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Young albino frog... ID, hlth. 9/10/09 Re: Young albino frog 9/11/09 HELP!! Frog hlth. 10/6/08 Temperature for
ADFs/Betta 1/30/07 <Hi Betty> Thanks so much for
your prompt response! <No problem.> I'm so glad I
found your web site so I could finally get some much needed
information. I've read a lot of the letters on your site
and I agree that pet stores don't give you much info on dwarf
frogs. They have books on all kinds of fish, but I've
never seen a book only about dwarf frogs. And that's a
real shame since they make such nice pets. <But there are lots of
websites:
http://allaboutfrogs.org/info/mypets/dwarfs.html
http:// Can African Dwarf Frogs Get Ich? 1/29/07 <Hi Betty, Pufferpunk here> I'm a beginner with aquatic pets, so I need all the help I can get. It all started when my little terrier got hit and killed by a car last March. <Awww... that's so sad. #1 cause of doggie death is getting run over.> That left me pet-less for the first time in 16 years. So for my birthday last June, my co-worker gave me a male Betta (named Flash) which I keep in a 2 1/2 gallon aquarium with some gravel and a few live plants. A few weeks later, I was in the pet store asking what I could put in the tank with Flash to keep him company and the store worker suggested the ADFs. That sounded good to me, especially since I have a particular affection for reptiles and amphibians. <Not really enough room for more animals in there.> So I bought a couple of tiny ADFs (named Slim and Chance, because that's what I thought the odds were of them staying alive under my care). But when I put them in Flash's tank, he started nipping at them, so I quickly removed them and put them in their own tank. <Good> They now reside in a five-gallon aquarium with a Whisper filter, a few plants, a couple of "houses" and a smooth pebble substrate. <Perfect size for just the 2 frogs & nothing else.> But I couldn't leave well enough alone, so a few weeks ago, I purchased a couple of serpae tetras to try with Flash, with the same results, so I put them in with the frogs. <Opps!> One of the tetras started bullying the other tetra, so I sent the bully back to the pet store. Anyway, that's when I saw the neon tetras, and they looked so pretty, I ended up getting two of those and putting them in with the frogs and the serpae tetra. As it ended up, I think one of the Neons was sick when I got him, so I removed the two tetras from the frog tank and put them in a bowl. The next morning I had a dead neon but the other neon looked OK, so I went to a different store and bought a replacement neon. Then the second neon started looking like it had ich (based on what I was able to learn about it from the Internet) so I put it in its own bowl and started treating it with Quick Cure. I also took the serpae tetra and the latest neon and put them in a separate bowl. Both the Neons ended up dying, which left the serpae tetra, who now looks like he's got ich too. I've started treating him but I don't hold out much hope of curing him the way my luck is running. I can handle losing the tetra but I'm really attached to Flash, Slim and Chance. Flash appears to be doing fine, especially since I've stopped trying to find buddies for him and so far Slim and Chance look OK but I'm scared to death they'll get ich and die. <They don't get ich but can be affected by ich meds.> They've been doing great for months, and I've discovered Slim is male and Chance is female, so that's kind of neat, although if they mate, I hope they eat their babies before they leave the egg stage. I hope that doesn't make me sound cold; I just don't want more frogs. <I don't blame you. My girlfriend's did spawn & they eventually ate all the tadpoles.> So please let me know if Slim and Chance could get ich. I do frequent water changes like I'm supposed to. I don't know what else to do besides worry and pray that they make it. <Sounds like they'll do fine. Just don't add anymore fish to that small tank, especially Neons. They are a difficult fish to care for. ~PP> Betty Williams Feeding ADFs 1/23/07 <Hi, Pufferpunk here> My dad bought me a African dwarf frog but didn't buy any food. I don't live in a big town so there are no pet stores around and the next time I go out of town is in February. I have sinkable beta food and fish food but that's it. What should I feed him? <If your frog isn't interested in the pellets of flakes, you can try feeding tiny pieces of fish or shrimp. Try not to overfeed or you will pollute the tank. ~PP> Starving Frog 1/24/07 Hi Pufferpunk! <Sue> Thank you so much for your reply. I have been using the Melafix for over a week but since I started using it, the little toad hasn't eaten a thing. He/she was skinny to begin with (probably a result of the eye problem and poor water quality) but is now so emaciated that I'm afraid we will lose him/her. We had always hand fed the toad crickets "dusted" with a supplement, so he/she isn't used to any other food. Is there something I could try, like bloodworm or some kind of mixture, that might be easier to digest and could tempt our little friend to eat? I'm unsure of whether or not the toad can see, but I think he/she can sense the food, as he/she turns away when I put the cricket near his/her nose. Thanks for any suggestions you can give me! <You'll have to force-feed the lil guy. Get a syringe (no needle) & fill it with Nutrical. It is a highly concentrated vitamin/molasses mixture. It may be difficult to pry his mouth open--you may have to find a flat tool for this. Be very gentle, do not break his jaw. Feed small amounts & try not to choke him with it. Good luck. ~PP> Sue African Dwarf Frog, tetras, and ghost shrimp gang: 1/19/07 In separate 5 gallon tank with 4 tetras and 5 ghost shrimp. I understood the ghost shrimp wouldn't mess the biolevel too much, so put them in for clean up (I wanted an algae eater but didn't want anyone messing with the frog - and I knew the tank would be too small for a growing algae eater). <Good choice> First question, WHAT CAN I FEED THE FROG THAT THE OTHERS WON'T TAKE FIRST?! <Mmm, nothing> Ha, those ghost shrimp are so good at taking food even if it is right in front of the frog (one even tried to take a piece of meat from the frog's mouth!). Oh yeah, the frog is most likely male and is smaller than a quarter. I've managed to feed him dried-bloodworms (by hand), frozen brine shrimp (by hand), and ground turkey (by hand). I recently crafted a little feeder wand just for this sucker (and the salamanders) and wanted to see if any other alternatives exist. I know we aren't supposed to feed them but once a day (or two) and I've seen some people's frogs online turn to little porkers. <Yes... with shortened lifespans> I understand that they are naturally supposed to be slim since they usually skip meals so how much should I feed regularly. I wanted to try the sinking pellets but didn't want to count on them since I know the ghost shrimp will eat anything they can grab. <Mmm, won't likely eat pellets, prepared dried foods period> Damaged ADF 1/10/07 Hello, <Hi, Pufferpunk here> Your website is very helpful :) <Thank you, we try!> I recently got a dwarf African clawed frog. He was fine when I bought him but I think I might have somehow injured him when I moved him into the tank or something. He is missing most of one of his front feet. It looks a little red...and there are small pieces of the fingers left. I read that frogs will often repair themselves but I wanted to make sure this didn't sound like a bacterial infection. <Yes, should grow back. Treat with Melafix in the water & keep the tank clean.> Also, I don't know if he is behaving normally. He floats around a lot on the top...and then swims back down to the bottom for a bit...is it normal for them to hang out at the top so much? I had a couple frogs in the past and they liked to stay at the bottom and then come up for air every once in a while. Do you think something may be wrong? <Could be difficult to swim, due to the hurt foot. It should be fine after treatment. ~PP> Thanks SO much for your help :) Problem with Snails Taking Over 1/6/07 Hello.....help! <Hi Ginger, Pufferpunk here to try!> I am exhausted from hours of seemingly endless research and am now turning to you. Here's the deal: 20g. tank, 7 ADF's <African Dwarf Frogs... RMF> , 1 male Betta and a golden mystery snail. I had a live plant in with them and apparently there were snail eggs. Now, my tank is becoming infested with baby snails. <No surprise there. Always inspect live plants for snails & rinse well, to remove any eggs.> I've talked to all the pet and aquarium stores and no one has any solid suggestions or even entertainable ideas. I can't use chemicals such as "Had-A-Snail", etc. because these cannot be used with the frogs. Can't get a loach because of the Betta. There has to be a way to be free of these snails once and for all! In the meantime....I continue netting and picking them out. Thank you in advance for any assistance you can offer. <You've got it--this is pretty much all you can do. Inspect the glass/decor/filter daily, for eggs & remove promptly, along with the adults. Otherwise, take everything out, replace filter material, clean with hot water & OxyClean & recycle with Bio-Spira. ~PP> Sincerely, with Wrinkled and Cramped Fingers, Ginger <<RMF would remove the Betta and Frogs... use copper or a Loach or two for a while...>> Re: ADF's & Snail Issue. Snails & Frogs 1/7/07 Thanks so much for responding! ("Pufferpunk"??? ROFL) <Hey now... :P> After reading your response, I went back to your web site to see what snail eggs look like, as I'm clueless to what I'm to look for. I saw my letter and your response posted with the end comment that if it were you, you'd remove the Betta and frogs and "use copper or a Loach or two for a while". <I wrote that??? I said to clean out with OxyClean & hot water. maybe another Crewmember added comments? Ah, I see it now, that comment was by the great, Bob Fenner--he knows all!> <<Heeeeee! Am adding this to my resume! RMF>> Arg, I'm so concerned about stressing these dudes out. When I moved them into the bigger 20g. tank, the frogs acted like they were being killed. Although dramatic in that ADF kind of way, it was hard for me to watch their stress. <Did you dechlorinate the water? You'd think they'd love a bigger tank.> Now that I've finally got the temperature, pH and all the other intricate details balanced for these guys, the thought of temporarily moving them in order to "cure" their current home seems overwhelming. So, I must follow-up to ask...do/will the invading snails ultimately cause harm or damage to the ADF's or the Betta? Or their home? <Nope> Or are they just perpetual nuisances? <Yup> If I were to get the loaches to "clean up", what do I do with the loaches afterwards? Lastly, if I moved them out and did the copper treatment, how long should I wait to return everyone back into their home? (concerned about the fragility of the ADF's skin) <I do not suggest copper myself personally but if Bob does... See if your LFS will let you "borrow" some loaches, if that is the course you wish to go.> For such little fellows, ADF's sure require a lot of attention and care in order to make their tiny lives happy! <But they're so cute & well worth it!> Thank you again for assisting with your response, it is greatly appreciated. <No problem. ~PP> Still Pickin'.... Ginger African Frogs Died 11/01/06 Hi, I had three African Dwarf Frogs, they just died. They were fine last night and when I returned from work today they were are all the bottom of the tank covered in some sort of grey mold. < This is a fungus that feeds on dead tissue.> I checked the pH of the water and it was neutral. About a month ago, I introduced a fourth frog and two weeks ago, I noticed it was missing. I still haven't found the fourth frog. I was just curious if you had any idea as to what this could be or why they may have died. Thanks, Clio < The fourth frog probably jumped out on is dried up on the floor somewhere. The others probably died from poor water quality. Frogs don't really care about pH, but the are sensitive to poor water quality such as water with high nitrogenous waste. Check the ammonia, nitrites and especially the nitrates.