African dwarf frogs are cute little aquatic frogs you will find at your local fish store. They do well in community tanks with fish that are not ramming everything. Fish like cichlids will uproot plants and move objects in the tank. This can cause danger to an African dwarf frog. The question is…
Can African dwarf frogs live with goldfish? Looking at water conditions required for both African dwarf frogs and goldfish, one can assume these creatures can live in the same aquarium. Water temperature should be kept in the mid 70’s.
The next question to ask yourself is if a goldfish and a dwarf frog should be kept in the same tank. In this article, I will go over some requirements these aquatic species have before you consider keeping these creatures together.
Aquarium Water Temperature for Dwarf Frogs and Goldfish
African dwarf frogs do best in waters with a temperature of 68 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit (20 to 26 degrees Celsius).
Goldfish on the other hand can live happily in a tank that is 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (15 to 24 degrees Celsius). Although the temperatures are similar African frogs in general prefer the water a bit warmer than Goldfish.
Preferred PH for Goldfish and Dwarf Frogs
Sudden fluctuations in PH can cause problems for aquatic life. If the PH raises or drops to levels not healthy for the fish the fish will die.
Goldfish live best in a PH range of 7.2 to 7.6. These fish are very tough and can live through fluctuations however don’t let the range get out of whack too much or too often as the fish won’t survive.
African Dwarf frogs can survive in a wider range of PH levels. Their preferred range is 6.5 to 7.5.
Keeping the PH in this aquarium in the range of 7.2 to 7.5 will keep both species healthy.
What Size Tank for Dwarf Frogs and Goldfish
African dwarf frogs can be kept in a 10 gallon aquarium if you really wanted to. If you have more than one frog you probably want a larger tank not because of the size of the frogs because size is not an issue here. The issue is you don’t want your frogs fighting.
Goldfish on the other hand will require a much larger aquarium. I wouldn’t put goldfish in anything less than a 30 gallon aquarium. Especially if you have a pair.
If you did have dwarf frogs in a larger tank you should have lots of hiding places for the frogs. Unfortunately if you are stocking Goldfish you probably won’t have live plants and dwarf frogs really enjoy live plants.
How Will Frogs and Goldfish Get Along?
As far as temperaments go, these aquatic creatures would be just fine together.
What you should consider is how each one of these species uses the tank they are in.
Dwarf frogs are generally quite peaceful and do not make much of a mess when swimming throughout your tank. They way frogs are built and the size of them dictates that not much water motion will happen when they move about. They probably aren’t going to be any concern when it comes to uprooting of plants, etc.
Goldfish are very active and obviously larger than dwarf frogs. Goldfish are notorious for making a mess of aquariums. They grow big and are clumsy fish. They can easily uproot smaller plants and decorations.
If a Goldfish is large enough and is foraging at the bottom of the tank, it could possibly end up with an African frog in its mouth.
Feeding Dwarf Frogs and Goldfish in the Same Aquarium
It might be tricky making sure your frogs get food when you have Goldfish. Goldfish will go for anything dropped into the tank even if it’s something they just spit back out. If they end up eating the frog’s food and you don’t notice, the frogs can end up going hungry and eventually dying.
You might think the only saving grace for your frogs is they eat bloodworms, Mysis Shrimp and Brine Shrimp. The frogs will eat these foods either from frozen or pellets. I have heard that dwarf frogs are not interested in fish flakes.
Goldfish, however, will also eat bloodworms and brine shrimp. Goldfish can be trained to eat primarily fish flakes and pellets manufactured for goldfish. They will also eat boiled peas and some other boiled vegetables.
So what can you do to make sure your frogs get some food? If you feed your tank with the goldfish flakes and pellets first until the fish are full, you might be able to get away with feeding the frogs some frozen shrimp or bloodworms.
If all else fails, you are going to have to find a way to separate them. You could have a plastic divider to slide down between them when feeding. This seems like a real pain though to have to do every feeding.
Can You Have Frogs and Fish in the Same Tank?
You can definitely have frogs and fish in the same tank. As with all aquatic life, what you put in the same tank is very important. Some fish are very nippy and if you have a larger frog it might go after smaller fish. For the sake of this article, we will talk about African dwarf frogs.
African dwarf frogs are an excellent addition to a community tank of smaller sized fish. Not too small though, as even a dwarf frog might like to nibble on a fish that will fit in its mouth. Some suitable fish would be Tetra’s, Mollies, Guppies, swordtails and other similar fish species.
I wrote a really good article on fish for a ten gallon tank. Please check it out for more ideas. Ten gallon tank article.
Conclusion
In conclusion, you can tell now that these species might not be the best fit, yet they could potentially live together. Let’s recap what we have learned.
- The water temperature for keeping both species might not be an issue. Even though Goldfish do not require a heater, they can be kept in home aquariums with a heater just fine. The African Dwarf Frog is a tropical amphibian that thrives in a heated tank.
- The size of the aquarium could be an issue if you want to keep both in a smaller tank. Keeping Goldfish in a small aquarium will only cause you problems. These fish need larger aquariums to swim and grow. The dwarf frogs can easily be kept in a smaller tank.
- Will they get along? Yes these two species will get along just fine. Neither is aggressive. The only time you might run into trouble is if you have a very large Goldfish and a young dwarf frog that will fit into the fish’s mouth.
- Feeding them could pose a problem if you don’t find a way to ensure the frogs get food to them. Goldfish are ‘pigs’ and will put anything in their mouths. Goldfish also like some foods that dwarf frogs eat. If you can figure the feeding issue out, you will have a happy tank.
- Can you have both frogs and fish in the same aquarium? Yes, you can but you will have to select the proper community fish for an African Dwarf frog. Also, do not be mistaken or let your local fish stores labelling mistakes fool you into thinking a clawed frog is a dwarf frog. Some frogs will eat small fish.
There you have it! The answer is yes, they can live together with a bit of work and effort to ensure a safe and healthy tank for both. It isn’t the most ideal combination, but it could work.
If you ever considered pairing a Betta fish with a dwarf frog you should read my article on whether these two species are a good fit for each other. You can find it over here at Can African Dwarf Frogs Live with Bettas?
Have you ever wondered if aquarium frogs bite? If so please check out my Do aquarium frogs bite article.
Best Tankmates for African Dwarf Frogs
Good luck!
