# African Dwarf Frog



## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

Hello everyone, 

I just bought an AFD as a tank mate for my betta. He seems to have problem swimming up to the surface. And when he does, he was really quick and he went right back down the bottom then he tries to go up again. I felt really bad. Is it sometimes wrong w him? How height should the water be? 

Also, he seems a little whiter than other ones, is it normal?


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

Paleness can be a sign of illness, a sign of stress, or a precursor to shedding their skin.

I'm not sure beyond injury why he's having trouble reaching the surface, but something floating on top of the water will definitely help.

Make sure you find a way to put a guard over the intake slots on your filter, I've lost a newt to tiny hands or feet getting sucked in, and they're not strong enough to pull them out and they drown, same with bettas.


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

Thank you! I think I'm going to get a new one tomorrow because he seems to have trouble. I dont know if he might be freaking out because of the betta. I put him in a small separate bowl now because i hate seeing him struggling to get air.


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

is there any way you could take a video of him trying to get to the surface? I know mine is sometimes a derp and has issues (and he's healthy).


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

I got the video but I don't know how to upload it


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

can you upload to photobucket or youtube?


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

he seems very calm in the bowl though...Could it be he was just freaked out by my fish? I don't know why he's so pale though


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY7iLQSRm00

Here you go! he actually got the air but keep struggling. And does he look healthy?


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

try scooting that plant back just a smidge. It looks like he's trying to ride the corner up (mine does that), and he's getting stuck on the plant.

They have very poor eyesight, and they like to hide. So I'd also suggest some more hiding places. He doesn't seem freaked out by the betta as much as freaked out about being out in the open.

Aside from that, he looks like a healthy and normal ADF to me. Just get him some extra plants, maybe some floaty stuff (your gorgeous betta would appreciate that too, trust me), and they should be happy.


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

What kind of floaty stuff should I get? 

He seems remarkably calm in the small bowl and as soon as I put him in, he started freaking out again  

My betta doesn't really care that he is in there. At first he flared then ran away but now he just doesn't pay attention to the frog. 

I have 2 caves and the plant pot so I hope that would help him a little bit. 

Does the water seem too high?


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

I use craft mesh hammocks for mine, pieces of plastic plants, floating plants like riccia.

It could honestly be the filter current, when I upgraded Pancake's filter, he spazzed for a few days.

As for water level, that's actually fine 18" is about the deepest you want it to be, but they come from rivers. Normally, that would mean that they shouldn't have a problem with a current, but petstores tend to keep them in slow moving tanks, so he'll really need to adjust.

Caves don't always help. Mine likes to hang out in the plants. he has a cave under the driftwood, but he's usually pretending to be seaweed.




they don't have to be expensive plants either, just something he could wrap his legs into like that last photo, and just one of those would most likely make a difference. They're a prey animal in their native environment, and you have to think like a prey animal to make him comfortable.


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

That looks really awesome  Yours doesn't look as transparent as mine. It seems like I could see under his skin...


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

Mine is just darker. Yours could also be close to shedding or stressed, since he wasn't acting sick at all in the video.

he's actually using his cave at the moment, but his behind is sticking out. Their instinct is to kind of wedge themselves in where they can, is there anywhere that yours can do this?


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

I have the tiny flower pot. He used it when I first put him in but now he doesn't anymore but keeps jumping around and kicked Biscuit in the face hahaha...My fish seems confused and doesn't know why this frog keep jumping around him lol


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

Poor Biscuit (squee name!!)! At this point, plants are the only thing I can really suggest to help, and Biscuit will like them too (my bettas stalk me from their plants). Replacing him won't do any good, because any other frog will act the same way in your tank without plants to anchor and hide in.


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

Yeah my boyfriend was surprised because he thought they are supposed to be shy and inactive hahaha. I will get him some plants tomorrow. I just don't have a lot of space in my tank. Biscuit really doesn't care about the frog that much hahaha but the frog has been jumping around for this past 20 minutes lol... I thought he would get tired..


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

they're very shy and inactive, unless they're panicking like yours is. Most of the day, I don't see much of Pancake, unless he's hungry. He's usually holed up, or wrapped in a plant.