-Chuck> Fungusy Frog 10/10/06 Hey there, I'm writing again! I just wanted to say thanks for all your help first--this website is great. <Thanks, Jess! Pufferpunk here> My question is concerning one of my African Dwarf Frogs. I bought 2 of them about a month ago, & they've been doing extremely well in my tank (active, eating well, clear eyes, etc.). However, about a week ago I noticed that the color of one of my frogs was lightening. When I bought it, it was brown & speckled, but now it's a light, grayish speckled color. It's still eating normally, & it's still pretty active, but I've also noticed about 2 days ago that there's 1 or 2 little cotton-like & cloudy growths coming from its lower abdomen/leg area. I'm not really sure if the frog's just shedding or something, but I'm worried because its eyes are slightly cloudy (though I wasn't sure if that has something to do with it changing colors). Should I treat the tank (which also contains livebearers, tetra, & a Gold Inca Snail) with some kind of anti-fungal or anti-bacterial treatment? & if it does have some kind of bacterial infection, does that have something to do with its transformation of color over the last week or so? (It started transforming colors well before the cotton-like growth appeared.) & one last question: My other frog remains completely normal at this point. Is it going to be okay if something is wrong with frog #1? <Frogs can change from light to dark & they do shed. It couldn't hurt to try using some Melafix in his water, just to be sure. It's totally natural. ~PP> Thanks a lot & hope to hear from you guys soon! --Jess Help- African dwarf frog with curled toes. Nutritional deficiency likely 10/3/06 I am very impressed with your site. I would appreciate some help if you can. I've had my African dwarf frog for about a year. It's fingers and toes have been slowly but severely curling. <Interesting...> It looks as if it is holding a small ball in both hands. The back feet look as if they were holding a pencil. The frog can still swim just fine, but it can't straighten it's fingers or toes at all anymore. <Am wondering what would cause such a "clubbing" of feet?> It lives in a 5 gallon tank with goldfish. <Oh...> I feed it tadpole bites <...> and it also eats the fish's flake food. Wouldn't want to have an uncomfortable frog-any ideas? Thank you, Jennifer <Likely a nutritional deficiency at play here... need more (animal source, Tryptophan, Lyseine, Threonine...) source protein, and vitamins than the foods you've supplied. Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/amphibfdgfaqs.htm Bob Fenner> Problem: Substantial amount of film extending outward several millimeters with an almost halo-like translucence, not cottony at all, on African Dwarf Frogs lower bodies, <... mycete...> on body of at least one Malaysian Trumpet snail, <Odd... same> on shells of apple snails and also covering plants, driftwood and filter <This, likely something else> Water test results: Ammonia= 0, nitrate= 0, nitrites= 0, PH= 7.2, Temp= 74F, current alkalinity =<40, water hardness=150. Setup: 10 gallon with Aqua Clear filter for 20 gallon, 2 African Dwarf Frogs, several small Malaysian Trumpet Snails, 1 Ramshorn snail, 2 mystery snails, approx 20 live plants/moss. I was unfortunately locked out of my apartment for about three days. During this time a new addition African Dwarf Frog, who had been quarantined before introduction into my tank, died. I removed the corpse <Likely the source of the opportunistic fungus, stress, diminished environmental quality here> and did a 100% water change. <Best to avoid such wholesale changes if possible, practical> At the same time I changed my silica sand substrate, which had been accumulating a black mold and put in a thin, 1/3 inch, layer of calcium carbonate and well placed pebble piles to hold down the plants. After all of the disruption my filter became clogged and was working less than adequately for 1-2 days until fixed. A nearly invisible thread-like algae sprung up throughout the aquarium almost overnight but disappeared once the filter was working properly. <Is/was a mix of microbes... from the loss of biological stability, "cycling"> Ammonia/Nitrite levels stayed at zero. I noticed the algae like substance remained on and was covering the lower bodies of both frogs and one may have had slight pop-eye (could be my imagination). They started and have continued to shed their skins. There may also be a difference in their dropping, possibly longer and stringier. Also noticed today that long stringy dropping was sticking to the tail of the female. I removed the carbon from my filter, added 1tsp of salt <Good> and started and completed the five day treatment with Maracyn 2 adding another tsp of salt on the third day. The filmy clear beard-halo went away for a day and came back. I began today the five day treatment for Maracyn as well as the first of two (dosage as recommended on packaging for scaleless fish) treatments of APPLUS Anti-Fungus (active ingredients Malachite Green and Acriflavine Hydrochloride) <... I would not use this here> I am confused whether this is Columnaris because it is all over the tank and is not white. <What? Stop! You're going to kill off your livestock with this hypochondriac behavior> I do not think it is algae since it is harming the frogs and at least one snail. Bacterial, Parasitic or Fungal? What should I do/stop doing immediately? THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! <Mmm, actually, locking yourself out for a number of days... don't do "anything" more chemical-wise other than finish the Mardel product use, partial water changes, replenish the salt removed from same. Bob Fenner> Dwarf Frog Diseases - 03/13/2006 I can't seem to find any info on the diseases dwarf frogs suffer from. I have read that they are very sensitive to the medicine in ich remedies: does this mean they can't get ich? If not, do I still need to be quarantining them? < Frogs are sensitive to the dyes like malachite green and Methylene blue, but they can handle antibiotics used for fish. The frogs may not have ich but the tank water from the store may have the ich parasites in it. I would still quarantine to be safe.