African Dwarf Frog (Hymenochirus sp.)

Recognise the aquatic frog you are planning for

The African Dwarf Frog (Hymenochirus sp.) is a fully aquatic frog from a genus native to parts of Equatorial Africa, as described in the African dwarf frog genus overview. It suits a keeper prepared to provide a special species-only set-up with gentle filtration and carefully maintained water. OATA’s aquatic-frog guidance recommends at least 50 litres for a small group and gives 22–25°C, pH 7.0–8.0 and general hardness of 8–18°dH for aquatic frogs. These amphibians remain submerged throughout their lives, so prepare an aquarium rather than a divided water-and-land enclosure.

The genus-level identity matters when comparing care claims or similarly named animals: do not attach the characteristics of one named Hymenochirus species to every frog sold under the broader label.

Distinguish it from an African Clawed Frog

African Dwarf Frogs are often mistaken for African Clawed Frogs. OATA gives two useful distinctions: dwarf frogs have four webbed feet and eyes at the sides of the head, while African Clawed Frogs have two webbed feet and eyes on top of the head.

Choose the dispatch size without confusing it with permanent care

Use the live selector to choose between the labelled dispatch sizes, 2–2.5 cm and 3–4 cm. One purchase quantity supplies one animal of the selected option. The size you select is the size supplied, not the adult size. Plan the permanent aquarium around the at-least-50-litre benchmark for a small group rather than choosing equipment around the measurement shown on the selector.

The exact species has not been identified, so the care advice here follows the genus Hymenochirus and its care group.

Sex is guaranteed only when the selected option explicitly states male or female. This African Dwarf Frog listing has no sex-guaranteed option. Size, colour and gallery appearance must not be used to infer the sex of the animal supplied.

Use the gallery as an appearance guide

Some gallery images are representative, based on reference photographs of this kind of animal, and none shows the exact animal supplied, so colours can look slightly different from the live animal. The gallery can help you recognise the flattened, mottled form and webbed feet, but use the written setup guidance for aquarium planning.

For dispatch arrangements and the conditions attached to livestock claims, read our current delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee policy. Other unusual aquarium animals can be explored through the loaches and oddballs collection.

Plan around the water range and group space

For a small group, use an aquarium of at least 50 litres and favour a long, wide footprint. A larger aquarium gives the group more usable area and makes temperature and water quality more stable. Keep the permanent aquarium plan separate from the 2–2.5 cm and 3–4 cm dispatch choices when assessing the space required.

OATA’s aquatic-frog sheet gives 22–25°C, pH 7.0–8.0, general hardness of 8–18°dH and carbonate hardness of 10–15°dKH as group guidance rather than a species-specific optimum. Use those values together instead of selecting one convenient number while overlooking the rest of the water profile.

Check whether the plan fits

Species-only keeping is the clearest starting plan. Aquatic frogs are rarely mixed with fish, and a dedicated aquarium removes the need to balance the frog’s needs against unsuitable fish size or behaviour.

Build a long, wide aquarium with gentle water movement

Start with the footprint

Use an aquarium of at least 50 litres for a small African Dwarf Frog group. Choose a long and wide shape within that volume because OATA recommends maximising surface area for aquatic frogs. Do not reduce the aquarium around a dispatch-size animal: the permanent plan must accommodate the intended group and allow water conditions to remain stable.

A larger aquarium gives you more water volume over which waste and temperature changes are distributed. That does not replace maintenance, but it gives the filter and keeper a more stable system to manage. Decide the intended group before buying equipment so the aquarium, filter and maintenance routine all reflect the eventual livestock load.

Choose a skin-safe base

Keep the base bare or use sand. This follows the aquatic-frog recommendation intended to protect delicate skin. If changing an established aquarium, inspect the whole base rather than covering only the most visible area; every part used by the frogs should follow the same safe plan.

Control the current

A filter is essential, but it must not create a strong flow. Select or adjust filtration so it can process the waste produced while keeping water movement gentle. Observe the whole aquarium after installation: an outlet that seems mild beside the filter may create a forceful current at the opposite wall.

Check the result after every equipment change

Judge filtration by both waste processing and water movement. Check the outlet after installation, after clearing a blockage and after returning cleaned media, because each change can alter the current. Confirm that water still circulates through the filter while no part of the aquarium is dominated by strong flow. If maintenance restores a forceful outlet, adjust the equipment before treating the job as complete.

Keep the long-term group plan in view when choosing the filter. Adding animals and increasing food both raise the waste load, so filtration must remain efficient as the planned group develops. Increase livestock slowly, test ammonia and nitrite, and let measured water quality show whether the biological filter is coping rather than compensating with stronger current.

Reassess flow whenever equipment is moved, cleaned or replaced. The correct decision is not a particular filter label; it is an efficiently filtered aquarium in which the outlet does not subject the frogs to a strong current.

