# Frogs & Toads > Aquatic Clawed Frogs >  African Dwarf Frog

## AmandaChau

Is it common for an ADF to sit outside of the water for long periods of time or is this a sign that there is something wrong with the set up?

Why I ask, I have an ADF in a 5 gallon tank and have noticed that he will sit above the filter I have in the tank with most  of his body out of the water and he will remain in this positon for at least 20 minutes.

Just a Question. He still eats and does not seem stressed just odd behavior.

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## Kurt

I have never seen any Pipid leave the water, period. Is the water too hot? Or there anything chasing him out of the water?

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## AmandaChau

He is the only one in the tank and the thermometer reads at 72

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## Kurt

Then I am clueless.

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## Terry

I have read accounts of both Xenopus (ACF) and Hymenochirus (ADF) leaving the water, especially at night, to feed. Although, under normal circumstances, there is no need for pipids to leave the water. When their home pond dries up, Xenopus will often migrate long distances over land. It is clear that this behavior represents a considerable advantage for the colonization of new habitats. Pipids are indeed tough animals and can survive extreme conditions.

In a captive environment, the frog is probably searching for a midnight snack  :Smile:  I also understand that some pipids, especially Sillurana, like to rest on plastic lily pads and bask. Make sure you provide some hiding places for your ADF.

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## phoebe froggy

one of mine does this too,sits on top of the filter with his head out of the water  :EEK!:

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## Spoket

> one of mine does this too,sits on top of the filter with his head out of the water


They can do that, i think they are waiting for some insect to fall down into the water or they are just relaxing  :Smile:

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## Geoff

Amanda and Phoebe, are the tops of your filters flat and level, or just slightly below, the water's surface with the frog's back slightly arched downwards so that their heads protrude just above the water? If so, I doubt that it's anything to be concerned about. It's one aspect of _Hymenochirus_ behaviour that's been documented and is referred to as "burbling" because the frogs seem to gulp air at intervals. Under more natural conditions the frogs do this floating on top of vegetation at the water surface.

Alternatively, if what I've described above is different to what you're observing and the frogs are completely out of the water then there are a couple of other possible reasons I can think of for them behaving that way. The first one is that the filter might be too powerful for the volume of water. I've posted about this elsewhere on this board at: http://www.frogforum.net/aquatic-cla...e-filters.html

The only other circumstance I can think of when  _Hymenochirus_ frogs are inclined to try and leave the water is when there is something seriously wrong with the water and they try frantically to try and climb out the tank - but I doubt that's the case from what you've described.

(The paper in which "burbling" is described is: _On the behavior and breeding biology of the African pipid frog Hymenochirus boettgeri by G. B. Rabb and M. S. Rabb (1963)_)

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## FrogmanGav

> Amanda and Phoebe, are the tops of your filters flat and level, or just slightly below, the water's surface with the frog's back slightly arched downwards so that their heads protrude just above the water? If so, I doubt that it's anything to be concerned about. It's one aspect of _Hymenochirus_ behaviour that's been documented and is referred to as "burbling" because the frogs seem to gulp air at intervals. Under more natural conditions the frogs do this floating on top of vegetation at the water surface.
> 
> Alternatively, if what I've described above is different to what you're observing and the frogs are completely out of the water then there are a couple of other possible reasons I can think of for them behaving that way. The first one is that the filter might be too powerful for the volume of water. I've posted about this elsewhere on this board at: http://www.frogforum.net/aquatic-cla...e-filters.html
> 
> The only other circumstance I can think of when  _Hymenochirus_ frogs are inclined to try and leave the water is when there is something seriously wrong with the water and they try frantically to try and climb out the tank - but I doubt that's the case from what you've described.
> 
> (The paper in which "burbling" is described is: _On the behavior and breeding biology of the African pipid frog Hymenochirus boettgeri by G. B. Rabb and M. S. Rabb (1963)_)




I think that's your answer pretty much covered.  This is why I use the forum. Kudos to Geoff

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## Jen

When I kept ADF it was not uncommon for them to perch ontop of the filter or ontop of a floating log I had in the tank.

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## jbrock

that looks like a clawed frog Jen

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