Home » Aquarium » Freshwater Aquarium

11 Best African Dwarf Frog Tank Mates (With Pictures)

Aaron Boyd June 16, 2023

African Dwarf Frogs are fun and social pets that enjoy living in a group. Most tank owners end up placing African Dwarf Frogs in an aquarium with their own species.

Dwarf frogs do well with their own species, especially in groups of three to four frogs.

However, these frogs can live with many other aquatic pets. This is what makes them an ideal tank pet.

African Dwarf Frogs make it easy to pick tankmates, they are mellow and peaceful. These frogs can cohabitate a tank with fish, shrimp, and even snails.

The only thing that needs to be considered is the size of the tank mate, it shouldn’t be so small that the frog can eat it.

So in the next few sections, we’ll introduce you to the best African Dwarf Frog tank mates.

Mollies

Mollies are not friendly with a lot of other fish. In fact, they can be a little aggressive at times. However, with Dwarf Frogs, they will be perfectly companionable.

Dwarf Frogs are too large for a Molly to pick a fight with. And because your frog is peaceful, it won’t instigate a fight with your Molly fish.

Really, this is one of the better pairs you can have in your frog tank!

Mollies can handle the more humid tank conditions your Dwarf Frog needs. In fact they are pretty resilient fish, so you can tailor your tank to both pets easily!

Guppies

Another great pet option for your Dwarf Frog is the Guppy fish. Guppies are colorful fish that get along with all kinds of pets, including frogs!

Like the Molly, this fish will survive in all kinds of tank environments. So they will be able to adapt to Dwarf Frog tanks.

They are a perfect size as well. So you won’t have to get a massive tank to hold Mollies and multiple frogs.

You can also feed these two species the same type of food, which is a great bonus!

Betta Fish

Betta fish are great solo pets. But you might be wondering if you can put them in with Dwarf Frogs.

It’s not the most conventional pairing, but you can put these two pets in the same tank. A big tank is a must if you choose to put Betta in a tank with another pet though.

You are probably aware of this, but Betta fish can get very aggressive. Luckily, African Frogs won’t insight the wrath of your fish in most cases.

They are peaceful and not very colorful so your Betta is likely to leave them alone.

However, there are situations when these pets can get nasty with each other. So make sure you have a good feeding schedule in place to keep these two pets on friendly terms.

Overall though, this is a pretty good pairing for an African Dwarf Frog tank!

Danios

Danios will cohabitate with Dwarf Frogs more peacefully than Betta. These fish also come in a ton of variety!

You can get a range of colors and patterns with this fish type. This can be nice if you want to make your tank pop more visually.

Frogs look cool, but this species isn’t the most colorful. Aside from looks though, Danios are great pets that get along with most other aquatic creatures!

They like the same water conditions and eating habits as your frog. Both species enjoy eating live insects.

Neon Tetra Fish

Neon Tetras are one of the smaller fish on this list. But they will fit right in with your Dwarf Frog.

If you buy Neon Tetra though, make sure to get them in a group. They will be fine with African Frogs but will do even better with more of their species around.

Also, make sure to keep fish eggs and Neon Tetra fry’s away from your frog. Your frog could end up eating eggs or baby fish. They don’t mean any harm, but they like ingesting smaller creatures.

Other than this your pets will be good tank mates for one another.

Shrimp

Shrimp is one of the best African Dwarf Frog tank mates!

We recommend going with cherry shrimp as a tank mate. But Bamboo shrimp can live in your frog tank as well.

Most shrimp are just the right size for African Dwarf Frogs.

But you want to be careful of putting very small shrimp in a tank with this frog. They could potentially be eaten. Your shrimp won’t be ingested, as the shrimp’s outer coating will protect it.

Again, this is not a huge possibility, but it is better to be on the safe side and get a larger shrimp. And really, you don’t want any fights to break out

Snails

Snails are another favorable tank mate for African Dwarf Frogs. The best thing about this pet is that they will never get eaten by your frog.

Their shells completely protect them from harm.

Generally, though, snails tend to mind their own business and stay at the bottom of a tank. They don’t fight with other underwater pets, and they don’t have the ability to attack.

They are nice and friendly sea critters that like to clean your tank!

This can be good as frogs can really make a mess in an aquarium.

Corydoras

Corydoras are miniature-sized catfish. They are slightly bigger than your Dwarf Frog but are not likely to be aggressive with Dwarf Frogs.

These fish are another peaceful species that mesh well with frogs. And if either of these pets breeds, they won’t disturb each other’s egg nests.

They stay in their one territory and do well in similar tank conditions.

Overall, these two pets are a great combination for a tank. And like Snails, Corydoras will keep your tank space cleaner. They like to ingest waste and other material found on the floor of an aquarium.

Platies

Platies are the last tank mate we will be introducing to you. These fish live in freshwater and display vibrant orange and yellow hues.

If you plan on breeding this pet, have a separate tank. Your frog will eat the babies of this fish readily. However, if you just have a few Platies in your tank, this will be fine.

