African Dwarf Frogs in a 1/2 Gallon tank - Advice?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

kenmaude

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Oct 6, 2014
Messages
3
I just posted a long intro about my new frogs, and clicked around for a "frog specific" forum; however, if it's here I've missed it.


I joined this forum moments ago with the hope that someone can give me some advice based on what my frogs need, as opposed to what the petshop wants me to buy.


I just purchased a "kit" consisting of a roughly half-gallon plastic tank, small rock base, a few larger rocks, a bamboo shute, and two African Dwarf Frogs. The kit was advertised as something like a self-sustaining eco-system and I got it from the science section in a school supplies shop. Since I was instructed to add food pellets to the tank twice each week, I don't suppose this is a true self-sustaining eco-system, but I'm hoping someone here knows what I have and can help me out.


I've done a fair bit of internet searching over the weekend, and I can see that these frog kits are NOT well-liked. In fact, many people are passionately against these things! I'm also reading a lot of conflicting advice. For example, some say the half-gallon is sufficient, some suggested the tank be at least one gallon per frog (2 gallons in my case then). My instinct is that these guys need at least a slightly larger space.


Some have indicated the water should be shallow so the frogs can easily reach the surface for breath, while others recommending 10+ gallon tanks say the frogs are just fine to get themselves up a few feet to get air from the surface. I've read a hundred different feeding schedules, people who want me to buy a water filter, people who indicate the filter would disrupt the eco-system, blah blah.


In short, I hope someone here can steer me in the right direction to ensure my $40 desk pets are being properly cared for while they entertain the office!

Cheers
 
I would probably go for a bigger tank. Half a gallon is too small for much of anything. A 5 gallon would probably work well. If I remember correctly dwarf frogs do best when in groups of 3+ as well so maybe a 5 with another frog or so would help. Have you researched cycling a tank yet? A filter is definitely needed, probably a lower flow model appropriately sized to the tank would be ideal. A sponge filter could work, they run off of an aerator. I would feed every day or maybe every other day. Also be sure to pick up an appropriately sized heater. Shallow is good but with a 5-10 gallon tank height isn't much of an issue. Maybe add some fake plants that can provide a resting place near the surface.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
Back
Top Bottom