-Chuck Injured ADF's 5/2/06 Hi, I recently brought 3 more frogs after my male died suddenly, & my female became lonely. Well, the runt (stumpy) of the 3 has no foot on one leg, and a small, deformed foot on the other. could this be infected as the stump looks slightly ragged & what treatments could be used. <... I'd be very careful here. Please read: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/amphibdisfaqs.htm and the linked files above> stumpy can swim fine & come up for air & moves around a lot. Also, on 1 of the other new ones, i noticed a red patch, which i read could be red leg. However, i can't see it now, but they are moving a lot. what can be done about this. I'm a bit unsure about illnesses as the first 2 had never been ill, & the male died as it was old. Luckily, my original frog & the other new one seem to be perfectly fine. Any help much appreciated. Edith <Bob Fenner> African Dwarf Frogs and fish medications 7/13/06 Hello, my name is Robin. I have a 45 gallon tank that houses one African Dwarf Frog, 4 Ghost Shrimp, and 12 Bronze Cory Catfish. Yesterday I noticed that some of the baby (I say baby, my original three bred successfully in my aquarium about four months ago) Corys have fuzzy fungus growth. I have Applus+ Anti-Fungus Fungus and Fin Rot Treatment, whose main ingredients are Malachite Green and Hydrochloride. <Toxic to your Frogs and Shrimp> I wanted to check before I add anything to the tank, because I'm concerned about the frog and the shrimp. Will I have to move them to a different tank while treating the catfish? <Yes... and do check your water quality... The Corydoras would not "get" a fungal/bacterial infection if all was well here> Is there a more "frog friendly" treatment for the catfish? I know that the Anti-Fungus treatment is potentially harmful to scaleless fish, and frogs absorb things through theirs, so I don't want to poison the frog. Thank you very much. Robin <You need to separate the non-fish. Bob Fenner> Medications With Snails And Frogs 9/9/06 Dear WWM Crew, Want to first say what a great site you guys have, and the patience you have for all the numerous questions you guys answer! I have tried looking through the Google search and forums regarding my question, and wasn't able to find my answer, so I am asking you. My first question is regarding my black mystery snail. I recently gave it a soft leaf vegetable (Chinese vegetable called Xiao bai cai which literally means small white veggie) and it is consuming the entire thing. I was wondering if you can actually overfeed a snail, or will they stop eating once they are full? < They are exposed to all kinds of veggies in the wild and I am sure they quit eating when they are full.> My second question is regarding the medication I have been applying to my fish tank for fin rot. I checked the Applesnail.net site, but their link to fish pharmaceuticals led to a dead link. I am using Melafix (active ingredient is Melaleuca) from Aquarium Pharmaceutical Inc., and was wondering if it will affect either my black mystery snail or my African dwarf frog? Thanks a bunch! And keep up with the awesome work! Anson < Invertebrates and amphibians really don't like medications. Melafix would not be my first choice to treat fin rot. Stronger medications may harm them. I would treat the sick fish in a hospital tank with Nitrofuranace of Kanamycin.-Chuck> I have a male Bristlenose catfish, two years old he is four and half inches long. He is in a 300 litre tank, he used to be kept with Neons, Glowlights and platies. He was very happy, I fed him on catfish pellets, algae wafers, bloodworms, brine shrimps and daphnia. Now he is living with tinfoil barbs. he's not as happy and hides under the filter, he is only getting the catfish pellets and algae wafers, as the tinfoil barbs eat everything else first, I have noticed that he is not cleaning the tank as well for the past week. And he has a lump on his snout in front of one eye, I have telephoned all my local aquatic shops, no one seems to have heard of this before, I'm very worried, to me is looks like a cyst, apart from this his colouring and general condition is very good. I hope you can help me, as the children are very fond of catty! Wait to hear from you, Sue < As your Pleco roots around for food he probably injured himself on a piece of wood or rock. The area may be infected. I would recommend treating him in a hospital tank with Nitrofuranace or Kanamycin as per the directions on the package.-Chuck> Fungused Frog 9/7/06 I am incredibly irritated with Petco right now. After going through the archives on your site (your suggestion was correct, nearly all of my questions had been answered and more) I discovered that not only can my African Dwarf frogs not tolerate aquarium salt (which I specifically asked the attendant at Petco about--not wanting to hurt either my Betta, Chester, or the frogs) they can also not really be around my Betta. Which was very confusing as several Betta enthusiasts have suggested this type of frog as a good bottom feeder to compliment Betta fish. <I have had good success keeping these together. As long as they are the DWARF species & not the CLAWED species.> Chester is in general much more passive than my other male Betta (obviously in another tank) and snapped a little at them but seems to get along well with them right now. I noticed a cottony growth on one of my ADFs (Bender) right before searching on ways to fix this. Promptly afterwards I found out he couldn't handle salt so I did an immediate water change and then came back to look at more things for fixing this. I planned on getting a quarantine tank soon. I don't want to do so many changes because stressing him out won't help any, but are there medicines that are safe for other fish and can he be by himself? <Melafix> Will he spread this infection to Fry (the other frog) or Chester? <It's possible.> I don't want him to be lonely in a quarantine tank (even if he doesn't seem to really give a flying hoot about Fry). Would you suggest getting a one gallon or so to move them both into permanently? <Not necessary, if they are OK with the Betta.