African dwarf frogs(ADF) are entirely aquatic amphibians and live in aquatic environments. If you are thinking about getting a pair of ADF, ensuring the healthy environment of the water is a must.
In this regard, you may ask, “Do African dwarf frogs need a filter in their aquarium?” The short answer is yes. Having a filter is highly recommended for your frog’s aquarium. Though you can skip it, it would not be a very good decision.
After reading this article, I guarantee you can make an informed decision if you are new in the frog petting world. So, no more ado, let’s find out the facts.
Do African Dwarf Frogs Need a Filter? An Analytical Answer With Filter Functions
Yes, African dwarf frogs need a filter in the aquarium. In particular, you can skip this, but having a filtration is highly recommended.
Now, you may ask why they are necessary. To understand the necessity of filters, first, you need to know how filtrations work.
How Filtration Works in an Aquarium?
Here’s how the filtrations work in aquariums.
Mechanical Filtration By Canister Filters
It is the most common type of filtration that canister filters do. In this filtration, canister filters use a strainer in the water flow. The strainer here is called “screen.”
The screen here filters out solid and semi-solid particles that can cloud the tank’s water. It keeps the water clean by keeping the waste on the screen. Screens are mainly composed of special sponges, fiber pads, poly-fil floss, or combinations.
The particles mechanical filtration keeps away are fish waste, floating algae, food waste, dust, bubbles, stirred-up sediments, etc.
Biological Filtration by Bio-Filter
Biological filtration is done by biological filter or simply bio-filter by allowing useful bacteria to grow in their media.
Particles like fish waste, food, rotten plants, etc., accumulate in the tank and create ammonia. Ammonia burns the respiration system of fish and amphibians, including their gills and lungs.
But, what bio-bacteria do is feed off the ammonia and convert it into nitrate through the nitrogen cycle. Bio-filters facilitate their large surface area for biofilm where the useful bacteria can grow and live.
As a result of biological filtration, the water tank remains clean throughout the time.
Chemical Filtration
Chemical filtration removes dissolved chemical wastage from the water. It can be done with active charcoal. And there are some filters that feature chemical filtration as well as active charcoal inside them.
So, Why Are The Filters Necessary for African Dwarf Frogs?
Clean water ensures the proper respiration of your ADFs. But you may ask me if I am curious about another point. African Dwarf frogs come up for breath every 15 to 20 minutes. So, why do they need filtration since they don’t breathe underwater?
Though they don’t breathe underwater, frogs exchange gasses (oxygen and carbon dioxide) through their skin underwater. Then, the oxygen is circulated in their blood. This mostly happens when they take rest or hibernate underwater.
So, clean water with proper oxygen supplements is a must. And here comes the filter, as it ensures clean water in the tank for your African dwarf frogs.
Benefits of Having Filters in Your African Dwarf Frog’s Aquarium
Here are some other benefits/necessities of having filters in your ADF’s aquarium.
- Maintaining pH Level and Optimal Temperature: aside from keeping the water clean, the filter also regulates the pH level and maintains the water quality. Filters keep the pH level around 6.5 to 7, which is required for the frogs.
Proper filtration also maintains the optimal temperature of the tank, keeping it around 65° to 75°F.
- Keeping Oxygen Supply Constant: Filtration keeps the oxygen supply constant, which is extensively required for the good health of the water and your frogs. As I mentioned earlier, your ADFs will exchange the oxygen gas by taking it and emitting carbon dioxide.
How to Choose a Filter for Your African Dwarf Frogs?
Now you know the importance of having a filter in an African dwarf frog’s tank. You need to consider some aspects while choosing a filter so that it can fulfill your ADFs’ particular needs based on the tank.
Type of Filtration You Need
The most important thing you should choose is the type of filter. If your tank is smaller in size, and there are not more than 2 frogs, canister filters are okay. Because with such few frogs, your aquarium won’t be dirty so fast.
But if you have more than 4 frogs and other fish in the tank, go for both canister and bio-filters.
And finally, if you want all the mechanical, biological, and chemical filtration simultaneously, go for power filters. Power filters have the feature to do all the filtration simultaneously.
Flow Rate of Filter
Another crucial aspect of the filter choice is its flow rate. Flow rate means how many gallons of water the filter can run per hour. It is denoted by GPH(gallon per hour).
The GPH should be at least 4 times bigger than your tank size, and more is merrier. For example, if you have a 15-gallon tank, your filter should have a capacity of 60 GPH. But, if you choose 100 GPH for a 15-gallon tank size, it would be much better.
Likewise, a larger flow rate will ensure the most efficient filtration possible.
3 Best Aquarium Filters for Your African Dwarf Frogs
There are many brands and types of filters available in the market. So, you can pick any one of them for your ADFs.
Since you need filters for your ADF, I have picked 3 filters here for 3 different categories that may be helpful for you.
1. AquaClear 50 Power Filter
- Tank size: 50 gallons
- Filtrations: Mechanical, biological, and Chemical
- Clean Interval: 2 Weeks
- Flow Rating: 200 GPH
- Power Consumption: 5 watt
2. Coospider Tank Filter Green Clean Submersible Machine
- Tank size: 40-gallon
- Filtrations: Mechanical
- Size: 3.75 x 12 x 3.3 inches
- Flow Rating: 132 GPH
- Power Consumption: 5 watt
3. OASE Indoor Aquatics Biomaster Thermo 250
- Tank size: 70-gallon
- Filtrations: Mechanical, biological, chemical, and prefiltration
- Size: 9.4 x 9.4 x 14.6 inches
- Flow Rating: 250 GPH
- Power Consumption: 165 watts
FAQs
Here are some common questions people also ask about whether African dwarf frogs need a filter.
If you don’t use a filter, you have to change and clean the tank water too frequently, probably once or twice a week. This is a real hassle. Also, if you forget to change the water, the water can be contaminated, causing fatal consequences, including the death of your frogs.
No, they don’t need an air pump since they come up to breathe on the water’s surface because they have lungs instead of gills. They generally come up every 15 to 20 minutes, so you don’t need to pump air in your ADF’s water tank.
If you can keep your ADF’s tank temperature between 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, you don’t need a heater. But, if you can’t, add a heater to the aquarium.
Final Thoughts
So, if you ask, “Do African dwarf frogs need a filter?” I surely recommend one. It is because proper filtration is required to maintain healthy water and a healthy life for your frogs.
On the other hand, the water will be frequently dirty with food biochemicals and ammonia, which can bring death to your frogs’ fate. Therefore, a filter is highly recommended to maintain the cleanliness of your ADF’s tank.
Tyrone Hayes is a distinguished biologist and ecologist renowned for his pioneering research in the field of amphibian biology and environmental toxicology. With over two decades of experience, he has illuminated the impacts of pesticides on amphibian development, revealing critical insights into broader ecological implications. Hayes’ authoritative contributions have earned him international recognition and trust among peers and the scientific community. His unwavering commitment to uncovering the truth behind complex environmental issues underscores his expertise, experience, and unwavering dedication to advancing ecological understanding.