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AmphibianTerrestrialEasy
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Punctate Reed Frog
Hyperolius nasutus
The Spotted Reed Frog is an elegant, diminutive acrobat native to South African marshes. Adorned with delicate spots, this agile climber favors tall reeds and requires high humidity to stay hydrated.
Class:Amphibia
Order:Anura
Family:Hyperoliidae
Genus:Hyperolius
Species:Hyperolius nasutus
Formerly known as:Hyperolius punctatus
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
60 - 85 %
Day temperature
26 - 29 °C
Night temperature
22 - 24 °C
Ambient temperature
26 - 29 °C
Minimum enclosure
>= 45 L
UVB
Low
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Widespread across the coastal bushlands, marshes, reed beds, and humid wetlands of eastern South Africa and Mozambique. They sleep attached to tall reed stalks or Papyrus leaves.
Taxonomy and Genetics: A tiny frog reaching 2.5–3 cm in adult length. Elegant, slender body with large adhesive toe pads. The dorsal color is a translucent apple-green or olive-green decorated with fine black, brown, or red spots. The belly is white and translucent.
Behavior and Habits: Strictly nocturnal and arboreal. During the day, they press themselves flat against leaves to hide. At night, they emerge to hunt, and males call with high-pitched, metallic trills near breeding pools.
Morphology: Females are larger and stockier when gravid. Males are smaller and possess a yellow or pale green vocal sac under the throat that appears wrinkled when deflated.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: A vertical vivarium (minimum 45x45x60 cm) with live plants such as Papyrus, tall reeds, and broad-leafed plants (Pothos) is required. A large shallow water section with clean, dechlorinated water must be included.
Lighting and Heating: Keep daytime temperatures at 26–29°C, dropping to 22–24°C at night. Provide a low-level (2–5%) UVB source. Ensure good airflow to avoid stagnant heat.
Humidity and Hydration: Maintain high humidity of 70–80%. Mist the enclosure thoroughly with dechlorinated water every evening. Good ventilation is critical to prevent skin infections.
Feeding and Supplementation: Strictly insectivorous. Feed tiny insects such as fruit flies, micro-crickets, and small moths. Dust prey with calcium and vitamin D3 three times a week.
Compatibility: Completely peaceful and gregarious. Can be housed in small groups of similar-sized individuals. Avoid cohabitation with larger, predatory species.
Health and Common Diseases: Highly delicate. Vulnerable to chemical toxicity from soap residues; handle only with wet, clean hands or gloves. Poor hygiene can lead to fatal bacterial red leg syndrome.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Widespread across the coastal bushlands, marshes, reed beds, and humid wetlands of eastern South Africa and Mozambique. They sleep attached to tall reed stalks or Papyrus leaves.
Origin
Selective breeding and cultivarsNorth AmericaAfrica and MadagascarEurope, Mediterranean, and West Asia
Amphibian profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 2.6 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Toxicity
- No verified data available
- Life stage
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 2.6 cm. The AmphiBIO v1 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 2.6 cm for this species, recorded as snout–vent length (SVL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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