Mature the filter before introducing the frog

Prepare the aquarium and establish its biological filter before adding an African Dwarf Frog. Our first tropical aquarium guide explains the practical preparation sequence. The decisive introduction test is water quality: ammonia and nitrite must both measure zero mg per litre before livestock enters the aquarium.

The RSPCA’s filtration guidance explains why biological filtration matters. Beneficial bacteria process toxic ammonia into nitrite and then into the safer end product nitrate. OATA applies the same biological-filter principle to aquatic frogs and warns that adding livestock faster than the bacterial population can grow may cause new tank syndrome.

Increase the livestock load slowly

1. Prepare first: set up the full aquarium, filtration and intended water conditions before the frog arrives.
2. Test before introduction: proceed only when ammonia and nitrite are both zero mg per litre.
3. Add gradually: increase the number of frogs or other livestock slowly rather than making several additions together.
4. Allow the filter to respond: every increase in livestock and feeding creates more waste for the bacterial population to process.
5. Retest: use measured ammonia and nitrite results to judge whether the aquarium is coping.

A filter running for a period is not enough by itself; use the zero readings as the practical decision point. If either ammonia or nitrite is detectable, pause further introductions and address water quality before increasing the load.

Use the first month as a controlled loading period

Keep the livestock plan steady while the filter responds to its new load. Feed once daily, remove uneaten food after about 15 minutes and test at least weekly. Extra animals and extra food both increase the waste reaching the biological filter, so do not make another addition merely because the first frog appears settled.

• Before the first addition: record zero ammonia and zero nitrite.
• After feeding begins: remove leftovers so avoidable waste does not remain in the system.
• Before another addition: test again and proceed only when ammonia and nitrite remain at zero.
• If either reading rises: pause additions and restore suitable water quality.

This sequence turns gradual stocking into measurable decisions. It also separates two questions that can otherwise be confused: whether an animal appears settled and whether the filter is processing the increased waste load.

Avoid resetting the biology

Preserve the established bacteria during routine care. If the filter needs cleaning, do not run it under the tap because chlorine or chloramine may kill the bacterial population. Rinse the media lightly in aquarium water removed during a partial water change. This removes loose waste while reducing bacterial loss.

Hold the water within the working range

Maintain 22–25°C, pH 7.0–8.0, general hardness of 8–18°dH and carbonate hardness of 10–15°dKH. Test the aquarium rather than relying on the heater setting or an assumption about tap water. Our water chemistry guide explains what the principal readings mean, while the water matcher helps compare measured values with the working ranges.

Give toxic waste readings priority

Ammonia and nitrite must remain at zero mg per litre. Test both at least once each week and also after a change that increases the biological load. Nitrate must not exceed 20 mg per litre above its normal tap-water level, so establish the tap-water baseline instead of treating 20 mg per litre as a universal aquarium ceiling.

Calculate the nitrate ceiling correctly

If the normal tap-water nitrate result is 10 mg per litre, the aquarium should not exceed 30 mg per litre: the 10 mg per litre baseline plus no more than 20 mg per litre. If the tap result is 20 mg per litre, the corresponding ceiling is 40 mg per litre. Retest the tap periodically so the comparison uses a current normal value.

Use trends to decide when to intervene

Keep each dated result so you can compare one maintenance cycle with the next. A value inside its range still deserves attention when it is moving steadily towards a limit. For example, nitrate readings of 15, 20 and 25 mg per litre against a 10 mg per litre tap baseline remain below the 30 mg per litre ceiling, but the upward pattern shows that waste is accumulating and should be addressed through the established maintenance cycle.

Give ammonia and nitrite immediate priority because their required value is zero. Do not average a detectable reading with earlier zero results or wait for several tests to confirm it. Pause livestock additions, review the recent increase in animals or feeding and restore suitable water quality before placing another demand on the filter.

Read the values as a connected picture. Zero ammonia with detectable nitrite still requires action, and a temperature inside range does not compensate for unsuitable pH or hardness. Write down results with their dates so a gradual change is easier to see than it would be from memory.

Complete a consistent weekly maintenance cycle

At least once every week, change 25% of the aquarium water. Use a siphon to remove solid waste from sand, and treat replacement tap water with conditioner before it enters the aquarium so chlorine or chloramine is removed. Pair the water change with testing rather than treating the two jobs as unrelated chores.

Use one repeatable sequence

1. Test first: measure ammonia, nitrite and the other working water values before disturbing the aquarium.
2. Record the readings: compare nitrate with the normal tap-water baseline and note any movement in pH, hardness or temperature.
3. Remove 25%: siphon water and collect solid waste from the sand.
4. Condition replacement water: treat it for chlorine and chloramine before addition.
5. Inspect the filter: check for blockages and confirm that flow remains effective without becoming strong.
6. Clean only when needed: lightly rinse filter media in the removed aquarium water; do not run it under the tap.
7. Observe afterwards: confirm that equipment is running and water movement remains gentle.

