African Clawed Frogs

[Deku]

I still really recommend a canister filter for these frogs. I really like my Eheim 2217, I just broke mine down and cleaned it and yeah it was gross the filtration quality on these units is really great, theyre really quiet and they are workhorses that last for years and years and years. Can't really condone this. You're right though, in the wild Xenopus will catch and eat anything it can whenever it can. However, american bullfrogs aren't something they'd eat in nature either since they come from different continents and quite honestly I really worry about trans-amphibian diseases and parasites. It's really not something you can judge by looking at the specimen and assuming it's safe. I would also imagine that 'salt treating' the tadpoles wasn't a great idea either, I would also wager they are quite salt intolerant. I just don't see the point of this I guess, besides feeding your frogs at a very high cost.. Mostly arthropods, worms, insect larvae, daphnia.. on seldom occasions will prey upon tadpoles (this usually happens when over crowded), small fish, mammals, even small avians. I once had a huge chart of a study where they went out and captured a bunch of wild Xenopus and flushed their stomach contents if I can find it you may want to check it out. It was very interesting (and backs my statement up). They're predators but also scavengers, will scavenge upon dead animals, matter. Pellets aren't bad for them, many frogs live a very long life on pellets alone. I know Terry feeds his reptomin exclusively and his frogs are over a decade old. If nothing else they help round the diet out. It's impossible to feed a captive animal a diet as diverse as it would have in the wild. Unless you plan on raising a hundred different species of arthropods. I have to ask but WHY crayfish? If you want to get all natural on your frogs diet why even consider this species? Xenopus are native to Sub-Sahara Africa and crawfish don't exist in Africa besides introduced/invasive species (raised for food). Shrimp contain thiaminase so I would advise against shrimp entirely. Could breed live bearers or Cichlid Convict fry as long as you kept the tanks well maintained and not overstocked you could do this. But yes one sick fish and you got problems. Last year I bred black mollies to feed to my frogs (I was given a ton of these fish 30+ without much else to do with them) in a 55 gallon aquarium. It was more trouble than it was worth, the more I read about black mollies proved that they were a brackish/saltwater fish if you REALLY want to keep them in optimal condition. They also tend to get calamus worms when kept in softer, fresh water. I mostly fed my frogs the fry when they were juveniles and it wasn't really even fun to watch, Xenopus are nocturnal animals by nature and will simply wait for the lights to go out to begin hunting resting, placid fish. I never *saw* them once eat a fish, but they certainly did eat them over time. I once came downstairs at night for something and turned on the lights and cause one of my frogs swallowing a molly, that's about the extent of the 'entertainment' value I've gotten with live feedings. Another bad thing about feeder fish in my opinion is these frogs don't all have the same instinct to hunt. I have one frog who is just a predatory monster and cleaned house and another frog who is fairly indifferent. It's hard to ensure both are fed well if you just toss food in and see what happens. This is why I always feed my frogs by hand and mostly earthworms. Every frog gets fed the same in my tank. =P Contain loads of thiaminase too. Though I highly doubt their fat content is really that huge of a deal, fish fat is actually oil and I would imagine a Xenopus would digest it fine. Now mammal fat.. that's different. Either way yes, goldfish are **** for feeders, they're pond fish and I wish more people realized this. Parasites, disease, and thiaminase make this species inappropriate. Baby Tears are a carpeting plant, they're hard to do with clawed frogs as they tend to kick these plants up faster than they grow. They also need fertilizers, CO2, and high light and your frogs will not like any of that in their environment. I tried to grow dwarf hair grass in my tank way back, it was a waste of money and time. Xenopus kick up substrate as a defensive maneuver, they also kick up plants. Personally I would really like to get a 125 gallon tank and do a paludarium for my frogs some day. It would look really cool, at least.

I wouldn't em feeding em crayfish, or just random stuff. No I know they're sub-saharan, but I want them to get AT LEAST a very large different diet of AT LEAST 10 diff. food items. I know you shouldn't put too much thought on this because they're not human. But jeez if I was an animal and was fed 1-3 things at most I'd go crazy. I didn't even like it when my own mother gave me the same meal two days in a row. I guess I have a highly varied diet now that I'm on my own... But I wouldn't want any other living being to have to go through that. I guess it's just something that no matter how much I keep telling myself that they're just frogs and have basic thinking, and emotions isn't enough to make me feel okay at the end of the day. When I kept a snapping turtle(I was younger) and I kept it in a 250gallon aquarium(it was like 12inch) I fed it soo many different foods. I would go to my friends man made pond which he keeps in pristine condition(he eats the fish he catches sometimes), no pollutants since he's far out in the "dirt" lands(country side in your tongue). The fish feed on varied stuff. Basically I would take some of the healthiest kind, and I would bring it home quickly(alive) some would be fed as is(after the fish were treated for parasites, and bacteria-- kinda made them weak somewhat dead-- shocked state) but pretty much would see tons of tiny parasites drop to the bottom(ich rarely-- which if you have a magnifying glass are easy to see) and I would give those to the my turtle AFTER I washed them off a couple times in fresh clean water(non- chlorine of course) and the turtle would relish it. I would then take the other fish, kill it, boil it, along with crayfish, freshwater clams, and a few other inverts. I would then add them to a super strong blender(vitamix500-- industrial) and I would throw in 3 dozen crickets, half a pound of earthworms, 3 hand fulls of water plants native to their region(water cress, lily pads, anacharis, etc-- all which were boiled first for 5mins) and then I would add some kale, carrots, 1 cuttle bone, 2 tablespoons of vitamin powder. I would then hit the "puree" and this thing was soo powerful it made it into liquid very quickly(of course it dulled the blades often-- which I needed a whetstone to keep up). Then I would be making knoxx gelatin (PURE gelatine-- no additives) which I would add alot of enough to mix with the batter and that when it sets it's pretty hard(hard enough to keep the beak trimmed but not so hard it's like impossible for even a snapper to cut it). He actually liked it. I made three different kinds. Depending on the season. This was done because I researched their natural diet. They're more scavengers. Point is--- I wanted to give that kind of quality keeping to my frogs. I see that xenopus has good specimens but they condone people to keep their frogs in 1-5gallon aquariums. Which is sorta cruel. Even for an experiment. :/

