Size: 2 inches (not counting legs)
Preferred PH: 7.3-7.8
Temperature Range: 70-78
Temperament: Very peaceful
Tankmates: Most smaller, non-aggressive fish
Same Species Compatibility: Do excellent in groups
Suggested Minimum Aquarium Size: minimum 2 gallons, at least 1.5 gallons per frog.
Feeding: Bloodworms, Brine Shrimp (San Francisco Bay has a line of frozen brine shrimp gutloaded with different things like spirulina, OMEGA3, and a vitamin mix. Several of these would be good to add to your feeding regimen) , glassworms (white mosquito larva), mysis shrimp, beefheart (only occasionally as a treat. beefheart is not healthy as a staple diet), live blackworms. Feed frozen, not freeze dried foods. Freeze-dried foods can potentially cause intestinal blockage and constipation.
(Fresh chicken liver is also a great treat if you are willing to take the time to cut it into bite-sized pieces).
An important note for feeding - Buy at least two (more is better) of these foods in
small quantities, and rotate which is fed each day in order to provide variety.
Suggested Tank Items: An ADF would appreciate any sort of floating structure that they can attach to near the water's surface. Also caves or overhangs are appreciated. A hood is needed as they will jump if given a chance.
Substrate: Whatever you put on the bottom of the tank (unless it's a bare bottom tank) needs to meet one of two criteria. Either A.) The pieces (gravel) need to be too large for the ADF to swallow, but not so large that they can wedge themselves in and get stuck. Or B.) so small that if the ADF happens to accidentally eat some, it can pass easily. Condition B is, in my opinion, the better choice, and it is the reason that many people use sand in their ADF tanks.
Plants: ADFs often enjoy lounging under or on plants, however some caution must be used planting the tank. Bushy plants, Plants with bushy exposed root systems, or mosses (java moss) can entangle the frog and cause it to be unable to reach the surface to breath. Floating surface plants like duckweed can be used, but should be kept thin enough that the frogs can easily get air and not a mouthfull of duckweed.
Breeding: Egglayers. The male will embrace the female to stimulate her to release the eggs. ADFs will often eat the eggs before they hatch in a small aquarium.
Sexual Differentiation: Females are larger and have a bulkier abdomen. Males are smaller and sleeker. Males will develop a small gland behind the front legs.
Special Info: Take care when feeding in a community tank. ADFs have very poor eyesight and can have a hard time finding food before other fish get to it. A common method is to use a turkey baster or medicine dropper to place food right by the frog to insure that they get enought to eat.
Useful links:
http://www.flippersandfins.net/adffaq.htm - A great site with a ton of basic info about ADFs
http://fluffyfrog.com/FrogPondVetF.html - Another great site. This one is targeted more towards ACFs, but has some great info on disease and injury treatment.
