Everyone wants to put some colorful aquatic species, along with African Dwarf frogs, inside the tank. It is so that the aquarium can give a soothing and heart wrenching vibe. However, not all aquatic animals can be kept with the African dwarf frog.
So, which aquatic species are the African dwarf frog tank mates? Well, mystery snails, nerite snails, betta fish, fancy guppies, tetras, gouramis, rainbow fish, danios, mollies, hatchet fish, ender, swordtail, cherry barb, shrimp, rasboras, etc. are a suitable companion for these frogs.
Some of the decorative fishes make excellent mates of the dwarf frogs. Let’s get to know about each of them from the below sections. Now, let’s dive into it!
Factors to Consider Keeping Other Species With African Dwarf Frogs
African dwarf frogs are better kept with other frogs. Pairing with other species would certainly make the tank look magnificent. However, the factors below should be considered before comparing the frog with other species.
Species Size
Small aquatic fishes, snails, and shrimps can be kept with the dwarf frogs. Avoid keeping predators, as the frogs can be a feed source for the fish. Also, don’t put too many fish together; it will make the tank congested, and they might compete against each other for food.
Tank size
The size of the tank should be a minimum of 10 gallons. Otherwise, there will not be enough places for the fish to roam around as they are free lives. Spacious tanks can accommodate enough space for both the frog and other species.
Aggression
As the frogs are friendly and gentle in nature, creatures of aggressive characteristics should be avoided. Due to the small size of the frogs, large-sized fishes might poke them. So, choose only peaceful ones who will mind their own business.
Water flow
Each species requires a reserved amount of water. You have to ensure that the frog gets enough water as well as the other species.
Putting too many fish together will make the water condition worse due to waste and will need frequent changes. The ideal water temperature should be 65-73 F/ 19-23C and pH: 6.5-7.5 for the frog. Choose the species that can share the same environment.
18 African Dwarf Frog Tank Mates You Can Keep Along
For a colorful aquarium, you need to choose the right species that will get along with the dwarf frog. However, there are plenty of fish and aquatic creatures that are compatible with the frog.
All of the below fishes will need a tank size of a minimum of 10 gallons, now let’s take a look at them.
| Name | Size (inches) | Water requirement/one | Water temperature | pH | Diet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snails | <2 | 5 gallons | 68-82 F20-28 C | 7.5-8.5 | Herbivore |
| Betta fish | <3 | 2 gallons | 76-85 F25-30 C | 6.8-7.5 | Omnivore |
| Fancy guppies | <2 | 5 gallons | 76-78 F25-25.5 C | 7-8 | Omnivore |
| Tetra | <2 | 2 gallons | 72-78 F22-26 C | 5.5-7 | Omnivore |
| Gouramis | <3.5 | 5 gallons | 76-78 F25-25.5 C | 6-8 | Omnivore |
| Danio | <2.5 | 2 gallons | 70-78 F21-25.5 C | 7-7.8 | Omnivore |
| Mollies | <5 | 5 gallons | 75-80 F24-27 C | 7.5-8.5 | Omnivore |
| White mountain cloud minnow | <1.5 | 2 gallons | 57-72 F14-23 C | 6-8.5 | Omnivore |
| Dwarf otocinclus | <2 | 3 gallons | 72-82 F23-27 C | 6-7.5 | Herbivore |
| Rasboras | <2 | 2 gallons | 75-80 F24-27 C | 6.8-7.8 | Omnivore |
| Rainbowfish | <7.9 | 2 gallons | 74-78 F23-25.5 C | 7-8 | Omnivore |
| Platy | <3 | 2 gallons | 70-82 F21-28 C | 6.8-8.5 | Omnivore |
| Shrimp | <2 | 2 gallons | 68-80 F20-27 C | 7-8.2 | Omnivore |
| Corydoras catfish | <3 | 5 gallons | 72-78 F22-26 C | 7-7.8 | Omnivore |
| Endler | <2 | 3 gallons | 72-82 F22-28 C | 7-8 | Omnivore |
| Cherry barb | <2 | 2 gallons | 72-82 F22-28 C | 6-8 | Omnivore |
| Swordtail | <6 | 3 gallons | 64-82 F17-27 C | 7-8 | Omnivore |
| Hatchetfish | <2.5 | 4 gallons | 75-80 F24-27 C | 6-6.8 | Carnivore |
Snails
Snails are available in different colors and sizes and can be a decorative item in the tank. These snails are omnivores and will eat the plants inside the tank. Consequently, there will always remain a fresh environment and no excessive accumulation of algae.
