New dwarf frog--help please!!!

[ale11]

Hello, i recently got a dwarf frog for my students and i had a few questions..what is the most optimum temperature for the frog to live in? Does the frog need a friend? What is the their favorite food? How do i know if it is male or female? If you have any info or knowledge please respond back asap. Thank you.

[tgampper]

Hi and welcome to Frog Forum

By dwarf frog, you are probably referring to the African dwarf aquatic/clawed frog or ADF. Keeping these frogs is fairly easy. Make sure the water is conditioned, I use Stress Coat for my aquatic frogs and had excellent results. You should have an undergravel filter to keep the water clean. If you don't have a filter, you should do 25% water changes weekly. Water quality is an absolute must. Ideally, a colony of 4 frogs should do nicely in a 10 gallon tank. You should have a gravel or sand bottom and have plenty of aquatic plants to provide hiding places. Water temperature should be kept around 80(F).

Their favorite foods are tubifex worms, earthworms (chopped), and bloodworms. I recommend live or frozen, but not freeze-dried. Sometimes they will eat Repto-Min or similar pellet food. Some keepers will hand feed the frogs. Do not overfeed. Siphon out any leftover debris.

Keep a lid on the tank, they have been known to climb out of the water and escape. Although, frogs are not social animals, it would be more interesting if you have 2 or 3. I do not recommend keeping them with fish.

It's hard to tell the difference between males and females, females are larger; males will make a clicking sound and ofter will "stand on their toes" while defending their territory.

Good luck in keeping your new pet. Please check out the aquatic frog board for more information.