New ACF owner

[Tori Savage]

I'm sure some of you have already read some of my posts, and that I have a few different species of frogs. Well, this frog, as well as a hexagon tank, filter and catfish was given to me not long after I had to euthanize one of my other frogs. She said he eats feeder fish only. Anyone have some pointers to give out??? The frog doesn't seem to mind the catfish or vise versa. They seem pretty happy together. Right now, their tank is bare. Any advice will be welcomed! Thanks guys!

[Tori Savage]

Meet Ghost! In one of his pics, it shows a white spot on his belly. Previous owner said it was a scar from an injury from tank decor. Also, a pic shows black underneath its front arms. She said he does this when hes ready to shed. Also, I really don't know if it's the filer, or the frog. But I have noticed a sound like a vibrating object placed on a hard surface. Is this the frog?

[xxianxx]

Your frog is a male and will call from time to time when he is in the mood for love lol, they can be quite noisy and though my hearing is very poor they have woken me up when i have been sleeping in the same room as them. ACF are quite social and seem to prefer a tank mate so it might be worth your while getting another.

[Jenste]

Meet Ghost! In one of his pics, it shows a white spot on his belly. Previous owner said it was a scar from an injury from tank decor. Also, a pic shows black underneath its front arms. She said he does this when hes ready to shed. Also, I really don't know if it's the filer, or the frog. But I have noticed a sound like a vibrating object placed on a hard surface. Is this the frog?

White belly mark could be a scar - I have a frog with a similar mark that resulted from an ornamental injury.
The black underneath the arms is called nuptial pads and means your frog is a male. The frogs do shed but the black arms has nothing to do with that fact.
The males do frequently make a mating call - I have a recording of the sound on my site Jenste Frogs under African clawed frogs, Breeding if you want to listen to it to compare.

Now,
What size tank is that? The tall types are really not the best design for a primarily bottom dwelling creature - - they benefit from floor space, not height.
What did she tell you to feed them? The best diet is Reptomin Sticks. Do not feed fish food of any sort, they are not fish and this food is nutritionally incomplete for their needs. Do not also only feed frozen bloodworms or beef heart. Bloodworms make a great treat but in my opinion beef heart should be avoided at all costs due to it's high fat content.

[SanderB]

Welcome,

Your frog looks healthy. But what kind of fish is that? If it is a Corydoras species then remove it cause the frog could try to eat it and choke in it.
Xenopus laevis normaly eat everything that moves, zo it´s kinda strange the fish is still alive.

I would remove the gravel and use sand.
And some wood and live plants to create hiding spaces. A filter with not to much flow in the tank.
The tank is too small I think for a Xenopus laevis. I don´t know if they need a friend, but I would defenetly add at least 1 frog.

I feed my frogs frozen bloodworms and earthworms.

(correct me I a wrote some spelling faults, I want to improve my english)

[Tori Savage]

It is a Corydoras species I do believe, but not sure which. It is a "catfish" as I call it. But, it came with the frog. The fish itself is as long as the frog is, and they don't really bother each other. I've watched the two together for hours on end and they never really go after each other. And the funny thing is, when I had dropped some feeder fish in their tank, the catfish would push a few at a time towards the frog. The frog would eat the fish near by and then it started all over again. They were together when I had gotten them. The woman said that they had been together since the catfish was half the size it is now. And the frog never once tried to eat it.

I tried to feed the frog some blood worms... But it was the ones that come in the frozen squares. I don't know if it actually ate some. But I know I saw some feeder fish go after them. I tried feeding it some night crawler chunks and the frog spit them out.

What kind of plants can I put in there with them?

The tank was given to me with the frog and fish, so there for I really can't complain. The whole set up (frog, fish, tank, and filter) were all given for free.

[Tori Savage]

Update on Ghost...

He is still doing well. He has started calling again. He is enjoying feeder fish and blood worms. He eats earth worms when i find them in my yard. I've noticed that he eats his shedding??? Is this normal behavior? Also, Im looking to re-arrange my tanks. He is still in the hexagon tank. Would he do fine in like a 20g long tank?

[tgampper]

Eating the shed is quite normal, no need to worry. Ghost will do much better in the 20 gallon. You will have plenty of room for another one. Your diet is fine, Jenna mentioned Repto-Min - it is a good staple food and has all the nutrition your frog needs. I feed my ACFs Repto-Min exclusively and haven't had any problems. Worms are great too, just stay away from the freeze-dried.

