African Dwarf Frogs Water level

[Spookiskeletman]

Just wondering what I can do about this problem. Ive bought a 13 gallon tank back in february, its a tall tank so the water level reaches quite high. I know the african dwarf frogs arent comfortable with a high water level so I had left the tank just over half filled. However waste keeps building up and the other fish I have in that tank dont seem comfortable. I had an amonia spike a few weeks back so I raised the water level and that seems to have done the trick. I just want to know if there is any kind of rock or substrate that I can build up on one side of the tank to make sure the frogs are comfortable and capable of getting air whilst I await my new 39 gallon in the middle of june

Sorry for any grammar mistakes this phone is busted and I have a bit of dyslexia, any help will be appreciated thanks

 

[betta fish]

If you get some tall bushy plants in there they will happily clamber up that for air. I have 2 adfs, very nice little froggies they are in a 20L long tank, I have had them around 1 year now they are a pair and have had spawn and tiny tadpoles but none have survived sadly though they regularly breed for me, also enjoy listening to the male humming out his chorus every evening

 

[Spookiskeletman]

If you get some tall bushy plants in there they will happily clamber up that for air. I have 2 adfs, very nice little froggies they are in a 20L long tank, I have had them around 1 year now they are a pair and have had spawn and tiny tadpoles but none have survived sadly though they regularly breed for me, also enjoy listening to the male humming out his chorus every evening

The tank does have quite a few plants in it and after watching them they seem to have no problem getting to the top of the tank. I have 4 currently and 2 seem to like hiding behind my filter, they are new to the tank and the original 2 did the same for a few weeks is that normal behaviour?

 

[IHaveADogToo]

How long has the tank been running? Are you using a filter? How often do you change the water? And how do you change the water? Do you use a gravel vac? Are you treating the water when you change it with anything? If yes, what and how much? African Dwarf Frogs put off a lot of waste (urine/poo), so they need good filtration and frequent water changes.

The more water you use, the longer it takes for ammonia to build up. But the less you use, the faster it becomes toxic, and the more frequently it needs to be changed. Even with a filter you still have to change the water once a week, but without a filter you have to change the water every day, otherwise you can poison your frogs/fish.

If you’re having an ammonia spike, I wouldn’t just raise the water level, I would change the water, and raise it as well. You don’t need to dilute the ammonia, it will just rise again, you need to get rid of it and provide new clean water.

How deep is the tank? In a 13 gallon I can’t imagine the water level is more than a foot deep, completely full. Which should be just fine for an ADF.

 

[Spookiskeletman]

How long has the tank been running? Are you using a filter? How often do you change the water? And how do you change the water? Do you use a gravel vac? Are you treating the water when you change it with anything? If yes, what and how much? African Dwarf Frogs put off a lot of waste (urine/poo), so they need good filtration and frequent water changes.

The more water you use, the longer it takes for ammonia to build up. But the less you use, the faster it becomes toxic, and the more frequently it needs to be changed. Even with a filter you still have to change the water once a week, but without a filter you have to change the water every day, otherwise you can poison your frogs/fish.

If you’re having an ammonia spike, I wouldn’t just raise the water level, I would change the water, and raise it as well. You don’t need to dilute the ammonia, it will just rise again, you need to get rid of it and provide new clean water.

How deep is the tank? In a 13 gallon I can’t imagine the water level is more than a foot deep, completely full. Which should be just fine for an ADF.

Its about a foot and a half deep. Yeah I have been doing water changes every 2 days to combat it and have been adding API stress coat to the water. What I meant was I had raised the water level higher than normal after a change. Im currently running an external filter and have just put in a stingray filter and a sponge filter this week and with that added the amonia is dropping rapidly I believe the water was becoming stagnant because the flow isnt very strong on the externals output.

 

[IHaveADogToo]

The tank does have quite a few plants in it and after watching them they seem to have no problem getting to the top of the tank. I have 4 currently and 2 seem to like hiding behind my filter, they are new to the tank and the original 2 did the same for a few weeks is that normal behaviour?

Yes this is normal. My ADF hid from me for weeks.

 

[Spookiskeletman]

Its about a foot and a half deep. Yeah I have been doing water changes every 2 days to combat it and have been adding API stress coat to the water. What I meant was I had raised the water level higher than normal after a change. Im currently running an external filter and have just put in a stingray filter and a sponge filter this week and with that added the amonia is dropping rapidly I believe the water was becoming stagnant because the flow isnt very strong on the externals output.

All three are running at the same time currently

 

[IHaveADogToo]

Its about a foot and a half deep. Yeah I have been doing water changes every 2 days to combat it and have been adding API stress coat to the water. What I meant was I had raised the water level higher than normal after a change. Im currently running an external filter and have just put in a stingray filter and a sponge filter this week and with that added the amonia is dropping rapidly I believe the water was becoming stagnant because the flow isnt very strong on the externals output.

Okay yeah then raising the water level might be what you needed. Like I said, it takes longer for bigger water quantities to become toxic.

At a foot and a half deep, you might want to provide some surfaces for the frogs to rest on that aren’t so deep. You can get reptile platforms that suction cup or magnet to the side or corner of the tank, and put those in maybe a foot or a half foot down. Or if you have some driftwood or rocks or caves they can rest on top of. The frog will still go all the way down to the substrate at a foot and a half, and that’s fine, but he’s definitely going to appreciate resting places along the way.

 

[Spookiskeletman]

Okay yeah then raising the water level might be what you needed. Like I said, it takes longer for bigger water quantities to become toxic.

At a foot and a half deep, you might want to provide some surfaces for the frogs to rest on that aren’t so deep. You can get reptile platforms that suction cup or magnet to the side or corner of the tank, and put those in maybe a foot or a half foot down. Or if you have some driftwood or rocks or caves they can rest on top of. The frog will still go all the way down to the substrate at a foot and a half, and that’s fine, but he’s definitely going to appreciate resting places along the way.

I have a log in the middle of the tank but I have never saw them rest on it. They have various plants they like to hangout in and they currently look quite content. I had just seen online that they prefer water thats under 7 inches deep which I wasnt sure on because they would build so much waste with that, thanks for the help man.