> You are one of the most knowledgeable sites I've come across for pets of any kind and if anyone can help me out, I hope it's the team at Wet Web Media. <Awwww,... shucks, happy to help! PP> Thank you, Meghan R. Re: Fungused Frog 9/8/06 I'm positive they're Dwarf Frogs but thank you for clearing up the confusion. <Sure> Shortly after I sent you an email, I went back to look at Bender again and discovered that it seemed like the whole cottony growth had come off of him, it was floating around the tank before I sucked it up and got it out. Is it possible he was shedding his skin? What does that look like? <It's possible the shedding skin could've fungused but it looks like shedding skin, not fungus.> And thank you so much again, your response was quick and the answers helped a lot! <I'd still add the Melafix. ~PP> --Meghan R. Dwarf African frogs Might Escape 4/27/06 Hello. Sadly, my son's 2 year-old Betta fish just died. He would like to get two African dwarf frogs and use the same tank, which is a 3 gallon Marineland Eclipse with bio wheel. I have completely sanitized the tank and am in the process of cycling it in preparation for the frogs. I discovered, however, that the filtration system won't function without the water coming up to within an inch of the top rim (and anyway, if the water were lower, the "waterfall' effect would disturb the frogs too much). My concern is that ADFs jump. This tank has a nice tight lid, but will the frogs be able to escape up into the lid if the water is that high? I don't want them to fry themselves on the light if it's on. My other alternative is purchasing a different filtration system, but is there one that is similar to the bio wheel idea? Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer. < Get some clear plastic wrap and stretch it over the top openings by the filter. Add a few floating plants and the frogs should be happy and not try and get out.-Chuck> Dianne "A Tale of Two Tanks" or "The Three Little Frogs" 8/25/06 I hope this finds you well. I'm having a very strange problem that I can't seem to solve by research or common sense, so I'm turning to you for expert advice! My son is delighted with his 3 African Dwarf Frogs who live by themselves in a 5 gallon tank with a Whisper filter, no direct sunlight, no gravel or sand, no live plants (artificial plants and decorations only). <Mmm, would be better... happier, healthier with some gravel, plants...> I've been able to manage to keep ammonia, nitrates and nitrites at zero - or get them back to zero when there have been spikes- and the temp at a nice steady 78. pH levels test around 7.2. They eat a pinch of Hikari frozen bloodworms purchased at our LFS every 3 days or so and seem to be happy and thriving. The problem is a smelly, slimy, grayish white sludge that keeps emerging on the water's surface despite everything I've tried so far (the water itself has always remained clear when looking through the walls of the tank). In addition to being disgusting, it's a safety concern since the frogs are surface breathers. The first time it appeared, the tank was only 1 month old. My attempts have included 1. skimming the sludge, doing water changes, cutting back on the amount of worms being fed, and filter cartridge changes every week, 2. putting the frogs into a holding tank while scrubbing and sanitizing the entire tank and its contents, then waiting for the tank to cycle again, 3. repeating step 2 when the sludge returned, but this time trying it without adding bio-Spira (just trying to account for all possibilities), 4. when the slime returned, putting the frogs into an entirely new tank, an Eclipse 2.5 gallon with bio-wheel we had on hand, which was allowed to cycle as well and had completely different plants and decorations, just in case. This worked OK for a while but the temp was too hard to control in the smaller tank (ran too hot) and the water was hard to keep clean because the bioload was too high and I had to change the filter cartridge frequently as it kept getting clogged with brown gunk. After two months, I thought it was time to put them back in their 5 gallon again. This time I completely replaced the filter with a new Whisper filter, just in case anything could have survived in the nooks and crannies in the old one. I just reintroduced the frogs to their 5 gallon tank 4 days ago, fed them 2 days ago, and noted yesterday that the water's surface was again gunking up and starting to smell! I skimmed off the slime, changed the filter cartridge (it looked fine - but just in case) and did a 50% water change. Ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites all read zero. This morning, the water looked OK but I detected a bit of the smell. I'm planning to go out and purchase a new package of frozen blood worms, since that's about the only thing I haven't replaced so far. Thanks for any thought you might have! Dianne <Some sort of "bio-film"... bacterial and likely protozoal population growth... these can be (am thinking of you doing push-ups ala Duvall, saying "You talkin' to me?") very persistent... I would try the "biological control route"... add a few sprigs of some hardy "floating grass/plant"... e.g. Anacharis, Myriophyllum... may take a few weeks to months... but should shift the population to "something else". Bob Fenner> Re: "A Tale of Two Tanks" or "The Three Little Frogs" 8/25/06 Thanks for your reply, Bob! < Bob is away for a few, RichardB with you. > I will try adding the plants, but wanted to double check something with you. Since ADF's are surface breathers, is there any danger to adding a floating plant? < Not if you prune them accordingly. > Or will a few sprigs not multiply very quickly? < That depends on the species of plant you choose, the lighting, and the quantity of nutrients available for the plants to consume. Duckweed would invariably take over the world, where wisteria or hornwort would be less aggressive. Whatever plant you decide upon, try to keep at least half of the surface available at all times. The idea of the floating plants is great, and you may find the frogs hanging out in it! > < Happy planting! RichardB > Thanks, Dianne African dwarf frogs 12/12/05 WWM Crew, I wondering what you guys think about putting African dwarf frogs with dwarf puffers. <Definitely not... they will be harassed/nipped.> or the frogs in a snail breeding aquarium. <This sounds more suitable.