Fieldwork published in 2019 documented three kinds of nest along Cameroonian rivers: cleared rock pools, existing depressions scoured of leaf litter and debris, and basins excavated in gravel with a rim of pushed-up stones. In each case the effect is a calm pool separated from the main current, where eggs and tadpoles are less likely to be swept away or eaten by river fish.
Some of the stones shifted weighed close to two kilograms, comparable to an adult frog's own mass. Adults were observed at nests overnight, consistent with guarding, though the extent and duration of parental attendance is not well quantified.
The finding partly explains the species' size. Nest construction rewards physical strength, which may have contributed to selection for large body size, though this remains a hypothesis rather than a demonstrated cause. Conraua goliath is classed as Endangered, with hunting for meat, collection and the loss of forested river habitat the main pressures, and its total range is very small.