12 African Dwarf Frog Health Problems [And Treatment]

Your little aquatic friend is acting weird, and you’re freaking out.

I get it.

One day they’re happily zooming around the tank, and the next they’re floating at the surface like a deflated balloon or developing weird white spots that make them look like they rolled in cotton candy.

Here’s the thing about African dwarf frogs—they’re pretty tough, but when things go wrong, they go wrong fast.

I’m going to walk you through the 12 most common health problems these little guys face, what causes them, and what you can actually do about it. No PhD required, just real talk about keeping your frog healthy.

Before We Dive In: The Real Talk

Look, I’m not a vet, and neither is Google.

This guide is based on the latest scientific research and real experiences from frog keepers, but if your frog is seriously sick, get it to an exotic animal vet. Not your regular vet who mostly sees cats and dogs—someone who actually knows amphibians.

That said, let’s get into it.

Why Do African Dwarf Frogs Get Sick Anyway?

Most frog health problems boil down to three things:

Crappy water quality. Your frog is literally swimming in its toilet. If the water’s gross, they’re going to get sick.

Stress. Wrong temperature, aggressive tank mates, or a tank that’s too small all stress your frog out, and stressed frogs = sick frogs.

Contaminated frogs from pet stores. A lot of frogs come from suppliers already carrying diseases like chytrid fungus. It’s like bringing home a sick kid from daycare—it’s going to spread.

Now let’s get into the specific problems.

If African Dwarf Frogs piqued your interest, this article will take you even further. African Dwarf Frog Bloated: Dropsy or Overfeeding?

Diagnosis, Causes, And Treatment Of Infectious Diseases Of African Dwarf Frogs

The Big 12: African Dwarf Frog Health Problems

1. Red-Leg Syndrome (The Serial Killer)

What it looks like: Your frog’s belly and legs turn red or pink, like someone’s drawing on them with a highlighter.

This is bacterial septicemia, usually caused by Aeromonas hydrophila—a nasty bacteria that’s floating around in dirty water.

Other signs:

• Extreme lethargy (like, won’t move even when you tap the glass)
• Serious weight loss
• Open sores that won’t heal
• Bleeding in severe cases
• Just… looking miserable

What causes it: Dirty water, stress, poor diet, overcrowding. Basically anything that weakens their immune system.

Treatment:

Isolate the sick frog immediately. This stuff spreads.

Early stages can be treated with antibacterial baths, but you’ll probably need actual antibiotics from a vet. We’re talking enrofloxacin or similar heavy-duty stuff.

Change at least 25% of the water every three days.

Add aquarium salt (1/4 tablespoon per gallon) but be careful—these are freshwater frogs and too much salt will kill them faster than the disease.

Prognosis: Caught early, your frog might make it. Caught late? Not great odds.

2. Dropsy (The Balloon Disease)

What it looks like: Your frog suddenly looks like it swallowed a marble. The whole body swells up, not just the belly.

This is fluid retention gone wrong. The frog’s lymphatic system stops draining properly, and fluid builds up in the body cavity.

Signs:

• Sudden, extreme bloating
• Lethargy
• Loss of appetite
• Floating at the top of the tank (not by choice)
• Pain (they’ll stay at the bottom and barely move)

What causes it:

This is where it gets messy. Dropsy can be caused by:

• Bacterial infection (most common)
• Kidney failure from vitamin toxicity
• Wrong water hardness (African dwarf frogs come from hard water—if you’re using distilled water, stop)
• Swallowing substrate (sand or gravel that messes up their insides)

Treatment:

First, figure out WHY they’re bloated. Is it bacteria? Diet? Water quality?

For bacterial dropsy:

• Quarantine immediately
• Completely sterilize the main tank with 10% bleach solution
• Boil all decorations
• Replace filter media
• Use a three-stage filtration system going forward
• Add antibiotics (Maracyn 2 or E.M. Erythromycin)
• Some people have success with Epsom salt baths (1 teaspoon per gallon) for fluid relief

The hard truth: Dropsy is usually fatal. Even if you drain the fluid (which ONLY a vet can do), the underlying organ damage often remains.

