7 Great Plants for African Dwarf Frogs (With Pictures)

Using live plants in your African dwarf frog tank has several advantages, one of which is that they maintain good water quality. However, plenty of suitable plants are available, and deciding which species is ideal is challenging.

We’ll discuss seven of the best plants for African dwarf frog habitats to help you provide a healthy environment for your pet.

Do African Dwarf Frogs Need Live Plants?

African dwarf frogs don’t need live plants to survive since they don’t eat them and are strictly carnivorous.

However, there are a number of advantages that come with using live plants for your African dwarf frog tank. So, what are these advantages?

Do African Dwarf Frogs Like to Hide?

Yes, African dwarf frogs are skittish and like to hide. Adding live plants provides good cover from above and from the rest of the tank.

The 7 Top Plants for African Dwarf Frogs

Next, we have a list of the plants African dwarf frogs seem to like.

1. Duckweed

Duckweed is a floating plant that provides some cover from above. Its green and round leaves are similar to lily pads, but they’re a bit smaller and cannot really support the weight of an African dwarf frog. However, they still provide great cover.

You might also like this plant because it is a floating plant, so there is no need to worry about substrate or rooting. Simply put a few pieces on the surface of the water, and it will do the rest.

Moreover, it grows very quickly, is very hard to kill, and is very easy to keep under control. Duckweed will thrive with decent water quality, adequate lighting, and the right temperature.

2. Java Moss

Java moss is another excellent plant for African dwarf frogs. It can survive on virtually any substrate, including sand or gravel, and you can even tie it to rocks or driftwood. It grows at a moderate pace and slowly spreads out to form a beautiful, thick carpet.

This green and spindly moss not only looks nice but also provides a really dense forest of cover that African dwarf frogs will love. Java moss is a really hardy plant since it can survive in bad water quality, low lighting, and more, yet it also does a fantastic job regarding water filtration. It’s easy to care for and affordable.

3. Java Fern

When it comes to easy-to-care-for plants that your African dwarf frogs will love, the java fern is definitely at the top of the list. Your frogs will enjoy the broad and long leaves, which provide excellent cover from above and the rest of the tank.

One reason you may like the java fern is that it does a wondrous job at water filtration. It does not require any substrate and doesn’t do well when buried in sand or gravel. Instead, it is the perfect plant for a bare-bottom tank and can be tied to rocks and driftwood. The java fern is not very picky in terms of lighting requirements and water conditions.

4. Amazon Sword Plant

Yet another great plant for African dwarf frogs is the Amazon Sword. It is known for having thick, long, and green leaves, which help provide your frogs with cover from above. This is a fairly fast-growing plant, so it gets larger quickly and helps create its own little ecosystem. The long leaves flow with the current of the water, making it quite mesmerizing.

When it comes to the roots, the Amazon swod does best when rooted in fine aquarium gravel, although it can also handle sand. It has very strong roots that prevent it from being uprooted. It’s a good plant because it multiplies quickly, it can survive in varying water conditions and temperatures, and it doesn’t need much light.

It’s also known for its excellent oxygen production and water filtration capabilities.

5. Moss Balls

Moss balls are another great addition to any African dwarf frog tank because they collect food flowing around in the water, making them perfect for foraging. They don’t produce the best hiding spots for frogs, but they’re effective water filters and oxygen producers. Moreover,  you can place them anywhere in the tank, and they come in various sizes.

It does not matter which substrate you have in the tank because the moss balls are not rooted. Marino moss balls can also survive in a variety of water conditions and parameters, and they aren’t too picky about lighting.

6. Dwarf Anubias

The dwarf anubias is another plant that African dwarf frogs will appreciate having in their aquarium. Although it does not get that large, it has beautiful green leaves that not only look nice but are also large enough to provide your frogs with a bit of cover from above.

This is a great plant for small tanks because it has a fairly slow growth rate and doesn’t get that big. It’s good for the foreground, midground, and background. It’s also very easy to keep under control with simple pruning.

The anubias nana does best in a soft substrate such as sand or soil, but it can also survive in small-grain gravel. It’s an easy plant to care for, as it is not picky about lighting. A little light goes a long way with this small plant, and it does fine in various temperatures and water parameters.

7. Anacharis

The final plant on our list today, one that is also ideal for African dwarf frog tanks, is the Anacharis. It has long stems, up to 8 inches long, and a single plant can have up to 20 stems. It has rounded green leaves and grows quickly. For this reason, the Anacharis is a perfect background plant.

If you let it grow unfettered, it will create a dense bush, which is great because it provides frogs with good cover from above and is an ideal place to forage for food.

Anacharis can be planted in sand and gravel or left as a floating plant. It can survive in warm and cold water, handle somewhat poor water quality, and only needs a moderate amount of lighting.

Do African Dwarf Frogs Eat Plants?

No, African dwarf frogs should not eat your plants. They love eating insects, larvae, small fish, and other protein sources. They don’t eat plants since they are not a part of their diet.

Can I Use Fake Plants with My African Dwarf Frogs?

Technically speaking, you can use fake plants in your frog tank. They are certainly easier to care for and provide your frogs with a bit of cover.

However, fake plants don’t filter the water or produce oxygen, and they aren’t as attractive or colorful as real plants.

In Summary

The bottom line is that you should definitely add live plants to your African dwarf frog tank. We recommend choosing two or three of your favorites and going from there. Adding plants to the mix will keep your frogs happy and improve your tank’s appearance.

Featured Image Credit: Dan Olsen, Shutterstock