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

## NiaCas

Hi all!  I have an ADF coming Thursday (tomorrow now - It's 1:30am. Sleep's over rated :P) and I'm setting up the tank. It's an already established 10 gallon tank. I moved the fish I had in it to a bigger tank. All the water levels are good, and I'm just working on the plants. The new frog will have a betta friend. The cave I've got for the betta is woven out of lucky bamboo, so some of it would be above water. I've been reading a lot of mixed opinions online about whether an ADF would try to escape the tank. Some say they've never had a problem keeping ADFs in open tanks, and some said that they'll jump out, but that keeping the water an inch or two below the fill level will be fine, but do you think he'd climb on the plant and try to escape? Has anyone had experience with an ADF jumping out of a tank? Since they're fully aquatic, it seems an odd thing to do although that doesn't mean much since my African Butterfly Fish would jump every time the lid came off if I let him lol.

If I need to, I know how to cut off the tops of the lucky bamboo and seal the stalk so that it'll stay healthy. I'll still keep the top above the water about an inch or two, but it'll be short enough to keep the lid on the tank. Another thought I had was getting some mesh to go over the tank and cutting a hole in it just big enough to fit around the plant. Any thoughts, opinions, or advice would be great!

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## Tongue Flicker

They can jump out if startled but they certainly won't climb a vertically placed plant unless the leaves are on the water surface where they can use it as leverage to jump out.

As for the lucky bamboo, as long you cut just below or above a node/segment then it should be fine and root in as fast as a week or two weeks

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## Tank Girl

I had an ADF when I was a child that probably jumped out. My dad left the tank lid off just one night and that was all it took for the frog to disappear. Although we never found it, we had to assume it had escaped. This MAY have been a story to stop me being upset about my frog dying or something though  :Wink: 

There is a small hole in the lid of my tank that I have taped up just in case, maybe I'm being too wary?

The frog will probably like to sit on objects that are by the water's surface and poke its nose out. One of my frogs in particular enjoys this, whenever I take water out to do a change he climbs straight onto the highest log and sits with his whole head out for a little while   :Big Grin:   That's the closest I've come to seeing one willingly exit the water.

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## Amy

We lost an ADF once out of a tank with only about a 1 inch opening in the back.  Found the little guy behind the tank and he had passed on  :Frown:   I personally wouldn't recommend it, but I know a lot of people have no issue.

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## Michael

These frogs can/will escape if possible. The only way for prevent escape is to lower the water enough and/or have a secure lid, I would recommend you do both.

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## NiaCas

Thanks all  :Smile:  I think I'll try using the same kind of mesh I have over the tank I have my African Butterfly Fish in. Although I have that under a lid for extra security during feeding time and plant rearrangement, I can make the mesh pretty tight and it should be good enough for the frogs. The lucky bamboo's pretty used to being pressed against and tied together for shaping, so I can make the mesh snug around the top of the plant and keep an eye on the little guys. If I notice any funny business I'll go and buy a new lid since mine has a gap for the filter anyway - more than a 1 inch gap  :Frown: 
Thanks for the advice guys! Although I only ordered 1 frog, I received 2 and they're just cute as can be  :Smile:  I remember always begging my mom for a little frog when we'd go to a store called Zainy Brainy - store full of educational toys and stuff for kids including a shelf of ADFs in 1 gallon tanks - and she'd always say no! So about 10+ years later I've got a couple little dream frogs in my tank  :Joyous:

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## Strider18

I would use a cover personally. It seems to me that most frogs are escape artists and will escape if given the oppurtunity.

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## Tank Girl

> Thanks all  I think I'll try using the same kind of mesh I have over the tank I have my African Butterfly Fish in. Although I have that under a lid for extra security during feeding time and plant rearrangement, I can make the mesh pretty tight and it should be good enough for the frogs. The lucky bamboo's pretty used to being pressed against and tied together for shaping, so I can make the mesh snug around the top of the plant and keep an eye on the little guys. If I notice any funny business I'll go and buy a new lid since mine has a gap for the filter anyway - more than a 1 inch gap 
> Thanks for the advice guys! Although I only ordered 1 frog, I received 2 and they're just cute as can be  I remember always begging my mom for a little frog when we'd go to a store called Zainy Brainy - store full of educational toys and stuff for kids including a shelf of ADFs in 1 gallon tanks - and she'd always say no! So about 10+ years later I've got a couple little dream frogs in my tank


Yay! They're going to be worth the wait, they're such adorable little creatures. Real happy for you and your new buddies  :Frog Smile:

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## dano4691

I have had my 7 ADF's for over a year and don't use the mesh lid that I have for my tank and I have never had a problem with any jumping out of my tank my water is kept about 2 inches from the top of the tank .

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