Things You'll Need
- 5-gallon tank
- Low-flow filtration system
- Non-chlorinated water
- Sand or dirt
- Fish-tank decorations
- Frog food
Instructions
Prepare a fish tank for the frog. This species spends all its time in the water, so set up a tank of water as if you were keeping fish. A 5-gallon tank is the minimum for one or two frogs. The females can grow to 6 inches long, and the males are slightly smaller. This species is active and likes to have plenty of room to move around.
Use clean sand or dirt to line the bottom of the tank. These frogs will attempt to eat pebbles or gravel if it's small enough to fit in their mouths, so fish gravel is not appropriate. Include foliage--fake or real--branches and other decorations that give the frogs plenty of places to swim around and hide under.
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 that's particularly loud or powerful is not recommended. The amount of ammonia from the frogs' waste can become toxic quickly, so replace the tank's water weekly.
Install a thermostat. This species is particularly hardy and has been known to survive temperatures below freezing point, but they can become ill if the temperature of their environment is off for prolonged periods. Water temperature should stay in the low 70 degrees.
Feed the frogs about three times a week with bloodworms, mosquito larvae, earthworms, tubifex worms, live ghost shrimp, beefheart brine shrimp, shrimp pellets and live guppies. Don't give them tetras or feeder goldfish, because these contain an indigestible enzyme that can cause your frog serious trouble. They will readily stuff themselves, but don't worry about feeding them too much; they have enough sense to stop before they harm themselves.