Some frogs live for months with dropsy. Others die within days. It’s brutal and unpredictable.

Never try to drain the frog yourself. You’ll just kill it faster.

3. Chytrid Fungus (The Amphibian Apocalypse)

This is the big one. Chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) has wiped out entire frog species in the wild.

In the pet trade? It’s everywhere.

What it looks like:

• White, fuzzy patches on the skin (like someone sprinkled flour on your frog)
• Skin shedding in pieces instead of one clean sheet
• Rough, bumpy skin texture
• Reddish discoloration
• The frog constantly trying to “scratch” itself on tank decorations

Other signs:

• Excessive shedding
• Skin ulcers
• Loss of appetite
• Hiding all the time
• Weak, floppy movements
• Floating or loss of balance

What causes it: Usually comes from infected frogs you bring home from pet stores. The fungus can survive in tap water for 3-4 weeks, so it spreads like wildfire.

Fun fact: African clawed frogs can carry chytrid without getting sick, then spread it to your dwarf frogs who will absolutely die from it.

Treatment:

Early stages:

• Benzalkonium chloride baths (2 mg/liter, every three days for six treatments)
• Itraconazole (get this from a vet or pet store)
• Some people use diluted hydrogen peroxide (75%) or Lamisil (10 squirts in 400-500ml water)
• Malachite green 2% once daily

Critical info: Research shows benzalkonium chloride reduces mortality in African dwarf frogs to 3% compared to 74% in untreated frogs. That’s huge.

Prevention: Quarantine ALL new frogs for at least 8 weeks. During quarantine, do preventative Lamisil baths.

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4. Fungal Infections (General)

Not all fungal infections are chytrid, but they’re all bad news.

What it looks like:

• White cottony patches (the hallmark sign)
• Wrinkly, poor-looking skin
• Skin peeling off in tatters
• Loss of appetite

Common types:

• Saprolegniasis: Opportunistic water mold
• Zygomycosis: Causes nodules on skin and redness in abdomen
• Chromomycoses: Rare but nasty

Treatment:

• Pimafix is safe for African dwarf frogs and works against both fungus and bacteria.
• For severe cases, use proper antifungal medications like itraconazole or malachite green.
• Always quarantine the sick frog.

5. Mycobacteriosis (Fish TB for Frogs)

Caused by Mycobacterium species, this usually hits injured frogs with weakened immune systems.

Signs:

• Non-healing open sores
• Weight loss
• Lumps and bumps under the skin
• Skin discoloration
• Swollen body
• Cloudy eyes

Treatment:

• Antibiotics like clarithromycin, rifampin, or azithromycin—but ONLY from a vet.
• Some vets might recommend amputation if just one limb is infected.
• Keep the tank pristine clean to prevent spread.

6. Viral Infections (No Cure, Just Hope)

Ranaviruses are bad news because there’s no cure.

Signs:

• Weird swimming behavior
• Strange body posture
• Lethargy
• Swollen abdomen and thighs
• Skin discoloration and redness
• Bleeding from mouth and anus

What to do:

• Quarantine the sick frog immediately.
• Disinfect the entire tank with 3-5% bleach solution.
• Cross your fingers. Seriously, that’s it. No treatment exists.

7. Parasitic Infections

Types:

• Rhabdiasis
• Filariasis
• Strongyloidiasis
• Pseudocapillaroides (skin-burrowing roundworms)

Signs:

• Getting skinnier despite eating
• Thick, crusty skin
• Edema (swelling)
• Loss of interest in food
• Lumps on the body
• Difficulty moving

Treatment:

Antiparasitics like Doxycycline or Diethylcarbamazine from a vet.

For skin-burrowing worms, ivermectin or levamisole baths work.

8. Cloudy Eyes

Healthy frogs have clear, bright eyes. Cloudy eyes mean something’s wrong.

Causes:

• Weak immune system
• Poor water quality
• Bacterial infection

Treatment:

• Clean, fresh water with proper parameters (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5-25 nitrate).
• Slightly salty water can help (but not too much—they’re freshwater frogs).
• Feed a proper diet with good supplements.
• If there are other bacterial infection signs, you’ll need antibiotics from a vet.