The 25% change at least once every week is not a reason to ignore an unexpected water-quality problem between scheduled changes. If a frog’s behaviour, colour, condition or appetite changes, test the water promptly rather than waiting for the normal maintenance day.

Protect the biological filter

A clean-looking filter is not the aim if cleaning destroys the bacteria that process waste. Avoid replacing or aggressively washing all biological media as part of routine maintenance. A light rinse in removed aquarium water preserves more of the established population while clearing loose material and blockages.

Consistency makes changes easier to recognise. Carry out the same checks in the same order, record the results and respond to measured movement before it becomes a larger water-quality problem.

Feed a suitably sized meaty diet once daily

Aquatic frogs are carnivores and should receive food matched to the size of the individual. Feed African Dwarf Frogs once a day. Allow about 15 minutes for feeding, then remove uneaten food so it does not remain in the aquarium and add to the waste handled by the filter.

Match each item to the frog

For smaller frogs, OATA recommends brine shrimp, bloodworm and other insect larvae. These are examples of suitably sized frozen meaty foods, not a reason to offer pieces too large for the individual. Judge the food by the frog’s size and ability to take it rather than by the package description alone.

Supplement the meaty items with a specialist prepared pellet to help provide a balanced diet with added vitamins. A frog that is not accustomed to prepared food may take time to recognise it as edible and is unlikely simply to scavenge it from the bottom. Continue offering appropriate frozen or live food alongside the prepared feed while it learns to accept the pellet.

Manage the change to prepared food

Treat acceptance as something to observe rather than assume. Offer the specialist prepared pellet with an appropriate frozen or live food while the frog learns that the pellet is edible. Watch the full feeding period and distinguish food that is consumed from food that merely disappears into the aquarium base.

If the pellet remains after about 15 minutes, remove it with the other leftovers. Continue the mixed approach at later daily feeds instead of leaving uneaten prepared food in place. Once the frog is clearly taking the pellet, keep it as a supplement to the suitably sized carnivorous diet rather than replacing every meaty item at once.

• Accepted food: record what the frog actually consumes.
• Ignored food: remove it after about 15 minutes.
• Reduced appetite: test water quality and compare behaviour with the frog’s normal pattern.
• Changing body condition: review observed intake over several feeds rather than judging from one meal.

Use appetite as an observation point

Watch whether the frog approaches and consumes food during the feeding window. Reduced intake or a lack of interest is a health warning that should prompt a water test. Also watch body condition over time: an increase or decrease in weight and condition can reveal a developing problem more clearly than a single meal.

Do not increase the portion merely because food disappears from view. Observe consumption for the full 15 minutes, remove what remains and adjust the next portion from what the frog actually ate. This keeps feeding tied to the animal’s response while limiting waste.

Respond early to changes in behaviour, colour or condition

Learn the normal appearance and behaviour of each frog through regular observation. Individual animals vary, so the useful warning is a change from that animal’s usual pattern. Check swimming, position in the aquarium, colour, hiding behaviour, external appearance, body condition and interest in food.

Pair each sign with an action

Water quality is the first practical check because even small amounts of ammonia or nitrite may stress aquatic frogs. Confirm both are zero mg per litre, compare nitrate with the tap-water baseline and check that temperature, pH and hardness remain within the working ranges.

Use structured early checkpoints

• Before introduction: confirm ammonia and nitrite are zero and the aquarium is fully prepared.
• At each daily feed: observe interest in food and whether the frog consumes an appropriate amount within about 15 minutes.
• During the first week: compare swimming, colour, hiding and condition from one day to the next.
• At least once every week: complete the 25% water change, water tests and filter inspection.
• Through the first month: keep additions slow so the biological filter can adjust to changes in livestock and feeding.

Do not choose a treatment from appearance alone. Begin with measured water results and a clear description of the change. If you remain concerned after testing, contact us for health guidance.

Make a species-only aquarium the default plan

Aquatic frogs are best kept in species-only aquariums. This removes the principal mixed-aquarium risks identified by OATA: frogs may prey on fish small enough to fit in their mouths, while fish that are too large, nippy or predatory may stress the frogs.

Apply the compatibility screen in both directions

African Dwarf Frogs may be kept with some fish only when the fish are neither small enough to be eaten nor too large, nippy or predatory. That is a screening rule, not a universal tank-mate list. Assess the adult size and usual behaviour of every proposed fish rather than relying on labels such as “community” or “peaceful”.

Apply the rule to every individual already in the aquarium and to its adult size. A fish that passes one question can still fail another: being too large is a concern even when it is not predatory, and a fish outside the frog’s mouth-size range may still be unsuitable if it is nippy.

