African Reed Frog Terrarium Questions

[aquaman7]

Hello,


I am new to frog-keeping. I am an avid reef aquarist and have recently been intrigued with some species of frogs, notably the african reed frog for their small size and thier ease of feeding and general care. I have also kept planted tropical terrariums with great sucess in the past and I do care for a captive american toad at my place of employment. So, I'm not completely foriegn to this sort of thing but I still have some questions that may seem foolish. I'd like to confirm some things and get some practical advice.

In reef aquaria, you can essentially create a miniature ecosystem in which biological processes breakdown waste and provide for a stable contained system with regular minor maintenance regimens (such as daily scraping algae off the glass, small regular water changes). My first question is... Can african reed frogs be kept similarly in a natural ecosystem with a permanent planted arrangement? I know lots of people that do this with dart frogs and so I presume this undoubtedly requires a balance between the ammount of waste the frogs create and the ability of the nitrifying bacteria and plants to breakdown and assimilate this waste. So, if I were to establish a 10 gallon planted terrarium, what would be an advisable number of african reed frogs to keep balance in such a habitat?

Also, what would be the best lid for a 10 gallon aquarium for these frogs? I'm sure they could easily become escape artists since they are so small and such good climbers. At the same time I need high humidity and ventillation... so what would be best?

Being semi-arboreal and not a rainforest species, I have plans for a well drained planting bed and a small pool of water. I'm looking to keep some species of bromeliad, mondo grass, and perhaps Maxillaria tenuifolia (to emulate sedge or reeds) and japanese sweetflag. Can anyone recommend other plant species that would perform well with more drainage? I'd like to incorporate some sort of tropical sedge or reed to help recreate there natural habitat. Does anyone know of a species that would be suited to terrarium conditions in a 10 gal. set-up?

I'm sorry if my thoughts seem scattered. I've read up quite a bit but I want to make sure I get things right... so any advice would be appreciated!


Thank you!

[bshmerlie]

Those guys can be pretty active at night and can jump great distances. I would suggest going with a 20 gallon. A screen top locking lid would be best and then you could cover partof it toget your humidity right. You'll find the more densly planted your tank the easier it is to keep consistent stats. If you follow the guidlines of properly setting up a tropical tank with the correct soil, drainage layer and lots of live plants care is rather simple. Also look at getting springtails and isopods to put in the soil and they will help with the decomposition cycle.

[tgampper]

I agree with Cheri. Reed frogs are great jumpers and often fearless, so you need to have a secure lid and be prepared for some action when you remove the lid Last year, I had the opportunity to care for 400 Madagascar reed frogs for the zoo I worked at. They were getting ready for a new exhibit. I had to clean the cages every day. When the lid was opened, the frogs jumped all over the place and even a few jumped into my uniform shirt, what excitement! Make sure you have no holes in your lid or terrarium, they are great escape artists too. Also, for some reason their poo likes to cling to the walls and very difficult to remove, not sure why. These are great frogs and easy to care for and breed. Some species that I recommend are:

Heterixalus alboguttatus and H. madagascariensis (Madagascar species)
Afrixalus fornasinii (African greater leaf folding frog)
Hyperolius marmoratus (African painted reed frog), there are 10 subspecies, each with their own color and pattern, awesome!!

These species should be fairly easy to find.

If you are interested in a totally different kind of small, easy to care for frog, I recommend any frog in the genus Scaphiophryne (Madagascar rain frogs).

[aquaman7]

Thank you both very much. I have a few more questions if you don't mind...

Can you recommend a reputable source for such frogs (especially, Heterixalus alboguttatus), and also, for springtails and terrestrial isopods?

Terry, you're right that seems to be a different sort of frog all together. My favorite thus far has been H. alboguttatus, so I was pleased you recommended them. My mind's been focused on the African Reeds but I'm going to look into the genus Scaphiophryne a bit more. From what I've researched, some frogs in that genus seem to be burrowers while some are more terrestrial... which species would you say are least prone to burrowing?

Oh, and one more question. I'm looking for some tropical moss (like Selaginella spp.) and small grass-like plants (such as miniature mondo grass and Pilularia globifera). Do you have any recommendations for a supplier of these plants?

Thank you so much!

[Buck Rogers]

Ah now this is a topic I can give a lot of advise on at last

Painted reed frogs are amazing little creatures. There are 9 subspecies of Hyperolius marmoratus with another 7 Hyperolius species as well - and that's just in sub-Sahara Africa! Amazing!!!

I Have kept quite a few of these frogs and they as easy as pie to keep. I have kept mine in a large critter keeper with soil, plants and a water bowl. I have been planning on moving towards a full water terrarium. When I find these in the wild they are always around large water pans especially on reeds, the males will sit for hours calling which is a short, loud piercing whistle about one per second. In captivity they very good feeders and take pin heads to small crickets, moths and even meal worms. Im sure if a small group of 5-10 were kept together in a setup with a system like a rain chamber these would breed very easily. When setting up a tank ideally think of a water pan (like you would find in Florida) with tall grasses and reeds - not a tropical set-up like South American amphibians. Try googling Lowveld water pans, bushveld etc and you'll get an idea.

If you have any direct questions please feel free to drop me a PM.

[aquaman7]

When setting up a tank ideally think of a water pan (like you would find in Florida) with tall grasses and reeds - not a tropical set-up like South American amphibians.

OK that's exactly what I was thinking. I'll be sure to drop you a PM if I get a specific question. Thanks!

[tgampper]

Thanks for your comments, Buck.

Painted reed frogs are amazing little creatures. There are 9 subspecies of Hyperolius marmoratus with another 7 Hyperolius species as well - and that's just in sub-Sahara Africa! Amazing!!!

I must have miscounted Southern Africa has some of the most interesting species of frogs you'll find anywhere.

@aquaman7: Most species of Scaphiophryne are fossorial, burrowing and living most of their lives underground. One species, S. madagascariensis is the least fossorial and would make an interesting subject. S. gottlebei is the rarest and most sought after, if you can find them.

Rain frogs are easy to keep. At the zoo, we kept 5 in a 10 gallon tank. I find it strange that they have such beautiful colors and spend most of their time out of sight

[aquaman7]

Thanks for the info Terry!


Again, does anyone know of a reputable online source for african reed frogs? I definietly plan to also check with my local herp society but I'd like to know if there are any online sources as well.

Thanks again!