African Dwarf Frog Care

African Dwarf Frogs are small peaceful frogs perfect for a community aquarium.

African Dwarf Frog Care

In this app, you will learn everything you need to know to successfully care for African Dwarf Frogs.

As nocturnal animals, you will only find them during the moonlit hours where you can witness some very peculiar behaviors from them.

African Dwarf Frogs belong to the family Pipidae, in the genus Hymenochirus. In total there are 4 species that have the common name African Dwarf Frog: Hymenochirus boettgeri, Hymenochirus boulengeri, Hymenochirus curtipes, and Hymenochirus feae.

All four frogs look very similar and don’t have many distinguishing features; the main difference between these frogs is their native locations.

Hymenochirus boettgeri is found in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and Cameroon.

Hymenochirus boulengeri is endemic to the North east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Hymenochirus curtipes is found in the Republic of the Congo.

Finally Hymenochirus feae is only endemic to Gabon.

They are all small, fully aquatic amphibians that reach a maximum size of 3 inches and only weigh a few ounces each.

It is very common for them to be mistaken for the African Clawed Frog. They look very similar, but the Clawed Frog is bigger and more aggressive.

Keep this in mind when purchasing your first frog, and always do your own research to know what you’re buying rather than relying on labels that could be wrong.

~Will African dwarf frogs eat dead fish?~

Yes, African dwarf frogs will eat dead fish. African dwarf frogs are opportunistic scavengers and won’t hesitate to munch on any dead fish they encounter, especially if they’re hungry.

However, you shouldn’t allow your frogs to eat dead fish. Eating dead fish may introduce a variety of bacteria and parasites into their systems and cause them to be sick. Additionally, the frogs probably won’t be able to finish the entire carcass, so the remaining fish meat will eventually rot and poison the tank’s water.

If you see any dead fish, you should remove them immediately. This will ensure the remaining tank residents will stay healthy.

~How many African dwarf frogs should be kept together?~

You should keep three to five African dwarf frogs together. African dwarf frogs are social creatures and do best in small groups of 3 to 5 frogs. Make sure not to overcrowd their tank. As a general rule, an African dwarf frog requires at least 2 gallons of water in the tank.

Aside from other frogs, African dwarf frogs also love living with other aquatic creatures, such as fish and snails. As long as they’re peaceful and not too small, they can cohabit peacefully with African dwarf frogs.

Here are some excellent tankmates for African dwarf frogs: Guppies,Platies,Mollies,Tetras,Danios,Corydoras,Mystery snails,Nerite snails,Bamboo shrimp

~Do African dwarf frogs sing when they are happy?~

Yes, African dwarf frogs sing when they are happy. They sing by producing a humming or buzzing sound. African dwarf frogs may also sing to show their excitement or to attract mates.

Singing is a normal mating behavior for African dwarf frogs. Usually, male frogs will sing at night to attract female frogs. Sometimes, the females sing back, but they won’t be as loud as their male counterparts.

~Do African dwarf frogs need a cycled tank?~

Yes, African dwarf frogs need a cycled tank. African dwarf frogs are delicate creatures and are extremely sensitive to water quality. If you put African dwarf frogs into an uncycled tank filled with tap water, they might die within a few days.

You should set up your tank and establish the nitrogen cycle at least two weeks before bringing the frogs home.