Dwarf Frog Habitat

The African dwarf frog is a small, aquatic frog that is commonly kept as a pet. It is sometimes kept with other dwarf frogs, by itself or in community tanks with fish and other aquatic animals. The African dwarf frog is easy to care for and can live up to five years, but it is susceptible to illness if not kept in a proper habitat.

  1. Tank

    • African dwarf frog habitats should consist mainly of a sturdy glass aquarium. Because the African dwarf only grows to a length of just over two inches, it can be kept comfortably in a 10- to 15-gallon aquarium. The aquarium should not be completely full, because the African dwarf frog is a slow swimmer and needs to surface to breathe. There should be approximately 1 gallon of water per frog in the habitat.

      The tank should also have a suitable filter, which will help keep the water clean. Ideally, any aquarium package set sold at larger pet stores that contains a tank, filter, heater, lighting and gravel is a perfect habitat for an African dwarf frog.

    Water

    • The water quality in the African dwarf frog habitat is extremely important for the frog's health, because this is where the frog spends all of its time. When creating the African dwarf frog habitat, allow the water to stand overnight before adding it to the tank. This will allow any chlorine, which is harmful to the frogs, to dissipate.

      The water should be kept clean with regular water changes and as well as kept at a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.

    Heat and Light

    • A simple aquarium heater can be used to heat the water in the African dwarf frog habitat, and the water should be kept between 74 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

      Without a proper lighting cycle, the African dwarf frog can become disoriented and stressed. This means that the aquarium lights should be on 12 hours a day and off for the remaining 12 hours to simulate night and day.

    Substrate

    • African dwarf frog habitats can have simple aquarium gravel substrates or a live plant soil substrate depending on your choice and whether you would like to have live plants growing in the tank.

    Decorations

    • The decorations used in an African dwarf frog habitat are entirely your choice; however, having them at all is very important to ensure the frog feels secure and has something to hide behind. Some examples include underwater caves, logs, live plants, plastic plants or other decorations commonly found in pet stores. If plastic plants are used, take care to ensure their edges aren't sharp enough to cut the frog's delicate skin.