Dwarf frog update, repro.   9/23/07
Hi, it's Betty, owner of Slim and Chance, the dwarf frogs, so named because I really didn't think they'd make it when I bought them more than a year ago. They were so tiny, I was just sure I'd kill them somehow. But they've actually thrived under my care, and as luck would have it, Slim turned out to be male, and Chance turned out to be female. So for the last few months, those two have been mating like crazy, and I thought, "That's cool, I haven't seen a tadpole-to-frog transformation since I was a kid."
So I began trying to raise the tadpoles by putting them in a different tank, and at first, I didn't have much luck keeping them alive. Then I started keeping some of them in the tank with the frogs, and some of them separated, with mixed results. Actually, I noticed that the ones in the frog tank seemed to do better than the ones I took out. Then I discovered a tadpole that was much bigger than the rest (I've named him Tadzilla).
<Good name>
I put him in his own tank, because he was harassing the smaller tadpoles; now he has developed "arms" and legs and I'm just waiting for his tail to disappear. In the meantime, Slim and Chance are still going at it, churning out batch after batch of eggs. And I discovered just yesterday that the tadpoles still in the frog tank are actually eating the eggs!
<Ah yes>
I came home to find these "little" tadpoles looking like miniature beach balls with tails. What I'm wondering is will they continue to eat frog eggs till they die from too much food?
<Seemingly, but no>
I gave some eggs to Tadzilla and he scarfed them down too. I guess it's good protein, but should I be concerned about leaving the eggs where the tads can continue to gorge themselves?
<Only if you want to rear the new ones>
And what about Slim and Chance -- will they EVER stop making babies???
<Will happen, assuredly>
I'm reminded of the person who wrote that his female frog is a "professional egg layer." I know just what he means. Any advice?
<"You gotta keep 'em separated..." only if you intend to be a breeder of proportion... I'd look around and raise, sell your excess... Bob Fenner>

Is it OK to feed dwarf frog tadpoles to my dwarf puffer? 7/15/07
Hi, it's me -- Betty --
<Hi Betty, it's me--Pufferpunk.>
owner of dwarf frogs Slim and Chance, and also the owner of a dwarf puffer named Puff-Diddy.
<I remember you!>
Well, my dwarf frogs have finally mated successfully and now I'm the proud owner of lots and lots of teeny, tiny tadpoles. I don't really want any more dwarf frogs (although I do love Slim and Chance). I'm aware that they'll eat their babies if they're in the same tank, so I'm cool with that. I was wondering if I could feed some tadpoles to the dwarf puffer? Will he eat tiny tadpoles and will they be OK for him to eat? Also, could I try feeding tadpoles to Flash, my male Betta?
<I don't think they would hurt but I also don't believe that would be a natural food for a puffer. I suppose they might come across tadpoles in nature. Try it & find out. Just be sure to remove any uneaten parts. ~PP><<RMF would raise the ADFs, sell them for big bongo bucks, buy frozen foods to feed the GSPs with the profits...>>
Betty Williams

Re: Is it OK to feed dwarf frog tadpoles to my dwarf puffer? & Breeding Frogs   7/17/07
OK, here's a follow-up: Today I noticed the tadpoles were dead or dying, so I went ahead and gave some to my dwarf puffer, and he scarfed them down like potato chips! It was neat to watch. However, I did hope that some of the tads would survive to adulthood. I have a friend who would like a pair of frogs like mine. So I'd like to know when Slim and Chance are likely to mate again? If well conditioned and the water stays clean you have a pretty good chance of them going again.>
How many times a year do dwarf frogs typically mate?
< Depends on the pair and on the conditions. I am not sure but I think they can breed at least twice a year but the pair must be well feed.>
I also realize I wasn't exactly prepared to raise tadpoles; I didn't have them in a heated tank, and I never could find a place that sold LiquiFry. I just crushed some Fish and Tadpole Bites and scattered them in the bowl they were in. So I'd like to be better prepared next time the blessed event occurs. Any recommendations?
< Try Spirulina powder sold in health food stores. It is a powdered form of algae. Or try crushed Spirulina flake food from OSI.-Chuck>