ACFs have a complex calling system. Both males and females will call. The male will have a rapid buzzing sound and the female's call will be a slow tick (like a clock). Ghost is a male. Males are smaller than females and have darkened "gloves" on the fingers - these "gloves" are nuptial pads that helps the male grab on to the female's waist during mating. Females have a large folds on the cloaca (vent). These frogs are great! My males and females have a duet every evening - can't sleep without it

[Tori Savage]

The worms I feed are just frozen. Not freeze-dried. I feed them Hikari Bio-Pure Frozen Blood Worms

Aquarium Fish Foods: Hikari Bio-Pure Frozen Blood Worms

The woman who I had gotten him from, fed him feeder fish and freeze dried shrimp I do believe. But he looks really healthy. And hes huge. And if the female is bigger than he is, lordy she gona be really huge lol!!! The only other ACF ive seen were little small ones. And I think hed try to eat them. They are barely 1/4 the size he is, and hes full grown... the first time i attempted earth worms, he didnt like it. but a few times after that, i guess he was so hungry, he ate it. But hopefully i will be able to get a 20g long here soon...

what type of filter would be best? one that hangs on the side(which he has now), or one that is submersible? or which would be cheapest?

I also use the TetraFauna AquaSafe Reptile & Amphibian Water Conditioner for their water... All of my frogs actually. They seem to do better and soak more often than with other conditioners ive tried...

[rodsboys]

Feeder fish, frozen blood worms, and worms you "find" are not really a great diet for your frog. You should really get him on a good pelleted/prepared diet. The majority of feeder fish on the market have enzimes that prevent creatures that eat them from processing the protein properly. Worms you "find" can carry a number of contaminants including pesticides and fertilizers. Earth worms are great if you use farm raised worms like the ones in a bait store. Some pet stores carry them as well. Make sure you cut them into a few peices. Bloodworms of any kind really don't contain substantial nutrition and should only be offered as a treat at best.
I agree with Terry that the 20 gallon will be a good upgrade for him. Lots more horizontal swimming room.
If you are interested in getting him a buddy, check your local classified adds. People are often trying to get rid of these frogs for free or cheap.

[SanderB]

Feeder fish, frozen blood worms, and worms you "find" are not really a great diet for your frog. You should really get him on a good pelleted/prepared diet. The majority of feeder fish on the market have enzimes that prevent creatures that eat them from processing the protein properly. Worms you "find" can carry a number of contaminants including pesticides and fertilizers. Earth worms are great if you use farm raised worms like the ones in a bait store. Some pet stores carry them as well. Make sure you cut them into a few peices. Bloodworms of any kind really don't contain substantial nutrition and should only be offered as a treat at best.
I agree with Terry that the 20 gallon will be a good upgrade for him. Lots more horizontal swimming room.
If you are interested in getting him a buddy, check your local classified adds. People are often trying to get rid of these frogs for free or cheap.

If feed my frogs frozen bloodworms and sometimes earthworms, never had any problems. It are clawed frogs, not some kind of diseased humans with digestion isues. In nature they will eat probably everything that fits in their mouth: fish, insects, snails, other frogs, mice... I keep and my fish and amfibians like they would live in the wild --> survival of the fittest. Just feed them bugs, spiders, worms, fish...
Pellets might be good to but it´s expensive compare to the earthworms in my backyard.

[rodsboys]

If feed my frogs frozen bloodworms and sometimes earthworms, never had any problems. It are clawed frogs, not some kind of diseased humans with digestion isues. In nature they will eat probably everything that fits in their mouth: fish, insects, snails, other frogs, mice... I keep and my fish and amfibians like they would live in the wild --> survival of the fittest. Just feed them bugs, spiders, worms, fish...
Pellets might be good to but it´s expensive compare to the earthworms in my backyard.

Not a whole lot of "wild" ACFs getting their mits on goldfish and rosey reds. In the wild they would be likely to eat a variety of small fish not doubt. Few of which will likely not contain Thiaminase. Kind of sad really that purchased food is too expensive for you and you rather chance killing/harming them. The whole idea of keeping these animals should at the very least contain some though of their health and well being.

[SanderB]

Not a whole lot of "wild" ACFs getting their mits on goldfish and rosey reds. In the wild they would be likely to eat a variety of small fish not doubt. Few of which will likely not contain Thiaminase. Kind of sad really that purchased food is too expensive for you and you rather chance killing/harming them. The whole idea of keeping these animals should at the very least contain some though of their health and well being.

As I sad, I never had a sick clawed frog before and I´ve been keeping them for about 5 years or so. They realy like big earthworms, I once had a clawed frog and she ate 5 worms that where 25 cm each in 1 time. I also gave her a big mouse: My african clawed frog eating a mouse part 1 - YouTube

I wonder if she was a real Xenopus laevis or not some other species, both male and female where very big, the female was about 30cm when she stretched her leggs.
I also had a male at that time and he was about 15 years old or so was only being fed earhtworms.

[rodsboys]

30 cm? Wow! That is monster. How big was just the body and what ever happened to her?

[SanderB]

30 cm? Wow! That is monster. How big was just the body and what ever happened to her?

I think the body was about 15 cm from head to cloaca. I sold or gave her away to someone with a bigger tank. Together with her male and the old male.