# African Dwarf Frogs?



## Ghost12 (Sep 17, 2015)

I recently saw some of these cute little guys at a petstore and went home to research. I currently don't have enough space for any, but wanted to hear if anyone has been successful with keeping them with betta. I'm interested in them in the future and am curious! If you keep them with betta what size tank do you use and do you have to make any adaptations to fit their needs?

Thanks!


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## BubblesTheBlueBetta (Jul 15, 2015)

I'd be happy to help! I used to have an ADF, but he was sick when I bought him and sadly died.  

Make sure the tank has 2.5 gallons for your betta fish and one gallon per frog (but bigger is better!) 

For a happy frog, put lots of plants and hiding places in the tank. Mine loved the betta hammock because he could easily get to the surface from there. They also love the floating logs. 

And I recommend not buying from petsmart, because the African Dwarf Frogs there are usually very ill and usually won't live over a few days/weeks.

I hope this helps!


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## Ghost12 (Sep 17, 2015)

BubblesTheBlueBetta: My fish are in a split tank right now and both of them have just under 3 gallons, so like I said not for me right now. Thanks for the info, it's so sad about the way chain pet stores keep their aquatic creatures. Both of my fish came from a pet smart and are very happy in their much bigger homes. Lol, thanks again!


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

You also need a minimum of three as they are very social. I used to think two was enough until I got Esmeralda and Clayton some friends. The difference in their behavior was amazing. I have six in a 10 gallon with Guthrie. The only issue is sometimes when they zoom to the top for a bit of air they run into Guthrie.

I think they are the best Betta tank mates and every frog forum where I lurk they name Betta as the best tank mates for ADF.


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## Ghost12 (Sep 17, 2015)

RusselTheShihTzu: oh, thanks so much! I didn't know they were social, I read that they were shy!


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

You're welcome. They are shy but when you have three or more they aren't so much. At any point in the day or night I can easily spot four cruising around.


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## BubblesTheBlueBetta (Jul 15, 2015)

No problem, Ghost12! I'm glad to help.


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## allied123 (Dec 11, 2014)

I just came to say I agree with three being a minimum though the tank size I'm a little iffy about. I keep a betta and three dwarves in my fluval spec v but there are a lot of plants! without them I can't really imagine the upkeep of a tank stocked like this.

Also for me feeding them is sometimes an issue. If the betta isn't paying attention or "sleeping" I can put the food in their bowl after lights out and there's no problem, if the betta is watching he will gobble their food until he just about explodes. Russel doesn't have this problem, her betta doesn't like the frog food (she uses HBH frog and tadpole bites), however, my betta loves my frog food (Zoomed frog and tadpole bites). Most of the time I see these frogs in peoples tanks or in the pet store they are starving to death so this is one of my major concerns when people talk about them.

Another thing to consider is the betta, my frogs accidently bite his tail (and sometimes take a chunk of his tail off) about once a month. Now this isn't a huge issue for my situation because this betta is a terrible tail biter anyways but it does freak him out a bit.

I think every situation is different and but I love these guys.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Allied: Have you tried the tube? I had one of those gravel vacs with the longer clear plastic piece on the end. I removed the airline tubing. I put the plasic tube on their little coaster and drop the food down the tube. 

Most of the time they are at the coaster before I can even drop the bloodworms or whatever I'm feeding. The coaster is part way under a plant. There no way Guthrie can get to the food with six ADF swarming the coaster. 

I learned this method of target feeding from MikeG. Don't want to take credit.

PS: I wouldn't have them in anything less than a five gallon and six is the maximum for a 10. They have the bioload of a Tetra.


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## allied123 (Dec 11, 2014)

I haven't tried the tube...I don't really see how it would make a difference how the food is delivered to the bowl? I have a little bowl that they know is where they get fed, however they don't really rush over to it for a couple minutes after I put the food in. The fish doesn't seem to notice my hand in the water and if he does he generally avoids it, goes to the bowl 30 secondsish later.

I guess my problem might be that I'm not perfectly consistent with when I feed them? sometimes it's like 8 at night sometimes it's like 12-1 in the morning and sometimes I skip a day when they're amplexing or looking particularly chubby. I do see them hang out in the bowl at night very occasionally... The fish just come up whenever I walk by so consistency isn't a big issue with them..


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Mine are fed sporadically, too.

I think the reasons the tube works is that they have learned when the lid comes up and tube goes down it's dinner time. So there are two triggers.


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## Starsphire (Jan 12, 2016)

I had an african dwarf frog with my betta when I was 17 ... the frogs name was busta and the bettas name was Erie... they lived in a 5 gallon tank busta lived for 2 years and died when I lost him during a water changing...he jumped away and hid... Erie died by super clever cat (Bubba) at around 5 years old... Busta and Erie got along just fine busta spent his life hanging around the bottom of the tank doing his interpretive dance and pretending to be a leaf... making mad dashes to the top for a gulp of air the quickly swimming back to the bottom of the tank to work on his leaf impersonation... Erie my Betta most ignored him but would occasionally give chase during Busta's mad dashes to the top for air... also occasionally Busta would jump out and scare Erie if swam to close. but for the most part Bust was a pretend leaf and Erie pretended not to notice.... I would like to note that that frog made me have to do more partial changes to the water... he was kinda dirty.


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## LittleStar (Oct 2, 2015)

*Croak*

Hi there, yes they work with Betta's, we currently have them apart from our other fish though just because the 3 ADF we have are "bloodworm pigs" and their tank just is... froggy. I'm squeamish about mixing and blending...
Yeah... frogs.


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

I've read that they can get stuck in a hide that isn't open at the top and that their vision isn't great. I think a 10 gallon tank would be a good start so you can have more than 3. I like Russel's feeding method once they're used to it. My betta liked the frog food and would gorge himself on it and leave the frogs hungry. I didn't like doing it, but I returned the frogs because I couldn't make feeding time work in my aquarium.


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## BettaStarter24 (Mar 24, 2014)

Hate to butt in but would they be ok in a 10g with a giant? I'm thinking of putting some tankmates in my 10g with my giant Zuri and was thinking ember tetras (back when I had my CT in there), but I'm pretty sure Zuri could make a snack of embers. I've always thought ADF's were adorable and I'm kinda interested in trying them out but want to be sure they'll be ok with a giant.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

They should be fine. You can have six in a 10 with a Betta; three is the minimum. I do have a source with disease-free ADF. If you're interested send me a PM.


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