{"id":711,"date":"2018-06-05T02:23:36","date_gmt":"2018-06-05T02:23:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.frogpets.com\/?p=711"},"modified":"2022-02-25T22:31:24","modified_gmt":"2022-02-25T22:31:24","slug":"african-dwarf-frog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.frogpets.com\/african-dwarf-frog\/","title":{"rendered":"African Dwarf Frog Care Sheet & Pet Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Caring for African Dwarf Frogs is relatively easy; they’re the best aquatic frogs for beginners. Water quality and temperature, diet, and tank size are among the most important parts of caring for ADFs in captivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because these species spend all their time in the water, you must pay careful attention to the quality of water; keep it clean and within the recommended temperature range. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tap water with chlorine is harmful to amphibians, especially fully-aquatic frogs. Don’t let this keep you from getting one because treating the water is a simple task. I’ve listed some safe-water sources in the sections before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before we get into the main care sheet, it’s important to know a little about the Genus and Species. African Dwarf Frogs are in the Hymenochirus<\/em> Genus. There are four species known as ADFs (African Dwarf Frogs) and they all inhabit different regions of Africa. Their common names are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Zaire or Congo Dwarf Clawed Frog (H. boettgeri<\/em>)<\/li>
  2. Eastern Dwarf Clawed Frog (H. boulengeri<\/em>)<\/li>
  3. Western Dwarf Clawed Frog (H. curtipes<\/em>)<\/li>
  4. Gaboon Dwarf Clawed Frog (H. feae<\/em>)<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    They became popular in the 1970s due to their hardy nature and low maintenance. These frogs are strikingly similar to the African Clawed Frog<\/a>. They’re so similar, in fact, that they’re often labeled and sold under the wrong name in pet stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here is how to tell the difference between a dwarf frog and a clawed frog: ADFs have all webbed feet, eyes on the side of their head, and have a curved snout. ACFs only have webbed back feet; their front feet are independent digits. Also, their eyes are on top of their head and they have pointed snouts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    African Dwarf Frog Tank Setup<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"African
    African Dwarf Frog and Neon Tetras in Aquarium. Photo by Barnickel Studios \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    To set up a tank for an African Dwarf Frog, you’ll need to start by finding the proper-sized aquarium. The aquarium can be as long as you want, but the height should be 12 inches.<\/strong> Lucky for us, most tanks have a height of 12 inches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The size of the tank should be adjusted depending on the number of frogs. A great start is 5 gallons per frog<\/strong> or more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    As far as the decorations go, anything will work as long as you create multiple hiding spots for your frogs. Any type of aquarium safe decoration, branches, logs, real or fake plants, and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I’ve even seen people use clay pots to create a hiding place and they worked great. Here are a few items you’ll need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n