African dwarf frog
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African dwarf frogs of genus Hymenochirus, also known as dwarf aquatic frogs (ADF or DAF for short), are frogs native to Sub Saharan Africa. They are members of Family Pipidae. It is unknown if a wild population still exists.
African Dwarf Frogs live most of their adult lives underwater.[citation needed] They have hard time seeing close range but have good sight 7cm or further.[citation needed] These frogs rely on a sharp sense of smell and touch to find food such as tiny insects, some small fish meat,[citation needed] mosquito larvae and worms[citation needed]). They are often sold in pet shops and can live in captivity for a maximum 5 years.
When very young, African dwarf frogs can be confused with African clawed frogs, Xenopus laevis, but may be distinguished by examining their forelimbs. The African dwarf frog has both webbed forelimbs and hindlimbs, while X. laevis has webbing on the hind limbs only. African dwarf frogs are usually only an inch and a half in body length when fully grown. Females are generally larger than males.
[edit] Keeping
In order to keep your dwarf frogs healthy, a minimum of 1 gallon for one frog; anymore frogs will require a bit more space. A bowl is not recommended. A tall thin tank is also not recommended due to the strain it will put on frog when it comes to catch a breath of air. They intend to surive a couple minutes or seconds without going back in the water. This type of frog does not need a heater, though it is always good to have one to maintain stable temperature. They do best when temperatures are between 75 and 80 degrees F.
Since dwarf frogs do not have very good sight, (they cannot see close range but see clearly at about 7cm), you will need to hand feed or target feed them; these frogs depend on touch and scent to find their food. Live foods should be fed every two weeks at full maturity, but every day while they are growing. A feeding skipped once a week aids digestion.
These frogs get along with most tropical community fish species, such as fancy guppies and small Tetras. Make sure to feed both species the correct foods. Frogs and fish usually need to eat different things. African Dwarf Frogs like to eat food from the bottom of the tank. Most fish food is made to float at the top. Buy food made just for frogs/tadpoles. Make sure to feed any fish the correct food, as well. Do not add fish that will grow big. No goldfish, Barbs or "semi-aggressive" fish. Larger or aggressive fish may hurt smaller frogs. They might also eat an African Dwarf Frog. If you want your dwarf frog to stay happy, buy 2 at a time. Dwarf frogs like company. Females are larger than males and males tend to have white bumps on the back of their forearms.
[edit] External links
- Hymenochirus species
- Dwarf Clawed Frogs
- Care Sheet of African Dwarf Frogs
- African Dwarf Frog Info and Care Sheet
- Breeding African Dwarf Frogs
- Species and care information for African Dwarf Frog on the Aquarium Wiki Encyclopaedia
- Care and Breeding of African Dwarf Frogs - When they mate they have a cluster of hundreds of eggs and they are laid under water.
Types Of Food That DAF Eat Live guppy fry : or any type of livebearer fry Frozen or Freeze Dried Brineshrimp Frozen or Freeze Dried Bloodworms or Glassworms HBH Frog and Tadpole Bites Reptomin Gammarus Frozen Beefheart Frozen or Freeze dried krill or baby shrmp Earthworms or nightcrawlers choped into small bite sized pieces
