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Sunday, January 26, 2020

Dwarf Clawed Frogs – Commonly Seen, Uncommonly Bred by Ken Zeedyk

African dwarf clawed frogs are a staple of most pet stores, and a group of them can be purchased at a reasonable price. However it seems that most people add them to their aquariums as more of a “novelty”, or as an animal their kids really wanted to have. Seldom have I come across aquarists who have kept these little frogs with the intention to breed them, so I figured I’d give them a shot.



The genus name is Hymenochirus, and the species most often encountered is likely Hymenochirus boettgeri. I have also seen lighter colored dwarf frogs identified as “Blondies” that appear to be a different species rather than a color morph of H. boettgeri, but I have not been able to find a definitive answer to this. I have seen those referred to online as H. boettgeri “gold” as well Hymenochirus curtipes. Regardless of the species, these little frogs are native to the equatorial forest zone of Central Africa and are completely aquatic. As an interesting side note they also lack tongues and teeth, like all members of the Family Pipidae.

One word of caution: Don’t confuse the dwarf clawed frogs with their much larger Xenopus laevis cousins! Xenopus frogs get much larger, and are voracious predators on fish.  Easy ways to tell them apart (besides size) is to look at the front feet, eye position, and snout. The front feet of dwarf frogs are webbed, while the larger clawed frogs are not and have “fingers”. Dwarf frogs have eyes that are more on the sides of the head, while Xenopus have eyes on the top of the head. The dwarf frog also has a pointed snout, while the larger clawed frogs will have a flatter rounded snout.

I have found that the dwarf frogs do best in a species tank, where they don’t have to compete with fish for food. They can also be picked on by fish, but will in turn consume small fish and fry, as well as shrimp, if given the opportunity. They are predatory sight and smell feeders so a variety of live, frozen and pelleted food may be consumed. Live black worms are a favorite of my colony. A constant temperature around 77 degrees Fahrenheit works for them in a mature, well planted tank with a pH around 7.2 to 7.6. Gentle filtration such as a sponge filter is recommended. A power filter would be ill advised with these little guys since there is a chance they could be sucked onto the intake and not be able to escape. The dwarf frogs also like plants in the water column, such as Najas grass, that they can rest in. Hiding place are also appreciated and may be utilized by males as a singing location.


Telling boys from girls can be difficult, especially on younger frogs, but there are visible differences. Mature females will be rounder bodied and have a small “tail” stub. Males will be slimmer and develop a white gland behind the front legs, which looks like a pimple. Males will also sing underwater, and can sound like a broken airline or a soft humming sound.

Spawning can take place at any time, however the most activity has occurred in my colony after large water changes and heavy feedings with live food. Temperature changes in conjunction with water changes may also trigger egg laying. Spawning occurs during amplexus, where the male will clasp the female and basically ride around with her. Amplexus can last for a few hours, or even days. Spawning occurs at the surface of the water, where the very small black eggs are laid singly, but often in large quantities. Removal of the eggs to a separate hatching and rearing container is advised, since the adults will consume eggs and tadpoles. Scooping the eggs out with a small cup works, although you will need to rinse the eggs off the surface since they like to stick to things. I’ve hatched eggs successfully with and without a fungicide, and have even had many eggs hatch right in the adult’s tank. Getting them to spawn and subsequently hatching the eggs is the easy part. Raising the tadpoles can be very challenging.


Eggs will hatch in three to four days, with the larvae becoming free swimming after four to five days. It is best to raise them in their own container or small aquarium, using water from the adult’s tank and a small, low volume sponge filter that does not produce a lot of current. Like the adults the tadpoles are predatory suction feeders, but they feed on very small food items. Live food cultures will be necessary, such as infusoria and baby brine shrimp. A light above the tank will help to concentrate the food items at the surface, which is within the narrow feeding range of the tadpoles. I’ve tried various dry powders, but with limited success. The dwarf tadpoles don’t seem to actively ingest it like the filter feeding Xenopus tadpoles do. I’m still experimenting with different sizes of Golden Pearls, so hopefully I will find a prepared food that will work throughout their tadpole stage. As long as the bug eyed tadpoles are kept in clean water and have been feeding regularly metamorphosis into little froglets should occur within 8 weeks. The froglets can be housed and treated like the adults, but in a separate tank until they put on some size. As with most frogs little ones can be viewed as a snack.


If you are looking for a different type of breeding project that can be challenging and rewarding, I’d suggest giving these little frogs a try. They don’t take up a whole lot of space, and if you are successful in raising the tadpoles the little froglets should be easy to re-home.

Newly Hatched Larvae (top) Egg close to hatching (bottom)

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