How To Care for the Dwarf Clawed Frog
| There are several species of the Hymenchirus genus but the one most common as pets is the Hymenchirus boettgeri, or the Dwarf clawed frog. The Dwarf clawed frog is completely aquatic, has an average life span of 5 years and grows to 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 - 3.8 cm) as adults.
There are several species of the Hymenchirus genus but the one most common as pets is the Hymenchirus boettgeri, or the Dwarf clawed frog. The Dwarf clawed frog is completely aquatic, has an average life span of 5 years and grows to 1 – 1.5 inches (2.5 - 3.8 cm) as adults. Dwarf clawed frogs do not require a large tank – about 1 gallon per frog. They can be kept in groups or with a group of fish but the tank size will need to be adjusted accordingly. The tank itself needs to be short and shallow, and there needs to be a pocket of air between the top of the water line and the lid so the frogs can easily reach the surface to breathe. These frogs need to be kept in only dechlorinated water and the temperature should range from 75 – 80oF (24-27 C). No filtration is needed if there are no fish. However, partial water changes should be conducted frequently. The substrate of the tank can either be sand or small-sized gravel and since Dwarf clawed frogs are completely aquatic, no land area is required. Dwarf clawed frogs are bottom feeders therefore their food should sink to the bottom when fed. They can be fed a variety of frozen, live or freeze-dried food items such as bloodworms, tubiflex worms, brine shrimp or chopped earthworms among many other food types. These frogs are not partial to flakes or sometimes to specialized frog pellets. |