How to Care for an African Water Frog

African dwarf frogs are only 1 1/2 inches long and live almost entirely under water. They are air breathers and therefore rise to the top of the tank from time to time. These frogs can cohabit with gentle community fish, but aggressive fish might kill them, so care must be taken when adding them to an aquatic community. The African dwarf is one of the easiest frogs to care for, comparable to care necessary for goldfish. They are long-lived, sometimes reaching 18 years of age.

Things You'll Need

  • Shallow aquarium with screen cover
  • Lighting
  • Filter
  • Gravel
  • Heater
  • Aquatic plants
  • Frozen bloodworms or brine shrimp
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose an aquarium. Any size will do, depending on the number of frogs you keep. You will need 1 gallon per frog. Make sure the tank is shallow, 3 feet deep or less. The frog needs to swim to the top for air, and a deep tank will stress it. The tank will need a screen cover to keep frogs from jumping out.

    • 2

      Use an aquarium filter if you want to house the frog with fish. Choose a high-quality, low-vibration, quiet filter that can be set to a low setting. Frogs are sensitive to vibration, and small or cheap filters tend to vibrate and will stress frogs. Don't use air stones in the frog tank for the same reason. If you have a frog-only tank, a filter isn't necessary.

    • 3

      Add a tank heater. Water temperature should be maintained at 75 degrees Fahrenheit for frogs.

    • 4

      Put gravel in the bottom of the tank. Substrate isn't necessary and a bare-bottom tank is easier to clean. However, gravel can make the tank look better, and it's good to have if you want to add aquatic plants. Don't use large gravel or rock because tiny frogs can get wedged and trapped between stones.

    • 5

      Plant some aquatic foliage in the tank. Frogs are easy on plants, so use whatever kind you like. Frogs like to swim around and hide in aquatic foliage. Don't use plastic plants that are sharp and will scratch and injure frogs.

    • 6

      Add artificial lighting. Lights aren't necessary in most instances, but should be added if the frog tank will be kept in a dark room. The frogs are nocturnal and active at night. They need eight to 12 hours of light each day to stay healthy. Lights need to be turned off for 12 hours at night.

    • 7

      Feed frogs every couple days. Place frozen bloodworms or frozen brine shrimp on a small plate on the bottom of the tank. Frogs are bottom feeders and will learn to eat off a plate, which will help keep the tank clean.

    • 8

      Clean the tank and change water weekly. Fill a clean bucket with water and leave it sit for at least 48 hours to get the chlorine out. Clean out the bottom of the tank and replace one-third of the old tank water with new, dechlorinated water.