One of the most interesting things about freshwater ecosystems is the eggs of the African dwarf frog because the reproductive cycle of the African dwarf frog is an amazing and relatively quick phenomenon.
However, what do African dwarf frog eggs look like? How to hatch them? This post will find all the information regarding your frog breeding problems.
Contents
About African Dwarf Frog
African dwarf frogs are a well-liked aquatic pet. They are kept by many aquarists from Africa or Western countries since their behaviors are comparable to that of other aquatic pets.
To refer to this frog in scientific terms, zoologists prefer to call it Hymenochirus of the order Anura. They are water frogs found only in certain regions of equatorial Africa.
Like other species and aquarium fish, African dwarf frogs live their whole life in water, from when they hatch from a tiny egg until they lay their last egg and die. They only perform their duties underwater.
Dwarf frogs from Africa are mud-colored and have lungs instead of gills, which is a remarkable feature! This indicates that they sometimes need to swim to the water surface to get fresh air.
Unexpectedly, these frogs are poor swimmers, possibly because of their amphibian class, which makes them more prone to drowning in water.
Therefore, people usually keep them in aquariums 2 feet high so they can easily get out of the water to breathe without accidentally falling and drowning.
What Do African Dwarf Frog Eggs Look Like?
Female frogs mate many times in a year, and they can lay up to 750 eggs each time. The eggs of the African dwarf frog are very small and resemble little black dots to the naked eye. Also, they are surrounded by very sticky liquid.
How can you tell whether or not you have fertilized? If a female frog has dropped her eggs, we can locate them because they often float on the water or stick to areas around the tank.
Unfertilized eggs sink to the tank’s bottom and don’t cling to any surface.
In this way, they can cooperate in providing those eggs with the necessary care and a pristine environment in which they can be fertilized by sperms.
Unfertilized eggs are usually translucent or white. The half-brown, half-white eggs are the only ones that can hatch.
That is because the ejected gametophyte is still inactive, and the unfertilized egg will appear that way.
Additionally, the center of the egg will remain black and covered with a sticky jelly-like substance.
What Are Tips For Successful Hatching Of African Dwarf Frogs?
Prepare The Hatching Aquarium
The first thing you’ll need is a tank that can help dwarf frogs spawn, as this will be the tadpole’s initial habitat when they hatch.
For this task, an incubation tank with a capacity of at least 10 gallons is best suited.
You must ensure that the tank you set up meets the water requirements necessary to stimulate mating and sustain a new generation of African dwarf tadpoles in the future.
The spawning tank requires a temperature between 68 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit since keeping the water warmer can promote mating.
Maintain water pH between 6.5 and 7.5 and water hardness between 5 and 20 dGH.
Finally, test the spawning tank’s water parameters to determine whether it can keep nitrate, ammonia, and nitrite levels at 20 ppm or below.
Use A Sponge Filter
A simple method to help African dwarf frog eggs hatch is to attach a filter sponge to the egg tank.
Even though some aquarists believe installing a filter in an incubator is bad because vibrations or filter movement can stress the eggs and prevent tadpoles from hatching, this is not always accurate.
Using a sponge filter helps to grow healthy bacteria in your tank and create very mild vibrations.
These bacteria are needed to prevent shock in tadpoles after they hatch and will also support the growth of a healthy body and a strong immune system in your tadpole.
Choose The Best Mating Pair
Let the spawn tank settle for a while after you’ve set it up before introducing the African Dwarf Frog for fertilization.
You can start selecting the healthiest male and female pairs to produce the best batch of tadpoles.
Of course, you can drop more than one spawning pair into your created tank.
Remember that the frogs you choose must not have any symptoms of illness and no history of disease or previous health problems.
How Do You Tell If Your African Dwarf Frog Is Male Or Female?
The total size of the frog is the first factor in determining its sex. Males are typically smaller and slimmer, while females tend to be larger. Males also have a small white gland behind each foreleg.
Only males of this species sing, which can be described as a small humming. They usually make this sound at night, letting people know they are looking for a breeding mate.
It is important to remember that the African dwarf frog is often confused with another type of frog, the African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis).
The clawed frog is more aggressive and significantly larger than the dwarf frog. Both males and females of this species sing to attract mates.
Conclusion
Remember that the African dwarf frog has a significant mortality rate even with all the precautions and preparations. Up to 80% of eggs and tadpoles usually fail to hatch.
Don’t let this discourage you. Watching your tadpoles go through as they grow into adult frogs is a fun experience and well worth the effort.
What do African dwarf frog eggs look like? We hope our article helps you discover this. Leave us a comment below and share your knowledge in raising African dwarf frog tadpoles. Thank you for reading our article!
