The African Dwarf Frog is a small aquatic frog, meaning that they do not come up onto land. However, like all frogs they have lungs and need to come up to breathe. They may also stick their heads and limbs out of the water occasionally. The color of these frogs can vary from dark brown to olive, with black or dark brown spots. As adults, these frogs are usually around 1-2.5 inches (nose to rump) and only weigh a few ounces, the males are smaller than the females. In a healthy environment, they typically live about 2-5 years, depending on many different factors. Some claim that they can live up to 18 years and even longer. I assume those saying this are the same people who confuse African Dwarf Frogs with African Clawed Frogs (see bottom of page) which are very different indeed. The most common domesticated species of ADF is the Hymenochirus Boettgeri, though there are a few other species as well. All species are said to be threatened/extinct in their native habitats, though there is no actual evidence supporting or discrediting this claim. These frogs make great pets for beginners or someone who is interested in a low-maintenance aquarium. They are also great for children but it is important that an adult ensures that the aquarium is set-up and maintained properly. It is also very important that the child is capable of fully understanding and obeying the DOs and DON'Ts of the aquarium. The best place to obtain ADFs is a breeder, hands down. If you buy from a pet store, as with any pet, there is a much greater chance that the frogs are already contaminated with diseases or infections. If there are no breeders available to you, it is best that you do the research beforehand so that you know how to choose healthy frogs. If you would like to read more about keeping these frogs as pets, please visit the Care & Maintenance section.
The African Dwarf Frog is not to be
confused with the African Clawed Frog. The African Clawed Frog belongs to a family of frogs that much larger and generally more
aggressive in terms of feeding, referred to as Xenopus. These frogs typically live between 15-20 years in captivity and grow to be 3-6" in size. It is not recommended to house ACFs with other species of aquatic life as they are predator animals. To the side is an ACF, which as you can see are quite large in comparison to an ADF. 
Many pet shops sell frogs of both species generally as "aquatic frogs" which can very confusing for inexperienced customers. (To learn more about African Clawed Frogs, please visit africanfrogs.weebly.com, created by Jenste who was kind enough to provide all of the ACF photos seen here.)
How to tell an African Dwarf Frog from an African Clawed Frog:
> At 3-6" when mature, the ACF is about 2-3 times the size of an ADF which is at largest about 2.5" in length, from the "snout" to the "rump" or "vent"
> The "snout" or "muzzle" of an ACF appears rounded, while that of an ADF is somewhat pointed
> The ADF has webbing on all four feet whereas the ACF has webbing only on it's back feet and separate digits in the front
> While the ADF does range in appearance, it is not nearly to the extent that ACF does. The ACF comes in a much larger variety in terms of color/markings, including albino. There are no known cases of Albinism in the ADF, while it is very common in the ACF.
> The eyes of an ACF are placed on top of the frogs head, whereas those of an ADF are located more or less toward the sides
> ACF are much more muscular and "round" looking than ADF, which appear somewhat lanky in comparison
Below are photos to assist in comparing the ACF to the ADF, if you have a frog (or frogs) and you still aren't sure of which species it is, feel free to send me an email at FrogFarm@hotmail.ca with a description and photo of your frog(s) and I'd be happy to help you out.
As you can see in this photo of Aurora the African Clawed Frog (provided by Jenste!) these frogs appear quite muscular. They have separate "fingers" on the front feet and their eyes are on the top of their head. They are much larger than ADF.
As shown to the side, the (common boettgeri) ADF appears somewhat lanky and bony in comparison to the ACF, shown above. they have webbing on all four feet. They often have hat looks like a seem coming up their bellies, and the joints of their knees and elbows are void of color.
