African dwarf frog care: tank size, temperature and tankmates

A small, fully aquatic frog that floats and stretches at the surface. African dwarf frogs are peaceful but slow at feeding time.

Quick facts

How to keep them

Keep 2 or more with gentle fish. Feed sinking frozen foods with a baster or tongs, and cover the tank.

Like every fish, they need a cycled tank, a heater set inside their range, and a weekly water change of about 25%. Test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate before you add them. New to this? Start with how to cycle a fish tank.

Tankmates

Good tankmates

Neon tetra · Cardinal tetra · Rummynose tetra · Harlequin rasbora · Zebra danio · Cherry barb · Platy · Guppy · Honey gourami · Corydoras (bronze or peppered) · Otocinclus · Amano shrimp · Nerite snail · Mystery snail · Glowlight tetra · Black neon tetra · Lemon tetra · Lambchop rasbora · Dwarf neon rainbowfish · Sparkling gourami · German blue ram · Hillstream loach · Ghost shrimp · Ramshorn snail

Possible, with care

• Ember tetra: Frogs may snap up very small fish like these. Add the fish as adults and keep plenty of plants.
• Black skirt tetra: Fast, nippy fish stress slow, calm fish like these. Pick calmer tankmates if you can.
• Serpae tetra: Fast, nippy fish stress slow, calm fish like these. Pick calmer tankmates if you can.
• White cloud mountain minnow: They only share 72°F. A good heater and thermometer are a must.
• Tiger barb: Fast, nippy fish stress slow, calm fish like these. Pick calmer tankmates if you can. African dwarf frogs are slow, nearly blind eaters. Bigger or faster fish take their food, so feed the frogs with a baster or tongs.
• Endler's livebearer: Frogs may snap up very small fish like these. Add the fish as adults and keep plenty of plants.
• Molly: African dwarf frogs are slow, nearly blind eaters. Bigger or faster fish take their food, so feed the frogs with a baster or tongs.
• Swordtail: African dwarf frogs are slow, nearly blind eaters. Bigger or faster fish take their food, so feed the frogs with a baster or tongs.
• Betta (male): Often kept together. Some bettas nip at the frogs, and frogs are slow eaters, so feed the frogs with a baster or tongs.
• Dwarf gourami: African dwarf frogs are slow, nearly blind eaters. Bigger or faster fish take their food, so feed the frogs with a baster or tongs.
• Pearl gourami: African dwarf frogs are slow, nearly blind eaters. Bigger or faster fish take their food, so feed the frogs with a baster or tongs.
• Pygmy corydoras: Frogs may snap up very small fish like these. Add the fish as adults and keep plenty of plants.
• Kuhli loach: African dwarf frogs are slow, nearly blind eaters. Bigger or faster fish take their food, so feed the frogs with a baster or tongs.
• Bristlenose pleco: African dwarf frogs are slow, nearly blind eaters. Bigger or faster fish take their food, so feed the frogs with a baster or tongs.
• Angelfish: African dwarf frogs are slow, nearly blind eaters. Bigger or faster fish take their food, so feed the frogs with a baster or tongs.
• Cherry shrimp: African dwarf frogs eat baby cherry shrimp. Adults usually survive with plenty of moss to hide in. Frogs eat baby shrimp. Adult shrimp are usually fine.
• Congo tetra: African dwarf frogs are slow, nearly blind eaters. Bigger or faster fish take their food, so feed the frogs with a baster or tongs.
• Chili rasbora: Frogs may snap up very small fish like these. Add the fish as adults and keep plenty of plants.
• Gold barb: African dwarf frogs are slow, nearly blind eaters. Bigger or faster fish take their food, so feed the frogs with a baster or tongs.
• Rosy barb: Fast, nippy fish stress slow, calm fish like these. Pick calmer tankmates if you can. African dwarf frogs are slow, nearly blind eaters. Bigger or faster fish take their food, so feed the frogs with a baster or tongs.
• Bolivian ram: African dwarf frogs are slow, nearly blind eaters. Bigger or faster fish take their food, so feed the frogs with a baster or tongs.
• Cockatoo dwarf cichlid: African dwarf frogs are slow, nearly blind eaters. Bigger or faster fish take their food, so feed the frogs with a baster or tongs.
• Kribensis: African dwarf frogs are slow, nearly blind eaters. Bigger or faster fish take their food, so feed the frogs with a baster or tongs.
• Clown loach: African dwarf frogs are slow, nearly blind eaters. Bigger or faster fish take their food, so feed the frogs with a baster or tongs.
• Siamese algae eater: African dwarf frogs are slow, nearly blind eaters. Bigger or faster fish take their food, so feed the frogs with a baster or tongs.

Avoid

• Fancy goldfish: Goldfish need cool water and grow big and messy. Keep them with other goldfish, not tropical fish.
• Common goldfish: Goldfish need cool water and grow big and messy. Keep them with other goldfish, not tropical fish.

Not sure about a mix? See the tankmate answers or the stocking ideas by tank size.

Tankmate questions: Can bettas live with African dwarf frogs? · Can African dwarf frogs live with guppies? · Can African dwarf frogs live with corydoras?

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