a dwarf African frog site

Read the possibly BIG news in the chytrid fungus battle here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7067613.stm

And then read on...

Although it had been decimating frog populations for decades, in 2006, Chytrid fungus became a huge concern for Dwarf African Frog (DAF or ADF) owners in particular.  In the last few years newly purchased DAFs have been dying in incredible numbers from this fungus because not all of those who sell frogs are aware of, or are honest about, the problem.  While some committed DAF fanciers are taking steps to ensure a fungus-free frog supply, these frogs may become hard to find in the future.    Certain stores are already refusing to carry the frogs because of the high death rate.

It is important that you read http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/Chytrid_fungus before you get a DAF.  It’s even more important to read this if you have already purchased one.

Here's an article about how to handle a chytrid infestation in a capitive frog population: http://www.amphibianark.org/chytrid.htm

Here's a page that details what frog owners can do about chytrid fungus in their own pets:  http://www.fdrproject.org/pages/disease/CHYtreat.htm

Here's another excellent page that focuses on the chytrid fungus crisis: http://www.jcu.edu.au/school/phtm/PHTM/frogs/ampdis.htm

For further information, read this page about the fungus in wild frogs in Australia:

http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/npws.nsf/Content/Frog+Chytrid+fungus 

For info on other common amphibian diseases, check this page:

http://www.xenopus.com/disease.htm

It will not be essential for you to read this if you live in California, where the African Clawed Frog cannot be sold.  But elsewhere in the U.S., I've noted that in a lot of pet stores -- even in stores dedicated to the aquarium hobby -- the staff confuse the dwarf African frog (DAF) with the African Clawed Frog (ACF).  Some have even argued with me about what kind of frogs I have at home! 

Why am I mentioning this on a page about chytrid fungus?  Because some or maybe all African Clawed Frogs carry the chytrid fungus, and it is believed that the confusion of identities between ACFs and DAFs has caused many stores to house them together, leading to the deaths of DAFs who may actually have arrived in the stores as healthy specimens.

ACFs are immune to chytrid.  They are probably the only frogs who are.  But they are definitely carriers.  And again, many people confuse ACFs with DAFs.  So I think it is important that you learn to recognize an ACF when you see one, especially if a store clerk is trying to sell it to you as a DAF.  Or worse, you go to a store and see DAFs and ACFs housed together in a tank.  If you see this, DO NOT buy a DAF from that store.  It is almost certainly infected with chytrid and will die.  It is probably pointless to ask, but another thing to consider is whether a store now selling DAFs has EVER kept ACFs in the tank that now houses the DAFs.  If the clerk can't tell the difference between them, there's a possibility this has happened.  Go to another store.

You will learn on a following page to identify a DAF.  So on this page, I'll give some dead-giveaway ACF characteristics.

First of all, ACFs have no webbing on their front feet.  They have very long front toes but no webbing.  The webbing DAFs have is characteristic of DAFs only.

Most ACFs I've seen in stores recently have been albino.  This is so common now that some hobbyists refer to the ACF as "that white frog."  I'm sure there are albino DAFs, but I have never seen one.  DAF colors, as mentioned on a following page, tend to be medium browns, pale tans and grays to almost black.  Occasionally you may find a light-tan individual, but that's about as light as they generally get.  If you find a DAF that is albino, be sure to let the world know on an e-mail list devoted to frogs.

The skin of the ACFs I've seen has had a smooth appearance.  The DAF, on the other hand, tends to have rough looking skin (as in lots of little pimply type nodules).  There are, however, smooth-skinned DAFs and I'm sure there are rough-skinned ACFs.

ACFs have a very odd, flattened look; their eyes almost seem to be on top of their head, staring straight up rather than sideways or forward.  A DAF's eyes are on the sides of its head.

All ACFs I've seen have been pear-shaped or very fat ovals.  I'm sure there are individuals who are shaped differently, but no matter what an ACF's shape, they are always chunky.  A young DAF, on the other hand, is usually rather slender (however, do not buy a DAF that is so skinny that you can see the outline of its skeleton -- a frog like that is sure to be sick).

ACFs have thunder thighs.  All frogs have powerful thighs, of course, but on an ACF they are so big they almost look swollen.  In fact, the entire length of an ACF rear leg is enormous; it really looks like an overstuffed sausage.  Our DAFs have more dainty thighs and very delicate lower legs.  For an example, see the "wood carving" of the dancing frog that is at the top of most other pages in this site.  That's my boy Harry, who is a good example of a healthy young DAF. 

A DAF with thunder thighs is almost surely a sick DAF (this can be an indication of a condition called bacterial bloat).

Another point to remember is that while both ACFs and DAFs start out small, and both are aquatic, and both have claws, (leading to a lot of confusion about the type of frog that is being sold), ACFs can grow to 6" or more.  DAFs rarely top out much larger than 1.5".  A grown ACF can easily eat a DAF, so even if you do manage to successfully keep them together, you will eventually lose the DAF to an ugly death.

The conclusion is that it is important for you to be able to tell a DAF from an ACF, because even the stores that cater to our hobby are generally ignorant of the differences between these two frogs. 

Most importantly, always remember that ACFs are extremely dangerous to DAFs.