Even my big frogs need that little bit of security. I'm not 100% sure on why that is, but since I promised to take care of them and meet their weird needs, then I just do whatever makes them feel comfortable.

PS
I'm not trying to make you feel bad at all, I'm just pointing out that this behavior indicates stress. It's important to know what to look for, so we can meet their needs as they arise!


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

No problem at all...i thought I have enough stuff in my tank because he doesn't have that much stuff in the tank at Petsmart. I wish he could just calm down and go inside the cave...


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

Petstore conditions usually downplay an animal's natural behaviors. The conditions are generally so wrong, that they're almost lethargic. Pancake didn't even fight the net when I got him, but he was emaciated, and the water was really gross. As soon as I got him home, he was a different frog, he was looking for food.


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

Yeah he was really calm at the Petstore even though he was surrounded by 20 different fishes  I hope he calm down soon, he is still jumping...


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

probably not as much calm as "didn't want to move".

Pancake enjoys his guppy horde though


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

Hahahaha...maybe Prince is just very active and like working out lol


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

ohh! watch out! -flex-


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

hahahaha he's flexing right now lol. By the way, how do you feed them? I tried to put him in a net and brought him up then feed him but he didn't seem like he got all the food...


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

I sprinkle it all over the place, then as Pancake stalks around the floor with his rump in the air, he'll find them, or leftover fish food, which he also eats.


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

gotcha, it just seems like they don't even know if food is in their face...I hope Prince is a male because I name him Prince :/


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

they don't unless they can smell it. Their vision is TERRIBLE!

I thought Pancake was a girl for almost 3 months, then he hit puberty lol


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

I just checked and he has the little pimple underneath his armpit hahahaha. He finally went inside the cave and stopped jumping around


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

99% of the time, pimple = boy. Some girls have it, but it's fairly uncommon


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

Oh gosh he scared me this morning. My rock is cry high so it pokes out of the water and he was sitting on top of it so I thought he was dead! I moved him and I could see him move but he was just letting me move him wherever


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

LOL! Weird little critter! I'm glad he's ok. :-D


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

Yeah I don't know how to feed him though... I used a net and scooped him up the surface and put the pellets in the net and he wouldn't eat it. Now he keeps being in the cave and wouldn't come out for food.


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

he's totally not cooperating for you, is he?

you could drop some food by the opening or just inside. it might help


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

I just drop some food in front of his face and he doesn't even care... You think he would come out when he's hungry?


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

he might, or he might be a stubborn little butthead. -fingers crossed- that he behaves for you


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## eden000 (May 23, 2013)

I have nothing to contribute to this because I've never had an ADF, but they sound so cute (if difficult) and you guys are really making me want one *_*


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

Hahahaha they are very interesting, that's for sure but mine is being a butthead


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## miscanon (Jul 6, 2013)

My sister has two ADF and they both swim up and down and up and down, lol. Try getting a plant that almost reaches the surface, and maybe one or two of those betta bed leaf hammock things? When they're not going up and down, my sister's frogs sit on the tallest plant, close to the surface. 

I read somewhere that an ADF won't eat food that's floating, don't know if it's true. You could try dropping one pellet so it floats and kind of "throwing" another so it sinks?


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

Yeah mine sit on the plant too hahaha. This morning he was sitting on the rock, which is really funny. I don't know how I'm going to feed him... He ate just a tiny bit yesterday and didn't eat anything today despite my effort and I don't want to keep throwing food in the tank because biscuit my fish would dig it out of the gravel and eat it


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

miscanon said:


> I read somewhere that an ADF won't eat food that's floating, don't know if it's true. You could try dropping one pellet so it floats and kind of "throwing" another so it sinks?


Pancake will happily cram anything into his mouth, floating, sinking, and otherwise, as long as it fits lol

I used craft mesh to make a betta hammock and he loves sitting on top of it.


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

I finally got Prince to eat. I fed him frozen worm so I think it smells better and he could sense that. He ate a little bit, like 3-4 pieces and left the rest but at least he's not starve...


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

huzzah! -hifive!-


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## hannguyen (Jul 9, 2012)

Lol hahaha but he doesn't finish his meal! Oh well!!


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