Dwarf frogs and Platies are good-natured and fairly docile in the same space. They are around the same size which keeps them on good terms with one another as well. And they like the same water parameters and food.

So they are pretty simple to care for together!

Serpae Tetra

Serpae Tetra is a beautiful freshwater tropical fish, and it is often famous as Callistus Tetra or Jewel Tetra.

This particular species is native to the Amazon river that drains Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Northern Argentina, and Paraguay.

Interestingly enough, these fish are incredibly small. They grow about 5 centimeters or 2 inches in size, and they have a rather distinctive black spot around the eye on their red body.

Furthermore, Serpae Tetra is a mildly aggressive species, especially when they are around slow-moving fish.

They are still widely popular for how small, colorful, and adorable they are, and they’re becoming a favorite for community aquariums.

Rummy Nose Tetra

Rummy Nose Tetra is another tropical beautiful freshwater fish. It originates from the South American waters and remains one of the most popular aquarium fish.

These have a unique name that refers to the fact that they have a blushing red color that moves across their nose towards their face.

Apart from being beautifully colored, this species is also adorably small. These fish only grow about 5 centimeters long, even when fully mature.

Surprisingly enough, a Rummy Nose Tetra fish can live for several years, from 5 to 6 on average. So, if you take proper care, last you a very long time.

Information Pet Owners Should Have About African Dwarf Frogs

If you are looking for a unique pet to put in your aquarium the African Dwarf Frog is a great option. Dwarf frogs are just the right size.

They are not too large. But they are small enough that you can fit a few of them in your tank with other pets.

Typically you will see them grow up to three inches. And they come in different colors, but nothing too flashy. Usually you will find them in various shades of brown and sometimes green.

They Are Peaceful

Again, this is a very peaceful frog type. Other frogs can be more aggressive but the African Dwarf differs from more aggressive species.

It likes to lounge in the tank. And for the most part it will stay completely submerged underwater. Sometimes your frog will come up for air.

They have lungs like other amphibians. But most of the time they will stay in your tank water. In fact, you don’t want these pets out of the water for long. Otherwise they can shrivel up and die!

They need some air and will swim energetically to the top of your tank to get it. But for the most part they like to relax in your tank and even lounge about.

As a result some people consider them to be slow or lazy creatures.

They Are Nocturnal

However, this changes at night when they will be way more active in your aquarium. Dwarf frogs are nocturnal so don’t be surprised to see them sleeping during the day!

On the whole, Dwarf Frogs can be great pets. They have a friendly temperament and are cool to have in your tank. While they only live for around five years, this is longer than most pet store fish you will buy.

Pet owners can rest assured that they will love these fun frogs for years. But this is only possible with the right tank conditions.

What Kind Of Tank Setup Do African Dwarf Frogs Need?

Video: “HOW TO MAKE AN AFRICAN DWARF FROG TANK + care”

Before you decide on a tank mate for your frog, you need to have the right tank equipment. Really, you need to plan on how you will house your frog before you pick it up from a store.

African Dwarf Frogs require specific water conditions, and a certain type of tank to live well.

First and foremost, you want an aquarium that is large enough for your frog and any additional tankmates.

At a minimum you want to purchase a ten-gallon tank, even if you only have one frog. Small tanks are not ideal for any pet, but especially when you have more than one pet in a tank.

Really, if you plan on getting a few fish and a couple of frogs, a twenty-gallon tank would be preferred. Though this is entirely up to you.

The size of your frog tank is crucial, but so is the shape. Remember that Dwarf frogs need to go up for air every once in a while. If the tank you pick out is too tall though, your pet could struggle to reach the top and get oxygen.

You don’t want to kill your pet. So get a shorter tank!

In addition, make sure water conditions and tank conditions are correct.

These types of frogs require humid tank conditions. So you will need a tank heater and tank lights to match your fish’s nighttime schedule and climate needs. You won’t have to worry about the substrate though.

Any type of substrate is fine for your pet frog. Just make sure to have a good filter installed into your tank!

Frogs can create a lot of waste in aquariums so you’ll want a high-quality device!

Conclusion

African Dwarf Frogs are friendly pets that get along with a wide range of species. Your frog will need specific conditions to thrive with other tank mates though. Humid climates need to be emulated in your aquarium.

And a big tank is a must for any underwater habitat with many pets. If you know what kind of tank environment they need though, your pet will do well in your home. Many fish and aquatic pets can be added to your frog tank.

In fact, we went over some of the best African Dwarf Frog tank mates in this post. So hopefully you have found a suitable match for your pet here!

Still, it would be good to have more than one frog in your tank. Fish and other pets will help your frog feel less lonely. But they still need to interact with another Dwarf Frog to stay happy and healthy. So consider adding in multiple frogs into your tank with other pets from this list!

And if you want other pets in your frog tank, don’t be afraid to do some more research. There are a ton of compatible fish and pets out there for your Dwarf Frog. The pets on this list are just some of the best tank mate options for African Dwarf Frogs.