Frogs are lean, green hunting machines! They are versatile predators whose flexible diet enables them to thrive in most environments, from the land and sea to the treetops and deserts.
While frogs’ diets primarily consist of insects, they will also eat just about anything else they can get their little hands on!
But do frogs eat shrimp?
Some frogs are capable of eating shrimp, and other crustaceans, they eat anything they can fit in their mouths. If a frog has the opportunity to eat shrimp, it will! However, frogs and shrimp do not share a habitat in the wild. Shrimp are also very fast and can easily outmaneuver a frog!
Here’s what you need to know about frogs’ ability to eat shrimp. We’ll even talk about how to feed shrimp to your pet frog, and whether you can keep shrimp with frogs in harmony.
3 Reasons Why Frogs Eat Shrimp
Some frogs will eat shrimp if they are given the chance. Let’s talk about why shrimp are on the menu!
Reason 1: They Eat Anything That They Can Fit In Their Mouths
Frogs are opportunistic ambush predators. While their diets primarily consist of things like insects and spiders, they may also eat worms, fish like guppies, other frogs or tadpoles, and even small mammals!
A frog’s diet is limited only by its ability and the size of its mouth.
So, yes, frogs eat shrimp –  if they can catch it and can fit it in their mouths!
Reason 2: They Eat Other Crustaceans
Some frogs dine on crabs, crawfish, and other small crustaceans, so it makes sense that frogs eat shrimp, too.
Crawfish frogs, which get their name from inhabiting crayfish burrows for most of the year, often eat crayfish. These terrestrial frogs eat whatever little creatures pass by their burrows – which include crayfish, of course.
Furthermore, crayfish and other small crustaceans also make up part of the diet of the American bullfrog – another infamously voracious predator. Captive bullfrogs can also be fed live crayfish – but this should be done sparingly and with great care!
Reason 3: They Have The Opportunity
If a frog encounters a shrimp, there is a very good chance that the shrimp will be consumed. Frogs eat shrimp if they have the opportunity.
If a frog is kept in the same aquarium as small shrimp or fed shrimp with tongs, the frog will likely attempt to eat the shrimp. In the wild, many frogs do not eat shrimp simply because they don’t encounter them, but we’ll talk about that next!
2 Reasons Why Frogs May Not Eat Shrimp
Shrimp is typically not included in frogs’ natural diets. Insects, worms, fish, frogs, mice, crayfish – all of these prey items are relatively common in the diet of frogs. Why don’t all frogs eat shrimp?
The vast majority of shrimp live in saltwater environments. Due to their highly permeable skin, no frog can survive in full saltwater. The crab-eating frog, another frog that eats crustaceans, can tolerate up to 75% seawater by altering the level of urea in its body, which prevents water loss.
Even the mighty crab-eating frog cannot survive in the ocean, which is where most shrimp are found.
There are, of course, freshwater shrimp, but they tend to be larger than saltwater shrimp and would be difficult for most frogs to eat, even if they did come across them.
Reason 2: Shrimp Are Fast
While they don’t have fins, shrimp are fast! When they are feeling threatened, shrimp are capable of shooting through the water at surprising speeds – the mantis shrimp can swim as fast as 30 body lengths per second!
Of course, not all shrimp are this fast, but they can still move quickly enough to stay out of the reach of frogs.
Shrimp swim by rapidly pulling their abdomens toward their backs. They also have small appendages on their abdomens called pleopods or swimmerets. By fluttering their swimmerets, shrimp can make a quick getaway, cruise along the substrate, or swim through open water.
Because they can move so quickly, shrimp can be difficult prey for frogs. Frogs eat shrimp – if they can catch them!
How Do I Feed Shrimp To My Frog?
If you are curious about how to supplement your frog’s diet with shrimp, look no further!
Small shrimp can be found in most pet stores in frozen or freeze-dried varieties. However, frozen shrimp retains more nutrients than freeze-dried shrimp. You can purchase frozen or freeze-dried cubes of brine shrimp or mysis shrimp.
To feed frozen brine or mysis shrimp to your aquatic frog, thaw out the shrimp in a small amount of tank water. Then, present your frog with their treat using a pipet, turkey baster, or tongs!
For larger frogs, like a Pacman frog or bullfrog, your best option is to buy freshly frozen shrimp at the grocery store. Thaw out the shrimp and remove the shell before feeding it to your frog. Make sure you don’t feed them too big of a piece!
It is important to note that supermarket shrimp can spoil quickly, even when frozen, and can introduce nasty bacteria to your frog.
While frogs eat shrimp, there are plenty of other options that they will enjoy just as much!
Consult your veterinarian before attempting to feed your frog any new food.
Can I keep Frogs With Shrimp?
Perhaps are looking to keep dwarf shrimp – like Cherry shrimp – with a frog. It can be risky.
The only frogs that shrimp have a chance to live with are African dwarf frogs. Other aquatic frogs, like African clawed frogs, are much too large and will make a meal of your little shrimpy friends!
African dwarf frogs, like other frogs, are opportunistic predators and will eat anything that they can fit in their mouths. Reaching up to 3 inches long, African dwarf frogs will try to eat shrimp. Baby and juvenile shrimp are at the biggest risk. However, ADFs have poor eyesight, and shrimp are fast! There is a chance they won’t be able to catch them.
Adult shrimp are typically safe from all but the largest African dwarf frogs.
To increase your shrimps’ chances of survival, make sure your ADFs are well-fed! Offer a diverse diet of commercial pellets and frozen foods to ensure that your frogs are getting all of their nutrition.
You can also make sure that your tank has lots of hiding places for your shrimp. This is especially important for the survival of baby shrimp!
With some extra caution and attention, African dwarf frogs can live with dwarf shrimp, as long as you are okay with some baby shrimp supplementing your frog’s diet.
As you can see in the video above, the African dwarf frogs are peacefully coexisting with their shrimpy tank mates. They seem far more interested in the delicious meal of bloodworms than in the shrimp. Also, notice the large number of plants in the aquarium; the shrimp have plenty of hiding places and a greater chance of survival.
Conclusion
A frog’s diet is limited only by the size of its mouth and its ability to catch its prey. Frogs eat shrimp if they are given the opportunity.
In the wild, most frogs do not encounter shrimp and so they aren’t a natural source of food for them.
Aquatic frogs like African dwarf frogs love frozen shrimp like brine shrimp and mysis shrimp, even though they don’t encounter them in the wild. With the approval of your veterinarian, you may give your large frog some frozen shrimp as a treat.
While it is fun to vary your frog’s diet, their health and safety always come first! Make sure any changes to your frog’s diet are appropriate for their species and individual nutritional needs.
