Common Surinam toad

The species is omnivorous. Its diet consists mostly of invertebrates, such as worms, insects,[5][6] crustaceans and small fishes. The toad has sensory organs in the fingertips which help them catch their prey. [3]

Suriname toads are best known for their reproductive habits. Unlike the majority of toads, the males of this species do not attract mates with croaks and other sounds often associated with these aquatic animals. Instead, they produce a sharp clicking sound by snapping the hyoid bone in their throats.[7] The clicking sound resembles metallic noises. The average rate of these clicks is four clicks per second, consisting of blocks of 10 to 20 seconds per period. [8] Thereafter, the male will grab the front legs of the female, causing the clochea and the skin of the female to swell, this is called the amplexus. [9] The partners rise from the floor while in amplexus and flip through the water in arcs. The couple will swim around in the water until they have to swim to the surface to catch their breath. Afterwards, they will swim back down to the bottom of the water. There the male will lay on his back, with the female on top of him on her stomach. [10] During each arc, the female releases 3 to 10 eggs, which get embedded in the skin on her back by the male's movements, this can happen up to ten times. [9] After implantation, the eggs sink into the skin and form pockets over a period of several days, eventually taking on the appearance of an irregular honeycomb. The embryos develop through to the tadpole stage inside these pockets. The young toads grow a tail during their growth, however these will only be temporary because they will need the tail for inhaling oxygen. After 12 to 20 weeks, the young toads will hatch as small toads and they look identical to their parents. It takes a while for them to grow bigger since they are only 25 mm long when they are born. [3] Once they have emerged from their mother's back, the toads begin a largely solitary life. After giving birth to the new toads, the mother slowly sheds the thin layer of skin that was used to birth them, and can begin the cycle again.

When two males encounter each other during the mating season, there is a possibility that the two males will fight. The toads nearly press their snout to the chest or throat of the other male. During the conflict, both males make single clicks to each other, which resembles the sound that they normally use during the breeding. If the toads have eye contact, they make a rapid series of these clicks. This process shows no visible movement of the vocal system. [8]

After some time, they will return to swimming, but will never lose contact with one another. One toad swims above the other very closely, touching his enemy with only the front limbs. The fight between males may be long-lasting. Eventually, one of the males bites the other male and this is supposed to be the end of their encounter, although they do not always give up the fight. [8]

It may happen that the male that loses the battle does not give up and disturbs the breeding pair itself, even during reproduction. [8]