- Mystery snail- 1-1.5 inches
- Nerite snails- 1-1.5 inches
Betta Fish
Betta fish come with wonderful spreading fins that attract the viewer the most. You would love to reserve some space for them in the tank.
Moreover, they can peacefully live with the dwarf frogs if placed in the same environment. Betta fish can become aggressive if they think of other species as predators. But, after a certain moment of span, they get along with others.
If you feel that the fish can attack the frog, you can instead put female betta fish. Lastly, since they have the same diet, put an appropriate amount of food in the tank.
Tetra
The variety of colors and extraordinary color combination of the body of tetra makes them more visible.
African dwarf frogs and tetra both get along. Moreover, tetras love to live in groups. So, try putting a few ones together.
The only thing to look for is that when the frog is hungry, they might prey on small tetras. In order to make the tetras safe, keep some hiding places in the tank and keep it hygienic to reduce mortality.
Apart from that, not all the tetras are calm. Some can be very aggressive. Some specific tetras that are compatible with these frogs are listed below with their sizes.
- Cardinal tetra- 1.25 inches.
- Neon tetra-1.5 inches
- Black skirt tetra- 2.5 inches
- Rummy nose tetra- 1.5 inches
Gouramis & Danio
Gouramis are amicable and get along with the other aquatic animals well. Though they roam a lot, unnecessarily, they would not bother others. On the other hand, not everyone is familiar with each type of danio but most of them are exotic and friendly.
As their requirement for habitat is similar to the frogs, they can easily cohabitate. You can keep the below Danios and gouramis species along with your pet.
- Dwarf gourami- 3 inches
- Honey gourami- 2.2 inches
- Celestial pearl danio- 1 inch
- Zebra danio- 2 inches
Rasboras
Rasboras are friendly and love to hang around along with other species. Due to the easy diet and maintenance, they can be kept with the frog but only the adult rasboras are allowed to be kept.
- Chili rasboras- 0.7 inches
- Harlequin rasboras- 2 inches
Rainbowfish & Endler
The endlers are smaller fish with a size of 1.5 inches. They should be kept as a group to equalize their population inside the water tank. The frogs might eat endlers if they get a hold of the fish.
The color of the rainbowfish is indeed superior to any other decorative fish. Their sizes vary a huge range starting from 2 inches. So, you can, undoubtedly, keep it in the tank with the frogs.
Shrimp
Though shrimp are eaten by African dwarf frogs, some exceptions are available. Putting a bit larger shrimps than the African dwarf frog would keep the shrimps safe. At the same time, it adds some beauty to the tank. Such shrimp can be sized as follows.
- Cherry shrimp- 1.6 inches
- Ghost shrimp- 1.5 inches
- Bamboo shrimp- 2-3 inches
Others
Corydoras Catfish, Mollies, White Mountain Cloud Minnows, Platy, Cherry Barb, Dwarf Otocinclus, Fancy Guppies, Swordtails and Hatchetfish can also be paired with the frog.
All of these fishes are peaceful and should be kept in a group. As long as their diet is maintained inside the tank, they can be at peace.
Moreover, the corydoras fish works as a cleaner by eating the residues from the bottom of the tank. There should also be enough hiding places in the water tank for both the fish and frogs.
On the other hand, the environment required for hatchet fish would need extra modification. So, the environmental requirements should be considered as well.
FAQs
Let’s check out some of the questions you commonly ask.
It depends on the tank size and water capacity of the tank. For each dwarf frog, at least 2 gallons of water is required. In the case of 10 gallon tank, 3 to 4 frogs can be kept together the most. A minimum 5-gallon tank is recommended for the frog.
Yes, they can be paired as long as both are adults. Because the dwarf frogs have a weird trait of eating others. So, the younger ones might get harmed if kept together with the adult frog.
Yes, these frogs can even kill each other when they are aggressive. Instead, giving them enough space and food is necessary to prevent fights.
Outro
Overall, African dwarf frogs tank mates are usually decorative fishes that everyone keeps in the aquarium. Well, the most important factor for keeping aquatic species in a tank is the tank’s size and water requirements.
Maintaining proper conditions for each of the fish is necessary to pair them with the dwarf frog. Afterward, you can decide the numbers and proceed to choose the species that gets along with the frog.
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