African Clawed Frogs

[mpmistr]

I just ordered their food. Currently I have the frog in a separate tank because I'm trying to design it more. I also understand they like to rest. I actually have black floating drainage pvc pipes. She likes to hide in there a lot.

Sounds like that will work out fine then.

I don't know why but this frogs a bit weird... she laid eggs and does occassionally but has the black hands. She never had the black hands before but now has them(nuptial pads). I'm fairly certain their nuptial pads. I've seen them before and hers were like my last males. She was the only albino in the tank and was a female(still is since she sometimes changes to female). Is this possible?

I have an albino which gets 'dark hands' but is the size of a female, never seen it lay eggs though. Never seen it do a mating call or any other male behavior either though. Your guess is as good as mine, he is almost 1 year old.

As for the plants... I just don't want anything to get stuck in the filter and go to waste. Since this will be a sump(has to be-- personal preferance). Is there a way to make sure the plants don't get shredded and sent to the sump?

Anubias and Java Fern are 'tough' plants you can grow attached to driftwood.. they wouldn't go anywhere. Could add fast growing nitrate sucking plants to your sump/refugium. Valisineria are fast growing plants and will grow in your substrate and won't be going anywhere, they also do well in hard water which ACF also enjoy.

Thanks for saving my tuckus! I was about to buy wrigglers.

Seems to be enough information to lead me to think that the wrigglers aren't worth the risk, yeah.

[Felis]

Hi,

I have one female with black hands as well. That doesn´t seem to be that extraordinary if she only has "dirty hands". Real nuptial pads are larger, at least my male does have black markings on his arms, too:



But a female looking like that would be strange indeed

Greetings

[mpmistr]

Hi,

I have one female with black hands as well. That doesn´t seem to be that extraordinary if she only has "dirty hands". Real nuptial pads are larger, at least my male does have black markings on his arms, too:



But a female looking like that would be strange indeed

Greetings

Well I suppose my albino frog would be female then. His (her..) hands do darken but never as much as the pictures I see of male ACF online, the cloaca looks very female to me. I guess it's decided!

[Felis]

I think the cloaca is a clear sign.
I´ve seen some females with dark hands and a few adult males without noticeable nuptial pads, but looking at the cloaca, it was always possible to determine the frog´s sex (as long as they´re old enough).

P.S. also my male started croaking by the time his arms became black; if you didn´t hear the albino by now, I think that´s another hint

[Deku]

Umm weird thing about it is. I've heard her make "clicking" sounds a few times. Like very very rare. But she's done it.

[Felis]

Clicking sounds mean that she doesn´t want to be amplexed/touched. Mine do this quite regularly, also when competing for food etc.

[Deku]

Clicking sounds mean that she doesn´t want to be amplexed/touched. Mine do this quite regularly, also when competing for food etc.

My apologies for the late reply(hectic week). Thank you for that bit.

[Jenste]

Personally, I would stock with more frogs. I also am big with planted tanks.
My 72 gallon had 12 (or was it 13?) frogs at one point and I might even had been tempted to squeeze a few more in.

I had a fairly heavily planted bottom of amazon swords - tie their roots to large (half the size of your palm or so) thin flat rocks and bury in sand and they will not be uprooted. I also had a large canopy of water wisteria. I left it floating and it grew to a thickness of 6 inches at times. I turned it with my hands every other day so that all the plants got enough light to stay green and monthly I threw out or gave out bucketfuls until I had trimmed the growth by about 1/3-1/2. It grows like mad in all of my tanks.

Looking forward to your set up - - please give lots of pictures during and after setup

[Deku]

Personally, I would stock with more frogs. I also am big with planted tanks.
My 72 gallon had 12 (or was it 13?) frogs at one point and I might even had been tempted to squeeze a few more in.

I had a fairly heavily planted bottom of amazon swords - tie their roots to large (half the size of your palm or so) thin flat rocks and bury in sand and they will not be uprooted. I also had a large canopy of water wisteria. I left it floating and it grew to a thickness of 6 inches at times. I turned it with my hands every other day so that all the plants got enough light to stay green and monthly I threw out or gave out bucketfuls until I had trimmed the growth by about 1/3-1/2. It grows like mad in all of my tanks.

Looking forward to your set up - - please give lots of pictures during and after setup

ummm... I know this is going to sound weird. But would you perhaps take pictures on how you actually manage to tie them to something without them getting destroyed?
If anything I'm looking for two things:

1)Tough, very prolific surface dweller plants(ones that will provide the frogs some "rest")--- I actually like lily pads but I'm n ot sure if its possible to grow them in tanks.

