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African Dwarf Frogs, often called ADFs, are fully aquatic frogs, meaning they spend their entire lives in the water. Unlike some other frogs, they don't need a land area in their aquarium.
They DO still breathe air, though! You'll regularly see them swim up to the surface, take a quick breath, and head right back down.
They're peaceful, social, and stay relatively small, making them a fun addition to the right aquarium setup... And between their awkward swimming, dramatic poses, and the way they seem to just float around without a care in the world, they're SO entertaining to watch. But while African Dwarf Frogs can be pretty easy to care for, there are a few things you should know to keep them happy and healthy!
You don't need an elaborate setup for African Dwarf Frogs, but there are a few things we recommend!
ADFs aren't exactly winning any awards for their swimming abilities 😂 Since they need to reach the surface to breathe, make sure they can easily get there.
Avoid tall tanks or setups that make getting to the surface difficult.
Plants, driftwood, and other aquarium safe cover are great additions to an African Dwarf Frog tank.
You'll often find them hanging out on plants, squeezing underneath decor, or finding some strange little spot to take a nap.
These hiding places help them feel secure while also giving them plenty of areas to explore.
African Dwarf Frogs aren't strong swimmers, so gentle filtration is best. Extremely strong currents can make it harder for them to move around the aquarium and reach the surface.
A sponge filter or matten filter can both be great options because they provide filtration without creating a ton of flow.
Sand or a smooth substrate can work well for African Dwarf Frogs. Whatever you choose, avoid anything extremely sharp or rough that could potentially injure their skin.
You'll also want something you can keep relatively clean. ADFs can be messy eaters, and uneaten food has a way of finding its way down to the bottom.
They can occasionally find their way out of an aquarium, so we recommend keeping a secure lid on their tank.
This is where things get fun!
African Dwarf Frogs are carnivores and enjoy foods like:
One important thing to remember is that ADFs aren't always the fastest eaters. Sometimes food can be sitting practically right next to them and they'll still have no idea it's there!
Target feeding with tweezers or a turkey baster can help make sure your frogs are actually getting enough food.
Our frogs LOVE bloodworms, but we recommend feeding them in moderation.
The other day, Faith, our resident frog caregiver 🐸 and I decided to see what would happen if we gave our frogs live daphnia instead of letting them slurp down their usual bloodworms... And it was HILARIOUS.
Instead of waiting for food to practically land in their mouths, they actually had to hunt for the daphnia!
Not only was it extremely entertaining to watch, but live foods can also encourage natural hunting and foraging behaviors. Daphnia also contains a lot of fiber, which can help their digestion!
Less is more!
It's really easy to overfeed ADFs, especially when they act like they're willing to eat everything you put in front of them.
Small, consistent meals are better than dumping a large amount of food into the aquarium at once.
You'll also want to remove uneaten food when possible. Leftover food can quickly start affecting water quality, especially in smaller tanks.
African Dwarf Frogs are peaceful, but that doesn't automatically mean every peaceful fish is a good tank mate.
The biggest issue is usually feeding time.
ADFs can be slow and somewhat clueless when they're trying to find food. Fast fish may eat everything before your frogs even realize dinner has been served.
If you're keeping African Dwarf Frogs in a community aquarium, choose peaceful tank mates that won't harass them or constantly outcompete them for food.
And pay attention during feeding! You may need to target feed your frogs to make sure everyone gets their fair share.
A species-only African Dwarf Frog tank can also be a great option because you have much more control over feeding.
A few things we'd keep in mind:
We might be a little biased, but African Dwarf Frogs are one of those animals that never get old!
They're goofy, full of personality, and somehow always manage to make us laugh.
And feeding them live foods makes them even more entertaining. Watching an African Dwarf Frog go from lazily waiting for a bloodworm to suddenly realizing it has to hunt down daphnia is something everyone should experience at least once 😂
If you're considering African Dwarf Frogs, focus on a peaceful setup, gentle water flow, good water quality, plenty of hiding spots, and a varied diet. Get those basics right, and you'll have some seriously entertaining little frogs to watch!
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