> thanks <You're welcome.... John> African dwarf frogs 8/24/05 Hi, have a question. I have searched your site & do not see a similar problem. I have 2 ADF in a 2.5 gallon tank, with a filter running. We first bought pellet food, then found out through research online they should be fed frozen bloodworms. <... and other meaty live, non-live foods> Purchased those 3 days ago now, feeding them pea-sized amount every other day (is this correct???) <Best to look at their "tummies"...> My main question is an odor. <Interesting> It's gotten milder/better since switching from pellets, but it still is unpleasant. Had water checked at the petstore, they said water levels are fine. Should we do a partial water change to see if there's disintegrated pellet food causing odor? <Yes... should do these change-outs weekly...> Any other suggestions? My pet peeve is pet stores selling these frogs with zero info on feeding, correct water levels, cleaning of tanks, etc. Thanks for the help, Lisa <Thank goodness for books, magazines, the Net... Bob Fenner> Dwarf African Frogs Hi, I need help. I need info. on Dwarf African Frogs. I seen u have a pic of one on your web site but no info. I want to know if we can take them out of the water and hold them for a few minutes? <Yes. Though these species are capable of staying in the water continuously, they are aerial respirators, and can/do leave the water at times in the wild> How often do they have to come up for air? <Hmm, "every few minutes"...> etc...... Please help i can not find anything on the internet that is helpful. I have 4 in my tank with guppies, tetras and live plants. <Do use the links on the page, and your computer's search engines... with the common and scientific names. Bob Fenner> thanks, sue Dwarf Frog Tadpoles and Eggs I'm hoping you can help me, my dwarf frogs have been laying eggs for months, this time I actually have tadpoles swimming around in the aquarium. I'm fearful that the big ones will eat the tadpoles but I'm not sure which ones I should transfer into a new home and what to do. <It is a good idea to move the adults and any other livestock other than the tadpoles, and raise them where they are currently> I'm not prepared because I didn't think the eggs would actually do anything and by switching the big ones to a different tank I'm afraid I might shock them. Also what do the tadpoles need to eat? <Do start preparing water to change that which is in the system (best to store it in a clean (no soap residue) container for a week or more... I would also add a sponge filter or two here... good for these animals who can be messy, and not a problem in terms of "sucking them up". You can feed them on a number of foods... blanched zucchini, fish flake foods, pellets... just take care to NOT overfeed. Bob Fenner> HELP!!!! Is there anything I can do and if so what. Re: Your Dwarf Frogs Robert: Sorry to bother you again but now I think I have another problem. My female frog the professional egg layer looks as if she is going to blow up. Since I last e-mailed you she has laid two more batches of eggs. I did remove the adults from the one aquarium to another but that was prior to the two additional batches. The male appears to be fine and thin but I swear if I stuck her with a pin right now she would fly to the moon. Is there anything I can do or is this usual? <Hmm, likely not unusual... seasonal... hopefully not egg-bound> I'm afraid she might die if I don't try and help her. Sorry to be such a pest but I've had these guys for five years and I've become quite attached. <I understand... most of what I might suggest is worse than waiting/seeing. Bob Fenner> Thanks Lea Bloodworm Infestation (HELP!!) Hi, your site's really great! I really hope you can answer my question I'm at my wit's end! ). My question is ( I admit ) a bit off the subject BUT still is related to external/internal parasites. OK, my fish ( guppies, silver hatchets, loach, emerald cat, iridescent shark ) and one of my African Dwarf frogs are infested with bloodworms. I am POSITIVE they are bloodworms (thin, red, protrude from vent, and aquarium has no other parasitic contact). Anyway, my frogs NEED the bloodworms to eat (they won't eat anything else. <Have you tried "Glassworms"? (actually chironomid/midge fly larvae), small frozen/defrosted marine crustaceans? There are quite a few of these offered by the pet-fish trade. Look for the Gamma brand...> I feed them frozen ones, never live. ). I now know a feeding method that prevents the fish from getting infested, but, now one of my frogs is "wormy". Whenever my fish got wormy, it always died in the end. I try to halt parasitic invasion by plucking the worms out of their ventral areas ( it's really gross and I'm rather squeamish. ). It seems to help, but my fish still die. Is there any medication or wormer that I can use? <There are... a few worth trying. Piperazine and Praziquantel may be had through your veterinarian... you are looking for a vermifuge (as in "flee worm") medication that won't harm fishes, frogs...> I have no invertebrates in my tank, and all of the plants are fake yup, plastic. ). I really don't want to hurt my fish and frogs. It'd be great if there is a medication available. Please help me! - "Worm Picker-Outer"( that's really grossed out ) <Do keep us informed of your progress. Bob Fenner> Re: Bloodworm Infestation (HELP!!) Whoa, that was quick! I didn't get the stuff yet ( It's Sunday night ), but I was hoping for a bit more information ( the info you sent me was great! ). I think the frogs would like the glassworms, but if the glassworms hatch...? <This won't happen... or you can just try them as frozen/defrosted...