Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I know nothing about frogs, but while at work today I noticed this poor little yellow (albino?) tiny frog in a very very tiny aquarium (if you could call it that) at a co-workers desk. It was so small I thought the little guy must certainly be a plastic toy but he's alive in there. The tiny container has some stones in the bottom and a fern in it - looks like they might have sold it this way - starter kit? Anyway I just feel sorry for him because he doesnt have much room to move at all and is alone in there. How much room does this type of frog need & do they do better with another frog? I dont want my co-worker to think I'm a loon but I want to suggest a bigger tank for the poor little guy, but I need to sound somewhat credible. thanks for your help [] Also he had some type of fish or frog food by the container but no one is at work on weekends. How often do they/should they eat?

I don't know what you could do about this. It's disgusting. These set-ups are cheap; the people who buy them are totally ignorant of the requirements of the animal they are purchasing, and get sparse or incorrect information from the seller. But when the animal almost invariably dies, it is easily replaceable or the entire thing can be tossed without much loss. The pet shops who sell them have no policy of conscience. Some life is too cheap, and can be obtained wholesale, then retailed out to the general public willing to fall for a promotion on a whim.

I'm guessing this is an African dwarf frog, or perhaps and African clawed frog. They can be purchased for less than a loaf or bread or a head of lettuce. They need proper care, including preferably undergravel filters, regular partial water changes, and the right food and temperatures. (The clawed frogs are less particular about temperatures.) They are carnivors, so need things like blood worms, brine shrimp, water fleas, and pieces of fish, not the so called "amphibian pellets" or fish flakes designed for omnivors. They do best in water from 7 to 10 inches deep, but with a capacity of 2 gallons minimum for one or two frogs. The shallow water helps them come up for air, as they are air breathers and don't have gills for underwater breathing. The water must be chlorine free, and free of other contaminants. It must always be clean and free of ammonia and nitrates from wastes.

This kind of care does not happen on top of an office desk with week-ends off.

I'm not sure if they get lonesome alone. The only association with each other my African dwarfs have is male/female interests when breeding. Otherwise, they independently go about their own frog business. They do better without tropical fish company, and the fish do better without them, especially without the African clawed frogs.

I can't begin to advise you how to handle the co-worker situation with tact. It depends upon your relationship with your co-worker. You can't come on as an authority because you admit you are not. If he/she doesn't know this yet, maybe you could fake it.
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Patty
Lost River, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
3 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
5 D. imitator
4 D. leukomelas
4 D. pumilio Bastimentos

It's probably a baby African Clawed frogs as there are no albino African Dwarf clawed frogs. Brilliant info Patty!

animate, Do your offices have internet access? If yes then go to google.com and do a search for African Clawed frog care and then show your co-worker the sites and let them read through some info.

clawedfrogs (Chris)

I'm certain that's an ADF in one of the Aquababies cubes. While they can survive for quite some time IF the water is changed frequently, they need much more room. They also need the shrimp, bloodworms, etc. mentioned. Another danger from the cube is that there is often small decorative gravel that the frog can swallow and become impacted. Your friend would get much more entertainment from the frog if he were moved to a 6 - 10 gal tank. That is when they really show off their acrobatic and "Zen" skills. As someone in this group said before, that cube is like living in your bathroom. You have all the basic necessities, but how comfortable can it be ???

There's a very slim chance that that frog is an ADF because albinos are not really available, as a matter of fact in all my serches through various venders I have never heard of one being offered for sale. So it is an ACF especially if he got it at a pet shop when breeders don't even have albino ADFs.

If its an aquababy it is probably a dwarf. It is possible it looks yellowish or pale because it is sick.

If it's a "grow a frog" then it could be either.

My mom got an "aquababies" beta for my little brother.
So I made her go buy a _real_ fish tank with a proper filtration system - and water plants - and saved that fish.

What bugs me is the literature with those things speaks as if it is a scientific fact that you can keep them in that little tiny tank no problem.

A beta might do OK - I don't know, I'm no fish expert - but people I know who are say 5 gallon minimum for a single beta with no other fish.

I can't see how the nitrogen cycle can properly take place in those tiny aquababy tanks.

I've heard of these aquababies tanks. if i remember there is a petition out there or something.
To handle the co-worker i would show him the requirements of the frog from a care sheet, tell him it is cruel, threaten to report it to his boss who hopefully has a heart. if it comes down to it ask him if you can take the frog off his hands, buy an aquarium and let the frog stay on your desk in his new home (lazyboy compared to a rock) that's all i have to say i love these little frogs so i had to say that...... good luck hope the little guy is ok.

It the frog in water or is it a dry aquarium? if it's in the water it is an albino African Clawed Frog, if it's on land it's probobly a Pac Man Frog.

The frog is in water...

Hi slaytonp, clawedfrogs, Mac, amazinglyricist, FunkyRes,

Thanks for your all of your posts. They were very helpful. I was pleasently surprised that when I came back from vacation, my co-worker had gotten a substantially bigger tank for the frog. (After looking at some pictures, I think it is an African Clawed Frog). He seems to be doing ok. He has grown in size and his color is yellow. He is very active - before he looked pale and lethargic. (I think that's why I thought it was an Albino as one of you mentioned, he probably just wasn't doing very well.) There is no filtration system that I can see & he still just has flakes & pellets for it, but at least the froggie can move around now. He has added one small fish in there with the frog and at least at this point, they seem to just ignore eachother.

My co-worker said he purchased the frog at Walmart. The sales girl told him the tiny container the frog was in was "just fine" for him to live in. From what I've read, they don't really care about the cruel conditions the frogs & fish are sold in because they don't make any $$ off of them. (They're only there to lure you to buy aquariums.) I plan to email Walmart (link below) to ask them to improve the conditions for the Frogs & Fish or else discontinue selling them, and I hope you will consider doing the same. : ) Thanks again!
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