Caring for African Dwarf Frogs
African Dwarf Frogs have become a popular addition to aquariums. These little frogs are fully aquatic, so you don’t have to worry about a half aquatic and half terrain aquarium. African Dwarf Frogs will actually die outside of the water.
Frogs are great for controlling your fry population and bottom scavengers. If you have too many fry guppies in a tank, add some African Dwarf Frogs and they’ll eat guppy fry to ease the population. If you don’t use them to control a population of guppy guppies, they can be difficult to feed.
African Dwarf Frogs are finicky eaters, but we have compiled a mini-guide on how to keep your aquatic buddies in top shape with full bellies. We will be discussing some of the feeding characteristics and tips for African Dwarf Frogs in this article.
Feeding Dwarf Frogs
As mentioned above, African Dwarf Frogs are difficult to feed because they are finicky eaters but on top of that, they are slow eaters and cannot compete with fish. Aquarium owners must ensure that African Dwarf Frogs are able to remain in the water for longer periods of time without becoming disintegrated. As the dwarf frogs are slow eaters, they may choose to return to a food source at a later time to grab another bite.
Frozen bloodworms and live blackworms are the best options for African Dwarf Frogs. Frozen bloodworms are the more commonly known food source but are an excellent choice when it comes to feeding your aquatic critters. Frozen bloodworms won’t disintegrate quickly, so your frogs are able to enjoy their favorite foods. Although freeze dried bloodworms are an option, they can also be used. However, dried bloodworms tend to float to the surface while frozen bloodworms fall to the bottom as soon as they defrost. If you don’t want to have to provide food every day, live black worms may be the better choice.
While blackworms may not be the most common food choice for African Dwarf Frogs they have their own unique set of benefits. You can usually purchase a portion of black worms from your local fish store. Because they are living, these worms can be buried in the gravel of your tank to provide a long-lasting food source. This gives them the ability to live inside your tank and be a constant food source for your hungry frogs.
African Dwarf Frogs feed by grabbing and pulling the worms into their mouth with a jerking motion. The way the blackworms move will encourage your frogs to eat them and if you have any docile fish in the tank, they will enjoy a snack as well. High levels of protein make blackworms a good food choice for frogs. Your frogs will be healthier and more fat-free if they have high levels of protein.
Both frozen blood worms and black worms are a high-quality food source. Frogs will be happier if they are fed high-quality food. Often these frogs will be sold in other places outside of pet stores, like mall kiosks, where they are advertised as living in a small aquarium. The aquarium must be smaller than the space available for waste dispersal. A larger concentration of waste will result in less healthy animals and more cleaning. By investing in a larger tank and high-quality food, your animals will live healthier and happier lives.
Food pellets are one food source that we don’t recommend. The African Dwarf Frogs are slow-eaters and food pellets disintegrate quickly in water. Your frogs will have less time to enjoy their meal before a pellet becomes to disintegrated to eat. As well, disintegrating pellets means more unnecessary waste for your tank. If you choose to feed your African Dwarf Frogs pellets it is best to place them in a small dish inside the tank. If the pellets are not disintegrated, they will be less likely to spread throughout the tank or get stuck in the gravel.
African Dwarf frog behavior
One important note to add is the common behavior of African Dwarf Frogs that usually has owners concerned. Many people will express worry for their frogs when they see them hugging each other and not moving for up to a day and a half. This is a normal behavior for the frogs and indicates that they are mating. Female African Dwarf Frogs are wider, whereas the males are skinnier. There is no reason to be alarmed if you see a smaller one hugging a bigger one. The frogs will simply follow the natural order of nature.
If you want to raise a few tadpoles yourself, make sure you have enough room. As well, any fish that are in the tank with the frogs may pose a threat. While adult frogs may co-exist with docile fish easily, most fish will attempt to eat the frog eggs.
African Dwarf Frogs are a wonderful addition to any tank. If you are sure to feed them correctly, in no time you could have thriving and happy frogs living in your aquarium.