> There is a small chance that they will grow into flies, right? And if they're flies, they aren't parasitic...? <No my friend... the world is comprised of much more than hosts and parasites... these are "free-living" organisms> Or do they just swim around? <The do wiggle quite a bit> If given the chance, do they multiply rapidly? <Mmm, no... please use your search engine and the words "glassworm" or "chironomid"... The adults lay eggs, which hatch into larvae... You won't have adults> Do they smell (like brine shrimp)? Will they carry disease/irritate fish? <None of the above> Or will fish enjoy them as well? <Likely very much so> Please answer as many as you can ( don't feel pressed; I'm just a kid ). Also, about Pip. and Prazi. We don't have a regular vet (but we can find one). How is the medication administered? Are there needles (shudder)? <As powders in the food. 10 mg of Piperazine sulfate/kg for three days... the equivalent of 0.10% Piperazine at a rate of 1% body weight/day. Praziquantel can be administered via baths of differing strengths, durations or orally at 50 mg/kg of fish... or 0.50% fed at a rate of 1% body weight per day> Is it a dissolvent? Will I have to force feed the frog ( their mouths just won't open! )? <It is necessary that the animals ingest the food-laced with chemical, or that they be immersed (about 2 mg Praziquantel/l or 7.6 mg/gallon for 24 hours> And last, what should I ask for ( kid at counter, embarrassed, doesn't know which medication out of dozens to choose )? <Please consult with your parents/guardians here (do show them our correspondence). It will likely be necessary to purchase one or both of these compounds from a veterinarian source> Again, don't feel pressed. Thank you sooo much for your help and time!!! <You are certainly welcome. Bob Fenner> - "Worm Picker-Outer"( that might be SAVED!! ) Dwarf African Frogs What is the difference between HYMENOCHIRUS BOETTGERI AND CURTIPES? <Well... from what I have learned from some Google searches, not much. Apparently they look similar and are often confused. http://www.pipidae.net/david/Page2.htm#genus > Also why would new jersey list the former as an exotic species and require a permit? <Ya got me there, I might ask the folks who told you would need a permit, or whoever is in charge of supplying the permits. -Gage> thanks for any help you can supply. Dwarf frog and ich meds! Hi there! <Hi! Ananda here tonight...> I have two Dwarf frogs, and I had them in a tank with a goldfish and a black moor. The black moor came down with Ich and died. So, I moved my goldfish (Herbie) to a quarantine tank w/meds. Then, I cleaned out the other tank, removed all the decor, to remove the ich from it, and put meds in that water as well. After putting my frogs in the water, about half hour later, I realized one of my frogs turned pale!!! Can you tell me what is wrong? Or am I just freaking out over nothing? <It is entirely possible that your frogs cannot tolerate the medication at the strength you're using it. I would quarantine the frogs in their own bare tank, with no medication.> I really appreciate your help!! <You're welcome.... --Ananda> Snail Stocking Part Two Hello again, Thanks for the response, I've got two in the 10 gallon right now (I had a regular brown one in there, what I've seen called the 'wild-type' shell pattern, then saw a little blue one shoved into one of the 'Betta cups' at Wal-Mart the other day and decided it needed a home). The only other one I'm possibly planning to add in the future is maybe the one from my 6g African dwarf frog tank if any water problems develop there. So far no problems with the 10g since adding the second mystery snail, other than slightly elevated nitrates (25 rather than 20), but I think that's likely due to overfeeding of the bottom feeders, or my trimming back a lot of the Anacharis that's in there. I'm going to try adding a little duckweed (I know, it takes over tanks. I read somewhere about someone making a 'corral' with airline and airline clips to keep it within an area of their tank. So I'll see if that works.) to pick up the extra nitrates. Plus I heard there's a chance the mystery snails might like to nibble on it. <Duckweed is an excellent way to suck up excess nutrients.> I'll let you know if there's any problems with either level of snails in the future. On a different topic, since WWM's amphibian area is a bit sparse right now, I thought I'd offer the following feeding idea, if you'd like to post it: One of the biggest problems I had with African dwarf frogs was trying to get them to eat before their food (frozen bloodworms) fell between the gravel, resulting in hungry frogs and food polluting the water. So as a solution, I got a plastic water bowl from the reptile section of PetSmart and half buried it under the gravel. The plastic's a single piece of unpainted molded plastic, so I figure it should be safe to use. Now I just squirt the defrosted bloodworms (mixed with water from the tank) into the bowl with a turkey baster. The frogs swim right over and start feasting, they've also taken to trying to nip at the turkey baster if it's in the tank since they've figured out that's where food comes from. Posted this idea on a few forums and the regulars seemed to like it, so figured I'd pass it on incase it's of use to any of WWM's regular readers. <Great idea, I have heard of something similar for feeding Corydoras live worms that dig into the substrate before the fish get a chance to eat them. Thanks for the info, best of luck, Gage> Thanks again, -Chris Aquatic Frogs, offer of assistance WWM Crew, <Chris> I saw an e-mail on the Daily FAQ page recently looking for African Clawed Frog info, in which it was suggested to web search for the species given the lack of printed material on them. If it will help, I'd like to offer the assistance of Aquamaniacs on this topic. Among other topics, our forums have an Aquatic Frogs forum for questions/discussion of African Clawed Frogs and African Dwarf Frogs (I think I once saw an axolotl thread in the archives, but primarily the species dealt with are ACFs and ADFs). Additionally, a aquatic frogs article/care sheet is currently in the works (I believe it's in front of the editor at this time) to offer recommendations for new owners as to tank conditions, food, etc. Wet Web Media's been in the Aquamaniacs' links page for longer than I've been with the forum, and I'm frequently referring folks to this site for info. I found WWM before Aquamaniacs and appreciate all the good advice you've given me in response to my questions in the past, as well as your excellent archives and friendly responses to questions. If you'd like to post the links, Aquamaniacs is located at http://www.aquamaniacs.net/ and its forums are located at