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9. Bumps, Lumps, and Growths

Random bumps can be:

• Fungal infection (white and fluffy)
• Bacterial infection (red and inflamed)
• Abscess from infected wounds
• Tumor or cyst
• Tapeworm larvae (yes, really)

What to do:

• Monitor it for a few days.
• Sometimes small bumps heal on their own.
• If it gets white and fluffy = fungal infection, treat with antifungals.
• If it’s red and swollen = bacterial infection, treat with antibiotics.
• If it doesn’t go away or gets bigger, see a vet.

10. Floating or Staying at the Top

Occasional floating is normal—they’re just chilling and breathing.

Constant floating or desperately trying to escape the tank? Problem.

Causes:

• Dropsy
• Overfeeding
• Poor water conditions
• Lack of energy
• Stress from incompatible tank mates
• The tank environment sucks

What to do:

• Check water parameters immediately.
• If they’re bloated, see dropsy section above.
• Make sure the temperature is right (72-78°F).
• Check if tank mates are bullying them.

11. Skin Peeling

Normal: African dwarf frogs shed their skin while growing. It comes off in one clean piece, and they usually eat it (weird but normal).

Not normal: Skin coming off in tatters, pieces everywhere, looks fuzzy or cottony.

Abnormal peeling causes:

• Fungal infection (usually chytrid)
• High ammonia/nitrite levels
• Sudden water parameter changes
• Wrong water temperature

Treatment:

• If it’s normal shedding, do nothing.
• If it’s abnormal, treat for fungal infection and fix water quality immediately.

12. White Knees/White Spots

White spots or knees are usually fungal infection symptoms.

Check for other signs like fuzzy patches and broken shedding.

Treat as fungal infection (see above).

The Salmonella Situation (For You, Not The Frog)

Real quick: African dwarf frogs can carry Salmonella.

Between 2008-2011, there was a major outbreak—376 people got sick, mostly kids under 10. 29% were hospitalized.

How to not get sick:

• Wash your hands after touching the frog or tank
• Don’t clean the tank in the kitchen sink (seriously, don’t)
• Don’t clean it in the bathroom sink either (your toothbrush is there)
• Don’t let kids under 5 handle frogs unsupervised
• Keep frogs away from immunocompromised people

Want the inside track on African Dwarf Frogs? This post is your go-to guide. Do African Dwarf Frogs Jump Out Of Water? 7 Reasons Why

Prevention: Stop Problems Before They Start

Quarantine new frogs for 8 weeks minimum. This stops diseases like chytrid from infecting your whole tank.

Keep the tank properly cycled. An uncycled tank = ammonia spikes = dead frogs.

Don’t overfeed. Overfeeding causes water quality issues and health problems.

Avoid bloodworms. They can carry parasites and some frogs can’t digest them properly, leading to bloat and death.

Proper tank size. Minimum 10 gallons for two frogs. Those tiny 3.5-gallon “frog kits” are death traps.

Compatible tank mates only. No aggressive fish, no turtles, no crayfish.

When to Panic (And Call a Vet)

Go to a vet immediately if:

• Your frog is bleeding
• Extreme bloating appears suddenly
• The frog can’t swim to the surface for air
• There are white fuzzy patches spreading rapidly
• The frog hasn’t eaten in 10+ days
• Multiple frogs are dying
• Any sign of red-leg syndrome

Find a vet who specializes in exotic pets/amphibians BEFORE you need one.

If Your Frog Dies

Don’t flush it.

If your frog died from a disease, flushing sends that disease into local waterways where it can infect wild amphibians.

Wrap it in a paper towel and throw it in the trash. It will dry out and destroy the pathogens.

If you want to know what killed it, keep it in water and call an exotic vet who can test it.

Bottom Line

African dwarf frogs are delicate.

They hide illness well until it’s almost too late.

Your best defense is prevention: clean water, proper temperature, good diet, and quarantine new arrivals.

Watch your frogs daily. Know what’s normal for them. Catch problems early.

And remember—when in doubt, get professional help. These little guys deserve a fighting chance.

Got a sick frog? How did it turn out? Drop a comment below and share your experience—it might help another frog owner.