Keep the frog plan primary

Start with the frog’s at-least-50-litre group aquarium, gentle filtration, sand or bare base and established water conditions. Do not redesign those fundamentals around a fish candidate. If a mixed plan would require a strong current or another departure from the aquatic-frog setup, keep the aquarium species-only.

Screen every proposed companion before combining animals

Make compatibility a decision made before introduction, not an experiment conducted with live animals. Write down the candidate’s adult size and whether it is nippy or predatory, then decide whether it could fit in the frog’s mouth or would be too large for the frog.

Use worked decisions rather than broad labels

• A very small fish: avoid the combination if it could fit in the frog’s mouth.
• A much larger fish: avoid the combination because fish that are too large may stress the frog.
• A nippy fish: avoid it even when its size appears otherwise suitable.
• A predatory fish: avoid it regardless of whether the frog appears too large to be swallowed.
• An uncertain candidate: keep the frog aquarium species-only until size and behaviour can be assessed confidently.

Do not use the gallery, dispatch grade or a young animal’s present size as the whole comparison. The selected 2–2.5 cm or 3–4 cm measurement is a dispatch size, while permanent compatibility planning must consider the proposed fish at its adult size.

Record the reason for every decision

Use a short two-part check before any proposed introduction. First compare sizes in both directions: decide whether the fish could be eaten and whether it would be too large for the frog. Then assess behaviour separately for nipping and predation. Passing the size check does not cancel a behavioural concern, and calm behaviour does not make an unsuitable size relationship safe.

Repeat the process for every inhabitant rather than assessing only the newest candidate. The result depends on the complete population, and the addition must still preserve the frog aquarium’s gentle flow, established water conditions and available group space.

Protect filter stability during any approved addition

If a candidate passes the screen, introduce livestock slowly. Each additional animal and the associated increase in feeding raises the amount of waste the biological filter must process. Check ammonia and nitrite are zero before the addition, then continue regular testing as the bacterial population adjusts.

A compatibility decision remains conditional because individual behaviour and the complete aquarium population matter. For a stocking and compatibility assessment, ask us with the aquarium volume, current inhabitants, measured water values and the adult identity of the proposed companion. Where those details leave doubt, a species-only group is the safer plan.

Answer the main African Dwarf Frog questions

How big does an African Dwarf Frog get?

Use the labelled 2–2.5 cm or 3–4 cm measurement only as the dispatch size. For permanent housing, OATA’s guidance for aquatic frogs recommends an aquarium of at least 50 litres for a small group.

What size aquarium does this frog need?

OATA’s guidance for aquatic frogs recommends at least 50 litres for a small group. Favour a long, wide footprint, provide an essential filter without strong flow and use sand or a bare base.

How many African Dwarf Frogs should I keep together?

Plan a small species-only group in at least 50 litres, following OATA’s guidance for aquatic frogs. Increase the number slowly so the biological filter can adjust to the extra livestock and feeding.

Is this frog suitable for beginners?

It requires a special set-up with gentle filtration, sand or a bare base, stable water and regular testing. Choose it only if you can keep ammonia and nitrite at zero mg per litre and complete the required maintenance.

What does an African Dwarf Frog eat?

Feed once daily with suitably sized brine shrimp, bloodworm or other insect larvae alongside a specialist prepared pellet. Allow about 15 minutes for feeding and remove uneaten food.

What temperature and pH does it need?

OATA’s guidance for aquatic frogs gives 22–25°C, pH 7.0–8.0 and general hardness of 8–18°dH. Keep ammonia and nitrite at zero mg per litre.

Is an African Dwarf Frog aggressive or likely to nip fins?

Use a species-only aquarium as the default because aquatic frogs may prey on fish small enough to fit in their mouths. Avoid fish that are too large, nippy or predatory because they may stress the frog.

Which kinds of animals can this frog live with?

Some fish may be considered only when they are neither small enough to be eaten nor too large, nippy or predatory. Keep uncertain combinations separate and prefer a species-only aquarium.

How does an African Dwarf Frog arrive alive in the UK?

Start filming before the sealed parcel is opened, with someone present to receive it, and record continuously as the parcel is opened with the animal still inside the sealed bag. Float the bag for 20–30 minutes, never pour the bag water into the aquarium, then release the animal.

Reference the identity, care and welfare guidance

• African dwarf frog genus summary — common-name context, aquatic natural history and Equatorial African distribution.
• OATA: How to look after axolotls and aquatic frogs — aquarium planning, water, feeding, maintenance, observation and compatibility.
• RSPCA aquarium environment guidance — biological filtration and the processing of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
• Tropical Fish Co delivery policy — dispatch arrangements, acclimatisation and Live Arrival Guarantee conditions.