In Depth Information on Common Aquatic Clawed Frogs
African Clawed Frog Sexing and Breeding
Home
Introduction to African Clawed Frogs
African Clawed Frog Housing and Feeding
African Clawed Frog sizes and lifespan
African Clawed Frog Sexing and Breeding
Raising ACF Tadpoles
My Tadpole Journal
ACF Color Variations
African Clawed Frog Disease and Injury
Species of Xenopus
Can I keep other aquatic life with my ACF?
African Clawed Frogs Today
Where To Buy ACF
African Clawed Frog Links
Introduction to African Dwarf Frogs
African Dwarf Frog Housing and Feeding
African Dwarf Frog size and lifespan
African Dwarf Frog Sexing and Breeding
Raising Dwarf Frog Tadpoles
Dwarf Frog Color Variations
African Dwarf Frog Disease and Injury
Species of the African Dwarf Frog
Can I keep other aquatic life with my ADF?
African Dwarf Frogs and Bettas
Where To Buy ADF
African Dwarf Frog Links
FROG 'O FAME
RESCUE AND ADOPTION CENTER
Setting up a Natural tank for your aquatic frog
My Personal Page
For Sale

Xenopus laevis

How To Tell Males From Females

Males
  • usually 20% smaller then females
  • slim bodies and legs
  • no cloaca (flat butt)
  • black nuptuial pads on forearms at sexual maturity
  • sings or calls out for a female (sounds metalic, or as i say, a cricket chirping underwater)

Females

  • large, plump, pear shaped with chubby legs
  • small bump between the legs, this is the cloaca where eggs and waste are passed.
  • lack nuptuial pads, but can have dark or smoky palms of their hands. (I call this "dirty hands")
  • They do not sing or call out like males do, but they do answer back which is extremely unique to the animal world. (Most females of any species rarely answer back.) The female frog makes a soft rapping call for acceptance or a slow ticking call for rejection.

 

Breeding African Clawed Frogs

When a male is ready to breed he will begin calling out for a female. She will answer him back by clicking softly. He will grasp her from behind holding her right above her thighs. He then will squeeze her until she begins to lay eggs, and fertlization takes place outside the body. Females can lay hundreds of eggs at one time and they will stick to everything all over the tank. If not removed shortly they will eat them.
 
The condition of the tank is crucial for successful breeding. They don't like it too hot or too cold, room tempurature is perfect. A good way to "set the mood" is to do a 30% water change and refilling the tank with cool water. This will fake the male frog into thinking it is "spring rain" and he will being to call for a female. The quiter and darker the tank is the easier it is for them to breed. I suggest doing a water change with cool water in the evening and then shutting off the filters and lights. The darkness and the quiet will make them feel comftorable and secure.
 
Females should only be bred once every 3 months (4 times a year). It is possible to over breed frogs to the point of death. You may need to seperate frogs that keep trying to breed. No female should be bred before a year and a half in age to ensure quality eggs and maturity.

Plump female full of eggs
acffullofeggs.jpg
copyright Aqualand Petsplus LA PIC

6 month old male and 5 year old female X. laevis
tiwiandmolly2.jpg
Tiwi and Molly Amplexing

Xenopus Laevis Amplexing
blynnadiamp.jpg
Blyn and Nadi

Selecting a Breeding Pair
 
In the event you wish to have planned mating of frogs do consider the following. Frogs purchased from the same petstore, from the same tank, are most likely related. Breeding these frogs together creates a small gene pool and results in high death rate among tadpoles, deformities in tadpoles and froglests (such as twisted spines), death in froglets shortly after metamorphasis, a weakened ammune system, and a shortned life span due to a weak ammue system.
 
THINK AHEAD! What do you plan on doing with all the froglets you raise? This could be hundreds of frogs you are responsible for. Check with local petstores ahead of time to make sure they are willing to take in the froglets, either for free, for a small fee or in exchange for store credit.

Sometimes female frogs will lay eggs without a male being present. The eggs are not fertilized and she will probably eat some of them. Scrape them out of the tank and dispose of them.

April's male Xenopus Laevis
nupadsapril.jpg
Note the dark areas on his forearms and hands, these are Nuptuial Pads

This is Nat's pair of Xenopus Laevis
albinoamplexous.jpg
male and female amplexing

Nat's frogs xenopus laevis
malefemalealbinos.jpg
male above and female below. Note how much chubbier the female is then the male

Xenopus Laevis
uhohoreo.jpg
"Uh-Oh Oreo" of Frogs

In this picture the female is the bottom frog, and the other two are males. Sometimes females will amplex with other females and males with other males, and then sometimes an extra frog or two will decide to join. I had two females that would amplex after every water change. Although not very common, this behavior can happen but there is no cause for alarm.

Breeding ACF on grids to prevent eaten eggs
acfongrids.jpg
copyright Aqualand Petsplus LA PIC

I'll update this page frequently so check back often!

IDICACF (C) 2006