Platin Congo Dwarf Clawed Frog (Hymenochirus boettgeri 'Platin')

Platin Congo Dwarf Clawed Frog Hymenochirus boettgeri 'Platin'
Name	Platin Congo Dwarf Clawed Frog
Name Lat.	Hymenochirus boettgeri 'Platin'
Family	Tongueless Frogs
Family lat.	Pipidae
Order	Frogs & Toads
Order lat.	Anura
Origin	Central & Western Africa
Habitat	Ponds
Diet	Carnivore
Behavior	Predatory
Keeping	Group
Care Level	Moderate
Breeding	Moderately difficult
Housing	Aquarium
Life Span	3-5 years
Protection	No
Metric Units
Size	3-4 cm
Temperature	20-30 °C
Housing Size	~ 40 l
US Units
Size	1.2"-1.6"
Temperature	68-86 °F
Housing Size	~ 10 gal

Distribution and habitat

The Böttgers Dwarf Clawed Frog Platinum is a color morph. The home of Böttger's dwarf clawed frogs are warm jungle pools and heavily weedy shallow waters in Central and West Africa.

Maintenance

For 1-3 animals, the minimum aquarium area is 1,250 cm² with a minimum water level of 25 cm. This corresponds to a base area of e.g. 50 x 25 cm. For each additional animal, an additional 300 cm² of surface area must be provided. The aquarium should be placed in a quiet place without sunlight.

They need a partly densely planted aquarium with some plants flooding to the water surface as well as roots, clay tubes and stone structures (caves) as hiding places. A substrate of sand or fine gravel and some subdued light (floating plants) is ideal

Water quality must be that required for average freshwater fish keeping. No ammonia, ammonium and nitrite should be detectable and the nitrate value should not exceed 100 mg/l. To ensure water quality and oxygen content, a filter adapted to the size of the aquarium is required.

Water temperature

20-30 °C

The lighting has to correspond to the species-appropriate day-night rhythm.

Diet

They prefer live food, such as tubifex, mosquito larvae, daphnia and enchytraea, which are also well accepted frozen, plus commercially available frozen special food mixtures, supplemented with a high-quality, protein-rich dry food (granules, flakes, pellets).

Only as much should be fed as is eaten within a few minutes. Regular and varied feeding promotes health and prevents deficiency symptoms

Behaviour and compatibility

They should be kept in a group where females outnumber males. They are predatory and can be a danger to small fish, on the other hand they are endangered even with larger, aggressive fish.

Reproduction and breeding

Females are somewhat stockier and the stub tail is slightly longer than in males. Mating males can be recognized by their bulging postaxillary glands below the axillae.

When the female spawns at the water surface, the eggs (100-500 pieces) are simultaneously inseminated by the male. For rearing, frogspawn should be placed in a separate breeding tank, as the parents eat spawn and larvae. After 1-2 days the larvae hatch and swim freely after 3-6 days. The transformation (metamorphosis) is completed after about 2 months.

The young must be fed several times a day with special rearing food. In a community tank breeding is hardly possible, because the young are easy prey.

The life expectancy can be 10-15 years.

Important

They live permanently under water (aquatile) and do not go on land. To breathe, they come to the water surface. The aquarium must be very well covered so that they do not escape

Like all amphibians, they are alternately warm (poikilothermic), unable to regulate their own body temperature, but adapt themselves and their metabolism to environmental conditions. They molt every few weeks and the skin should be removed from the aquarium if not eaten.

The well-being of the animals should be monitored regularly. Temperature should be checked daily, pH, hardness and nitrate levels at least every 14 days. Regular partial water changes are recommended, even if the pollutant level has not yet reached the upper limit. Sudden changes in water quality should be avoided. Newly introduced animals must be accustomed slowly to the water in the aquarium.

Further literature can be found in your pet store.

References

Text: petdata; Image: Ruinemans Aquarium BV

Source: ENGELMANN (2006): Zootierhaltung - Tiere in menschlicher Obhut: Reptilien und Amphibien, Harri Deutsch Verlag; VDA & DGHT (2006): Haltungsrichtlinien für die Haltung von Anuren

• Gemäß § 21 Abs. 5 Tierschutzgesetz idgF