What would cause "dwarfed" ACFs?

[Collegekid]

So my two frogs turned 1 yr old in June and I knew they were about done growing. I had always thought they were supposed to be bigger based on pictures I'd seen (their size was one of the things I was excited about when I decided to get some) but decided it must just look that way in pictures because there isn't really anything to compare them to. And then just recently I saw what they are supposed to look like in real life (saw their mother)...I was shocked. It wasn't just length, but overall mass. To give you some idea (and it's a bit rough since I was measuring her through the tank glass and she was getting upset because I wasn't feeding her) Ruby is about 4 inches head to foot, mostly stretched out, only like 2.5 inches head to butt. Her width in the belly area is about 1.5 inches. My male is slightly smaller. So now I want to know what happened, I feel like I have to be doing something wrong to have kept them so small.

It's the two of them in a 20 gallon long. They eat mainly reptomin with frozen bloodworms as a treat, this is how it's been since I got them. They ate every day when young, now they eat every other day. They are not underweight. I do water changes every other week and have a filter in the tank. The only "off" thing is that the water is a bit warmer than recommended, 80*F during the day, 77ish at night. The only other unique thing about our situation is they take a car trip 3-4 times a year because they come to college with me and I have to bring them home over long school breaks. They are active, eat like it's their job, and appear to be happy, but I just wonder why they stayed so small. If it's something I've done it obviously can't be good for them and I want to do something about it.

[Jenste]

Hey Erin
Is it possible to see pictures of your frogs up near a measuring tape? Your frogs (as eggs) were laid July 25, 2010 - morphed into frogs by Early September...So they have been morphed just about 13 months... ACFs size can range 3-5" in body....
My mother in law has 2 of your frogs' siblings - the male is just about 2.5" - 3" but the female is over 4.5"...and they are in a 20 long together and fed reptomin every other day and bloodworms once a week. Some frogs just grow differently and their mama was a Massive frog - one of the biggest I have ever had!

[Collegekid]

I got some pictures for you. This is Ruby, she's right up close to the glass.

[Jenste]

She is on the small side of ACF's but she looks very healthy. I have a dwarfed male who is at 1.75". He was raised alongside my other frogs but stayed tiny. I interact with two of their siblings, currently have one in my tank, and the male is a bit bigger than this and the female even larger.

I think it could be just a freak thing because they look healthy and I can find nothing wrong with how you are keeping them.

[Collegekid]

Do you think it is dangerous to get another ACF to put with them? As you know I would like an albino frog at some point (and a pet store near my house has some so I might go that route) but now I'm afraid I'll get one and it'll become big enough to eat them. Do you think they are big enough to avoid being eaten or should I just keep them as a pair to be safe?

[Jenste]

My midget ACF is in my 72 gallon with 8 other Xenopus Laevis and does just fine. You will actually have to be careful that Ruby and Moe don't eat the newcomer if it is a small enough baby!

[Collegekid]

I wanted to add to this question a bit, since it may go along with their smallness. So I've had my frogs since 2010 and they have never laid eggs. They amplex maybe once a week and Moe calls most nights, but there have never been eggs. Is it unusual to have a male and female for 2.5 years and not have eggs?