2)Any plant that is EXTREMELY tough(I.E. Doesn't rip appart easily), very durable(beginner plant basically), very easy to keep rooted(unlike anacharis and cabombas--- which I tried and I cried for a bit "not really but you get the picture") in the tank.

I currently have TONS of fake plastic plants that go in the foreground digged under sand. I'm thinking of using some of my left over "egg" crates(basically think of like a chain fence-- but plastic of course), then tying the plants roots on it(or stalk or whatevers sturdier) then putting it in the tank first(while its without water or sand) then pour in the sand over it(so its evenly rooted)and then put the water in(add a couple flat river stones-- because I'm picky about looks to prevent it from ever floating up),

Oh the plants leaves must be tough because if they're not--- they'll float to the filter and clog it and I would be very sad about this.

this set up has to be a 100% mess-free. (i.e. a week or two after its cycle is done I expect it not to smell like toilet, or the water clarity is obscure, or the filters getting clogged)


I hope this new food I'm giving it helps reduce any "mess". Because my current frog doesn't poop like a turtle would(pooping machine--- trust me even the tiniest baby turtle is still messier than an african clawed frog)

I'd go on youtube to see some set ups. But I kinda don't trust youtube since it maybe just some "expert" claiming to know what he/she is doing and really just giving others bad tips(which is like 90% of all the animal care videos)

I remember that it may have been you whom I thought was the african clawed frog prince/princess(not sure yet) someone here regarded as an expert on them.

Anyways. I just hope that if I can keep 13 frogs I'd keep all types of african clawed frogs(naturals, lab, albino, rectics, piebalds, and anything out there)

I'm to ratio it like this 1m: 2f

So If I had to pick I'd say....

Albino:1m 1f(they're okay but not my fav color lol)
Natural: 2m : 4f(I'd choose these over the lab raised ones though)
Piebalds: 3 total(kinda more fun to look at)
Rectic: 1m: 1f(it's a bit better than albino but still)

Total frogs: 13

I'm hoping to get this done by the end of summer. I'm trying to think it completely through and then gather the parts piece by piece

Their diet will consist(and currently consist)of:
-Xenopus express' XL Adult frog pellets
-Frozen krill or shrimp(every other feeding)
-Earthworms(Treat day-- extra feeding day)
-Crickets(once a month-- I'd go for roaches but.. doubt tenants would be happy on that)

[Deku]

Well I suppose my albino frog would be female then. His (her..) hands do darken but never as much as the pictures I see of male ACF online, the cloaca looks very female to me. I guess it's decided!

Same. God they like to mess with my head so much. Dx why do they do this!? I must know! I SWEAR I've seen her laid eggs, which she usually eats(guess she looses some minerals when she lays eggs)

[Deku]

Sounds like that will work out fine then.



I have an albino which gets 'dark hands' but is the size of a female, never seen it lay eggs though. Never seen it do a mating call or any other male behavior either though. Your guess is as good as mine, he is almost 1 year old.



Anubias and Java Fern are 'tough' plants you can grow attached to driftwood.. they wouldn't go anywhere. Could add fast growing nitrate sucking plants to your sump/refugium. Valisineria are fast growing plants and will grow in your substrate and won't be going anywhere, they also do well in hard water which ACF also enjoy.



Seems to be enough information to lead me to think that the wrigglers aren't worth the risk, yeah.

I hope to be getting myself more informed. The most I can, before I make a decision. I mean I know these frogs are "easy"(does not mean there is no care involve-- iknow that) compared to other frogs. But I want these frogs not only to "live" but to "thrive". I'm going to test out the interactions in a "fake" set up. I.e. a test run set up. Like a 30gallon (a spare I have somewhere in my house), and put in there all that stuff and a cheap filter and see what actually goes on. To see if she will rip the plants apart and I end up with a clogged filter. Or if they grow and no matter how much she "darts" (which she only does every once in a while such as turning on the lights or feeding time) That was my main concern. I know turtles would maul the plants. I just hope these frogs don't. It'd be a great addition and would help keep water quality in check. Though I do notice the water gets a bit yellow when plants are in there. And I do hope I don't have to "trim" the plants TOO much(some plants kinda grow so fast they end up "shedding" some old leaves).