7 Reasons Why an African Clawed frog Could Stop Eating

Keeping pets, more especially aquarium pets like frogs, fish etc can be really fun and exciting, but sometimes it could get really sad and frustrating, especially when they start behaving awkwardly etc. In this article, we will learn everything about why an African clawed frog might stop eating and what to do about it. African clawed frog is a small specie of aquarium frog. It makes a good pet and could be kept at home in a tank. But what if it stops eating? why and what will you do? Well, this article will educate you on that.

Why is my African clawed frog not eating? African clawed frog may stop eating because it is sick or the tank water conditions are not suitable for it.

These are the main reasons why your pet frog might stop eating.

You maybe wondering how the above listing is helpful, but don’t worry, we will learn everything in details soon.

The African clawed frogs are lively animals and don’t just start acting funny for no good reason.

If they’re refusing to eat anything, there are some possible reasons why they’re doing that, and the most commonest and most likely reasons why they refused to eat anything are:

They are sick: Sickness is one of the reasons any animal, including human beings will lost appetite to food.

Although am not here to give you medical advice, but from my experience with pets, when they get sick, they will change their mood of behavior, which refusing to eat anything is one of them.

There are so many diseases which this type of frog could contact and will refuse to eat and might die in the process if the attention of a vet is not called.

Diseases like Chytridiomycosis, red leg, Ranaviral (iridovirus) infection Lucke frog herpesvirus (kidney cancer) Frog erythrocytic etc.

The above diseases have killed many species of frog.

So if your frog is refusing to eat, then quickly call the attention of a qualified vet for a sound advice and treatment.

The Ammonia and Nitrates in the tank may be high: Frogs and many other aquatic animals are vulnerable to these chemicals.

They’re very harmful to aquatic animals, and African clawed frogs are not exempted from this.

If your African clawed frog is refusing to eat anything, you may have to test the tank water and see if these chemicals are in the water and also how high they’re.

Ammonia and Nitrates in frog’s tank should be zero!

Although it won’t hurt if the amount of these chemicals in the tank is very tiny, but will definitely hurt if the amount is significant.

Anyway, to be on the safer side, I won’t advise having any amount of these chemicals at all in your frog’s water.

The inability of your frog to eat might be caused by these harmful chemicals.

So always check or test them once in a while in order to be on a safer side and don’t forget to clean your tank from time to time.

The water type and pH level might not be suitable for them: It’s not new to us that water type and pH matters alot to aquarium animals.

These could either make your pets healthy and lively or worsen it. So water type and pH are very important and might be the cause of your pet’s refusal to eat.

What I mean by water type is the type of water your African clawed frogs could inhabit and feel lively and comfortable or die.

For instance, all frogs are freshwater and could hardly survive in salt or brackish water.

So if your frog’s health is worsening and it’s refusing to eat, then you might have to check the salt level of the water, who knows it might be the cause.

Also no animal can be truly comfortable in water with an unsuitable water pH.

African clawed frog’s normal water pH is 7.0-7.5 Anything less or more than this will not be healthy to them and might be the reason for their refusal to eat.

Water temperature: Temperature is one of the most important factors to consider if you want to have a pet.

There are many animals that could survive in cold temperature, and there are those that will survive in temperate or hot temperature etc.

African clawed frogs although are aquatic animals, but they have a specific temperature that is very normal to them.

If the temperature is either more or very low might cause problems for them, and they might fall sick because of it and even die in the process.

So unsuitable temperature might be the cause of their refusal to eat.

African clawed frog’s suitable temperature are 72-80°F and anything less or more than this is not healthy for them, especially pet African clawed frogs that are used to room temperature or heater.

Related: Will Crayfish bite you?

So if the temperature gets too cold, then heater might be of help here.

Dirty water: Dirty water could cause your frog to refuse to eat.

You might be surprised and might want to ask how.

Well, dirty tank filled with left over and rotten foods and poops will only end up hardening the water, which might not be suitable for your frog’s health and also helping to breed some diseases which could also attack the frogs.

Related: Why is my Crayfish floating?

Normally, a frog’s tank should be cleaned at least once in a week and leftover foods should be filtered out of the tank.

The fact is, leaving your frogs in a dirty water will only affect their health condition and would likely make them stop eating when they get sick.

Your frog might have been stressed: Do you know that many species of frogs don’t like to be stressed? stressing can cause lose of appetites.

Related: Do Apple Snails bite?

A frog could be stressed by many things, especially if there is an unsuitable mate in the tank or if the water is too hard for it.

In many of my articles concerning choosing tank mates for your pets, I always advise making proper research to know the suitable mates to get for your pets.

So putting unsuitable tank mates for your African clawed frogs could lead to the animal stressing them etc which could make them uncomfortable and lack the zeal to eat.

Your frog might refuse to eat because it need change of foods: This is possible and it normally happens when they don’t like the type of food they’re normally fed.

For instance, if you normally feed them with earthworm, there is every possibility that they might get tired of it and won’t eat it anymore, so why not try changing foods for them and see if they will eat the new foods, etc.

How long can African clawed frogs go without eating?

I know how it feels to see your pet acting sick or abnormal. So if your African clawed frogs refuse to eat, you will definitely be worried and will be wondering how long they can stay like that without food and survive.

How long can African clawed frogs go without eating? African clawed frogs could go 4-6 days without food and still survive.

Frogs don’t just stop eating for no good reason.

Related: Why is my Crayfish not moving?

So if you find yours in this condition, then know that something is wrong, and if you’re not so sure about the cause, then the professional advice of a vet is needed.

How often should African clawed frogs eat?

African clawed frogs are carnivores and so will eat other animals. But the question is, how often should they be fed?

how often should African clawed frogs eat? African clawed frogs are ferocious eaters and would love to eat so often. So feeding them 3-5 times a week is good.

This type of frog could eat wild range of foods which are bloodworms, earthworms, shrimps, small guppies, crickets etc.

The more they eat, the bigger and fatter they get and also the healthier they become. So food is very important to them.