a few ADFs in with a betta, if I'm in a rush and don't have time to pull the frozen food out I will feed the betta freeze dried blood worms in a feeding ring. My female ADF will often dash up to the surface to steal a blood worm and then dive back down to eat it. You do have to be careful with the freeze dried food though because it can cause constipation if it is the main source of food.

If you want to stay away from the frozen stuff your best bet will probably be the HBH pellets.


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## HMlairy (Jan 22, 2011)

Ok so i'm going to get 3 and have them in a seperate tank to the goldies, what's the best substrate/decor for them?


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## kaxt (Nov 10, 2010)

Substrate can be gravel or sand. If you choose sand make sure it is small enough that it can pass through their system if they swallow some. If you choose gravel make sure it is big enough that they can't get it stuck in their mouth.

They like hiding places where they can feel secure and where it will be dark during the day. The smaller the cave the more they seem to like it. I have gravel substrate with a large piece of slate on top, I dig some of the gravel out from under the slate to form a cave for them. The slate also comes in handy when feeding them. I can put the food on the slate and that keeps it from falling into the gaps in the gravel. Just make sure that everything you put in there is stable enough that it won't get knocked and crush one of them. They also like a few plants (fake or real) so that they can rest on them.

Just FYI- I think it's fun to have a male frog- they sing at night for the females. If the frogs are still young it's hard to tell their sex, but if they are a little bigger you can tell if you have a male because it will have a small bump (almost like a small pimple) behind each arm. The males will also be a little smaller than the females. When the frogs are ready to mate the bump will become a little swollen and can turn pink in color.


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## kaxt (Nov 10, 2010)

Oh, and don't forget to post pictures when you get them... we love pictures


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## HMlairy (Jan 22, 2011)

They sing?  That's going to be hell in my bedroom, must find another place 
Thanks for your help, 
Lastly, is it a myth that when you touch them their skin burns?


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## kaxt (Nov 10, 2010)

They aren't loud at all when they sing, it almost sounds like the vibration from an air pump. The first time I heard one sing I was in college and it took my roommate and I a while to figure out what it was.

It's been 9 years and I still have the tank in my bedroom- they don't bother me at all and I'm a fairly light sleeper. 

It is a myth that their skin burns when you touch them but I would avoid touching them unless you have to.


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## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

I share your love of ADFs!!! 

Just wanted to add a couple of things that havent been mentioned yet & expand on a few things that have been...

1- ADFs can not be in a tank deeper than 15 inches because it is too difficult for them to reach the top for their breathes. 
2- My ADF, Bella, has no issues going to the top for the theft of my betta's freeze-dried bloodworms. However, my ADF prefers to eat regular TetraMin Tropical Flakes...even though I have ReptoMin Frog Sinking Pellets I put in everyday for her. (I also offer sinking shrimp pellets for bottom feeders for variety)
3- ADFs are fine solo, but are more active in a group...I have always thought of 3 as ideal. (3 to 5 or so can be housed in a 10 gallon with a few other fish happily...One ADF will be fine in a 5 gal)
4- Housemates for ADFs are easy to find, everything from Bettas and on...as long as the tankmates wont see the frog as food...and some ADFs will find smaller fish to be a tasty snack. Thankfully mine hasnt tried eating live fish yet, but in the past I have had them eat fish as large as guppies and small mollies. I have mine with a small school of tiny neon tetras and she hasnt tried to eat any of them yet. 
5- Some ADFs can be territorial. I have had Bella for about a year and a half, and there are some fish she will not tolerate. She will stand on her back legs are get in a threatening stance. She did this to a young BGK and to the betta in the beginning of them being tankmates. She never jumped the betta, but she did literally jump on the BGK (the blind leading the blind there, lol). 
6- Generally they recommend sand with the ADFs so they wont get cut on rough gravel edges, but I have always used gravel without an issue...and I use small pebbles and havent ever had issues with consumption. 
7- Sexing... Females have what look like tiny tails, while males have small white nodes under their armpits. 
8- And the other posters are so correct that they can not be housed with goldfish due to their need for warmer waters. 76-78F degrees seems to keep them at their best.

Good Luck...and ask as many questions as you want and can because the better you understand these little creatures the more fun they are to take care of and watch!!


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## HMlairy (Jan 22, 2011)

Are they okay in a cycled tank with just daily water changes and no filter?


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## gordonuk (Nov 30, 2010)

HMlairy said:


> Are they okay in a cycled tank with just daily water changes and no filter?


i never cycled my tank before i put them in, i just added water with aqua safe heated the water to 20c and added them and they been totally fine. They were/are totally happy.
I dont even have a filter as they poo very little, just do a 50% water change every 2 or so weeks.


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## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

HMlairy said:


> Are they okay in a cycled tank with just daily water changes and no filter?


Although it could work, I would not recommend it...as it is fully aquatic and doesnt have scales to protect it and it is just as vulnerable to ammonia, nitrites, and other toxins as any other fish is. And although they have a low bioload, it requires quite a lot of food dropped in the tank to ensure they eat enough, which in turn creates ammonia and nitrites when breaking down in the water. ADFs hunt food by smell and cannot see well, thus making it difficult for them to find food as quickly as other fish. 

If you are just doing one ADF, the cheapest and easiest option is a 2.5 or 5 gallon glass tank with a lid (they do jump) a heater is a must, and you can pick up a cheap mini filter (that filters 1-5 gallons) that usually costs less than $15 USD. Even in a 5 gallon tank, you could keep up to 3, IMO.

Also, ADFs like something in their tanks to hide under. Mine also seems to truely appreciate real plants verses fake, although it is not a need of theirs.


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## kaxt (Nov 10, 2010)

I agree, ADFs really need a cycled tank in the long run. If you can keep the tank cycled without a filter go for it, but that can be really hard to do. Even a small sponge filter run by an air pump would help to keep it cycled.

I know you said you would use a cycled tank, but I just want to reiterate how important that is: the frogs get stressed easily by being handled and it is not always easy to catch them because they are flat and like to sit on the bottom. It's real easy to hurt one of their arms or legs trying to scoop them up so that you can do 100% water changes.


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