Named for their diminutive size and African origins, the African dwarf frog is a small species of aquatic frog. They’re popular among aquarium hobbyists for their peaceful nature and relatively low maintenance requirements.
If you’re looking for a unique addition to your freshwater tank, the African dwarf frog might be worth considering. In this guide, we’ll cover what to feed African dwarf frogs along with other details about creating a balanced diet for your new aquatic friends.
Species Snapshot
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Species Name: Hymenochirus genus
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Common Names: African dwarf frog, dwarf clawed frog
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Size: 1-1.5 inches
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Lifespan: 5-7 years
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Native Distribution: Equatorial Africa
Often mistaken for juvenile African clawed frogs, the African dwarf frog belongs to the same taxonomical family, Pipidae. There are four species within the genus Hymenochirus, each named for their native region.
Generally speaking, African dwarf frogs range in color from brown to olive green, typically with dark brown or black spots. They remain small, growing up to 1.5 inches in length, and spend their entire lives in the water.
Though they don’t have teeth, African dwarf frogs are omnivorous—they use their small webbed feet to shovel food into their mouths or suck it into their throats using a vacuum-like breathing mechanism called a hyobranchial pump.
Let’s dive into the details of what African dwarf frogs eat and how to care for them in your home aquarium.
African Dwarf Frog Diet
In the wild, African dwarf frogs are considered omnivorous scavengers and they fall into a similar niche in the aquarium hobby. Essentially, they’ll eat whatever they can access.
The tricky thing about feeding African dwarf frogs isn’t finding the right food, it’s keeping other tank inhabitants from eating it before your frogs get to it.
While African dwarf frogs are capable of swimming at any level in the tank, they tend to hang out around the bottom. For this reason, sinking foods are best. It’s important to choose foods that won’t dissolve quickly, however, because African dwarf frogs can be slow eaters.
They’ll sometimes eat a little and leave the rest for later. Sinking pellets work for some frogs but others don’t get around to eating them before they break down, so it may just depend on individual eating habits.
So, what to feed an African dwarf frog? Some of the best foods are frozen worms, like bloodworms and black worms. Because they’re frozen when fresh, these foods don’t break down in water like pellets and other dried foods.
They’ll also sink to the bottom of the tank where your frogs can get them (as long as fish or other tank inhabitants don’t eat them first).
Feeding African Dwarf Frogs
Some African dwarf frogs will eat just about anything, while others are a little finicky. It’s best to try out different foods to see what they will eat and to get a sense of their feeding habits. Depending on how your tank is stocked, you may need to take steps to ensure your frogs have access to food.
Here are some things you can try to ensure your frogs get enough to eat:
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Thaw frozen foods in a cup of tank water before feeding to ensure that they sink quickly instead of floating on the surface.
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Feed other tank inhabitants at the same time so they’ll be distracted, and let your frog’s food sink to the bottom.
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Use a feeding tube to send food directly to the bottom of the tank—you can even train your frogs a little by waiting to feed them until they’re near the tube.
The best method is to offer your frogs small amounts of food at a time. This ensures that they don’t eat too much at once and it reduces waste. Keep in mind that letting too much food break down in your tank could lead to an ammonia spike and compromise your water quality.
If your frogs don’t eat their food quickly, consider removing it from the tank and trying again later instead of letting it sit there.
Other Care Tips for African Dwarf Frogs
Caring for African dwarf frogs is fairly similar to any other freshwater tank inhabitant. It’s essential to wait until your tank has fully cycled to introduce your frogs, and you should maintain high water quality through proper filtration and regular water changes.
Testing your tank water on a weekly basis ensures that you’ll catch changes in water quality early before they become too much of a problem for your stock.
On top of providing a varied diet, giving your African dwarf frogs plenty of places to explore and hide in the tank can help them thrive.
Planted tanks are ideal for this reason, especially if you incorporate some floating plants so your frogs can rest near the surface when they venture up to take a breath of air. They may also appreciate natural décor elements like rock caves and driftwood.
A final thing to keep in mind is that African dwarf frogs require more space than you might assume based on their small size. A minimum tank size of 10 gallons is recommended for a trio of frogs.
African dwarf frogs are social, so they like to be kept in pairs or groups. If you plan to keep more than three, go for a 20-gallon tank or larger, especially if you’re including fish or other stock.
With a healthy diet and proper care, African dwarf frogs live an average of 5-7 years. They have been known, however, to live a full decade (or even two) in captivity.
Wrapping up
Knowing what to feed an African dwarf frog is key to keeping them healthy and comfortable in your tank. From picking the right foods to making sure they actually get to them, paying attention to their diet and setup really does matter.
At Shrimpy Business, we’ve got the products, equipment, accessories, and experience to help you take great care of your frogs. Contact us today - we’re happy to help you find exactly what you need.