African Dwarf Frog TADPOLES!!!  Need help...pretty please?? - 02/09/2007
Hey there ya’ll,
<Christa>
    My name is Christa, and I have a total of three (3) ADF’s…two (2) in one tank all by themselves (And Fishy Furniture of course) and the other one is in our 20 gallon tank with a few fish and a pleco.  The reason for my request for information is this…
    It was time for a partial water change in Waldo and Newbie’s tank. (the two ADF’s that live together)  I know that I have a male and a female, because I have seen them mate before.  However…I got these two little cuties when they were the size of a small peanut, and since the males do not reach sexual maturity until after the 6 month mark, I didn’t have any tadpoles that produced from their frolicking.  
    Well…later on that night, after I did the water change, I noticed they were mating.  I didn’t really pay it any mind, since there has been no ‘luck’ in the past.  (Boy was I wrong!!)  The next morning when I woke, I walked downstairs to turn all the tanks on and feed everyone, and low-and-behold, there were hundreds of little eggs throughout the floating grasses at the top of the water and clinging to all sides of the hexagon-shaped tank.
<Neat>
    I discussed maybe raising them, with my boyfriend. (who is more the nature-type than myself… just being honest.  I’m a City-Girl.)  He asked me a very good question… “What in the world did I intend to do with all the baby frogs?”  So, I spoke with a local Fish and Supply store here in our neighborhood and asked if they would be interested in taking them off my hands (most of them anyways… I would like to keep a few) when they are a little older and much to my surprise, he said he would love too.
<Oh yes... are good sellers>
So the journey has begun!!  Yeah!!  I can’t wait to watch this.  I’ve never seen anything like this before.  Again…’City Girl’.
   So the little-guy’s have hatched, and are swimming around with itty-bitty tails.  It only took about 3 days!!  I have received many ideas as to what to feed them, such as lightly steamed zucchini, lightly crumpled lettuce that has been sitting in room temp water for 4-6 days, someone even said regular old fish flakes.  
<Mmm, yes... and perhaps a bit of "cultured" algae... "Nori, Kombu"... from Asian food stores or the area in your food stores...>
I am open for anymore suggestions.  I also understand that they need fresh water and just how important this is to their survival.
<A good idea to make quite frequent small change-outs... ten percent every few days...>
    To The Point
    Your web site has been rather helpful in raising my ADF’s.  However, I can’t seem to get an answer to a few questions I have on raising these teeny-tiny tadpoles.  And I mean Teeny-Tiny!!  I have these little fellas (tadpoles) in a 2.5 gallon hexagon shaped tank with a filter that suctions from the bottom, and there’s a clear cylinder in the back with bubbles that rise from the bottom.  I really don’t know what kind of filtration systems it is called, so I tried my best to describe it.  My questions are these…
<Best to use a "sponge" or foam filter here... See Eheim or Jungle Laboratories sites re...>
1.       Should I turn the filter off?  They are going for one heck-of-a roller coaster ride when they are swept around by the rising bubbles.
<Yes... I would switch to the filtration method mentioned above... or an "open" (top off) box filter with just Dacron filter media...>
2.       How often should I feed them?  You can’t really tell with their tummies.  They don’t have any yet.
<Daily... I would keep food present most all the time>
3.       How warm should I have the temperature set at?  It is at 78 degrees right now.
<This is fine... put the term "Hymenochirus culture" in your search tools...>
4.       Should I leave the light on all night?  Someone told me that they thrive on the micro-organisms that grow in the water and this promotes the growth?  True or False??
<Mmm... do need, use "infusoria" but I would turn the light off regularly>
5.       What should I really be feeding them?  The suggestions I’ve gotten sound a little weird.
<See, weed through the above search...>
6.   How often do I need to do a partial water change for these little guys?
<Often... as stated above>
So, that’s about it.  Thanks for keeping this web site up and operational.  It has been a great source of valuable and extremely hard to find elsewhere information.
   New Tadpole Mommy
   Manassas, VA
<I do wish we had more on this species, the whole Order, much MUCH for other groups... In time... And congratulations on your efforts. Bob Fenner>