Breeding the western clawed frog
In labs, natural mating is usually induced with hCG hormone injections; in the wild, eggs are attached to water plants. Development is very fast: embryos hatch about 24-26 hours after fertilisation at 25 °C, tadpoles can metamorphose in as little as 4 weeks, and generation time is about 4 months.
Step by step
Keep 1 male to 2 females; males call at night.
30 L+ tank with plants and hiding spots, gentle filter.
Cool water, then warm water and plentiful food.
Large spawns of 1,000-3,000 eggs (small, 0.7-0.8 mm); hatching in about 24-26 hours at 25 °C.
Tadpoles filter-feed on powdered spirulina or green water.
- Housing with small fish
- Open lid escapes
- Letting animals escape or be released
Male or female
Females are larger, pear-shaped, with a prominent cloaca and well-developed cloacal lobes; mature males are smaller and have dark nuptial pads on the inner forearms and fingers.
Can I breed it in my tank?
- Good for a first breeding project.
Day-by-day plan
Typical for frogs, newts and turtles
- Day 0Eggs
Needs a special setup. Read the species guide first.
A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.
Simulator: guided
Needs a special setup. Read the species guide first.
Simulator: try it yourself
Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.
- Without live or frozen food the parents aren't in breeding condition.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.