[mpmistr]

I wouldn't em feeding em crayfish, or just random stuff. No I know they're sub-saharan, but I want them to get AT LEAST a very large different diet of AT LEAST 10 diff. food items. I know you shouldn't put too much thought on this because they're not human. But jeez if I was an animal and was fed 1-3 things at most I'd go crazy. I didn't even like it when my own mother gave me the same meal two days in a row. I guess I have a highly varied diet now that I'm on my own... But I wouldn't want any other living being to have to go through that.

Nothing wrong with variety. I feed my frogs mostly earthworms, some reptomin, some times crickets. They're plump, active and very healthy (literally get so excited during feedings they almost jump out of the tank). So I don't know if you need to find over 10 different types of food.

They're more scavengers. Point is--- I wanted to give that kind of quality keeping to my frogs. I see that xenopus has good specimens but they condone people to keep their frogs in 1-5gallon aquariums. Which is sorta cruel. Even for an experiment. :/

I don't like the idea of people keeping their frogs in substandard conditions either.

There is an adult clawed frog at a LFS here in the town I just moved to and I want to buy it. She (I think) is very thin and kept in an a 55 gallon (guesstimate) with 3 large goldfish and it's a completely empty aquarium with no where to hide or explore. I can't convince them to sell it to me, said it's a display animal and refuse to sell it. They feed it goldfish (which I told them is bad). I let them know it was on the thin side and let them know that earthworms would be a much better diet but I doubt it will make much of a difference. I was kind of excited when I saw an adult clawed frog, rarely do you see them sold as adults, oh well.

[Deku]

Nothing wrong with variety. I feed my frogs mostly earthworms, some reptomin, some times crickets. They're plump, active and very healthy (literally get so excited during feedings they almost jump out of the tank). So I don't know if you need to find over 10 different types of food. I don't like the idea of people keeping their frogs in substandard conditions either. There is an adult clawed frog at a LFS here in the town I just moved to and I want to buy it. She (I think) is very thin and kept in an a 55 gallon (guesstimate) with 3 large goldfish and it's a completely empty aquarium with no where to hide or explore. I can't convince them to sell it to me, said it's a display animal and refuse to sell it. They feed it goldfish (which I told them is bad). I let them know it was on the thin side and let them know that earthworms would be a much better diet but I doubt it will make much of a difference. I was kind of excited when I saw an adult clawed frog, rarely do you see them sold as adults, oh well.

I guess it's just a personal thing. Now for the frogs. You "could" keep them with LARGE goldfish as long as the frogs get food and the fish gets theirs. But that's just my opinion. These frogs are very tolerant. These frogs are faster than goldfish(goldfish are fat and slow-- owned them for 12 years).

[mpmistr]

I guess it's just a personal thing. Now for the frogs. You "could" keep them with LARGE goldfish as long as the frogs get food and the fish gets theirs. But that's just my opinion. These frogs are very tolerant. These frogs are faster than goldfish(goldfish are fat and slow-- owned them for 12 years).

Did not take offense to the fact the frog was housed with large goldfish. Was more bothered by the fact the frog was underweight, had no real place to hide/rest, and was fed an improper diet.

[Deku]

Did not take offense to the fact the frog was housed with large goldfish. Was more bothered by the fact the frog was underweight, had no real place to hide/rest, and was fed an improper diet.

Sorry I missed that part(I was tired); yeah I'd report it to proper authorities. It's considered animal abuse.

[mpmistr]

I'd say it's more a case of ignorance rather than abuse. Maybe I can convince them this weekend to let me buy him.

[Deku]

I'd say it's more a case of ignorance rather than abuse. Maybe I can convince them this weekend to let me buy him.

This is more of a joke-- but steal it. LOL Obv. you shouldn't but. Would be nice. Or atleast nice to just take it and leave the money on the register. Though you'd get in trouble for that.