http://pub36.ezboard.com/baquariumbbs . <Outstanding. Thank you for coming forward. Will share and post your listing on the FAQs re> If you wish, I'll send you an update to let you know when the aquatic frogs article/care sheet is up incase you'd like to refer future new frog owners to it. <Please do so> As noted in that e-mail I referred to earlier, there's unfortunately a lack of information available on these species, dwarf frogs more than clawed ones, and more and more stores seem to be selling them without providing any information, or providing incorrect information (Wal-Mart, as of this summer, has started selling them in the same little cups they sell Bettas in around here, for example). I hope this is of some help to you and to those looking for info on their frogs. Sincerely, Chris Sandusky (DonQuixote, moderator of Aquamaniacs' Aquatic Frogs forum) <Again, thank you for your efforts. Bob Fenner> Re: Aquatic Frogs, offer of assistance Mr. Fenner, <Mr. Sandusky> Looks like I got to send you the update rather rapidly :) The article/care sheet has just been posted at: http://www.aquamaniacs.net/aquaticfrogs.html <Ah, will update our links> And although their names didn't get mentioned when the article got posted, I'd like to note my thanks to Aquamaniacs' mrclint and fishmommy for their reviewing, editing, and posting of the article, and thanks to LeslieLu for photos (which were credited in the article itself). <Duly noted> Hope this is able to help out new owners of these two species. My personal experience has just been with dwarf frogs (and admittedly I'm fairly new to them myself, I purchased my first pair this summer), but I tried to find as much relevant info on both species as I could and collect it in one location for this article, erring on the side of caution when possible <You are wise here> (for example, I know a few sites suggest 1.5 gallons is enough for one or two ADFs, but I'd really prefer the additional stability, and added swimming space of 2-2.5 g each if possible). Some topics aren't covered, such as breeding, as I figured those beyond the scope of what's intended as a beginner article / general care sheet. Sincerely, Chris Sandusky <Thank you, Bob Fenner> Frogs The letter below was posted by me to you. I have been trying to follow what you told me in your response. I was able to get another 10 gallon tank as I have no place for a larger one. I was moving the Dwarf Frogs and one jumped out of the tank and was on the floor for about 5 - 10 minutes. I am not exactly sure. I was so upset and put him in the tank quickly when I found him and he seemed ok. Now he has something of a red bulge coming out of his bottom. I've never seen this before. Will he be ok? Also. The two long skinny algae eaters passed away. I think the other Gold fish ate the small Rosey Red. The fish have been acting so aggressive over the last two days. The Black Moor seemed to try to bite the Frog and the frog lunged at the Black Moor and the today I saw the Black Moor with a mark on his side. I do not know what is going on. The long skinny Algae eater was acting crazy so I took him out and isolated him in a fish bowl over night and he was swimming so fast and then about 20 minutes later he was dead. I am moving the goldfish to a colder spot and putting the Frogs and Shrimp in the warmer area. Do you think this will be ok? Thanks, any help will be appreciated. I am new at this. I've only ever had goldfish. but I do love these frogs. >>Hello Yolanda; Have you tested your water for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate? I am new to the crew, but Sabrina gave you some good advice, so I will try to follow up on it. The fallen frog sounds like he has some internal injuries, you will have to wait and see how he does. He may not make it if the injuries are severe. I agree that all the animals should be separated, move the frogs away from the goldfish, algae eaters too, and the shrimp and Rosy reds also. This is quite the problem! I hope you are doing frequent partial water changes to keep all the animals in good health. -Gwen<< African dwarf frog or clawed injury? <Hi, MikeD here> today my female Betta who had been living in a 1/2 gallon bowl (no filtration) died.<Sorry> I'm not sure how yet but I am taking the water into an aquarium store to have it tested. she was maybe 3 mo.s old so it was really sudden...but anyway I cleaned out the tank with hot water and all that good stuff. also in the tank (I know its too small but she was lonely)<No. She was happy and YOU thought she was lonely.> was a tiny African dwarf frog (or clawed-not sure). they were happy together.<Unusual. Often Bettas will kill or maim small dwarf clawed frogs, attempting to eat them.> but I decide that I didn't want ANY of the old water back in the new tank so I picked him up (clean hands) and tried to move him into another clean bowl temporarily. he escaped my grasp and jumped off the kitchen counter onto the floor. in his confused pace I managed to scoop him up and return him to the bowl.<Good> before that happened though he was searching around for the Betta, but now he looks for her and seems to have like the hiccups...but he shed like 4 days ago. he doesn't appear to be physically injured. is my frog broken?<Possible, but not likely. The shedding of the cuticle is a good sign> also if this is any help he may have something wrong with his foot; there was another frog in the tank and the other frog bit about 1/3 of his foot off and I've been looking after that.<Often it's the Betta that bites the foot off.> I don't know if this affects his weirdness.<NO, amphibians can be tough and heal amazingly.> I moved the frog into another bowl with a male Betta but they get along and the male has never even tried to hurt the frog at all...even when the frog kicked him in the face... but can you please help my fallen frog?!?!?<I can't help him, but if you quit putting him in with Bettas, YOU might. As a rule they are just too tempting a tidbit, particularly in a small container. Not what you want to hear, I'm sure, but it's the truth as I know it.> Frog/Pleco/goldfish Hello, I have a few questions. I recently just set up a 10 gallon tank, with 3 fantail goldfish, 1 Pleco, and an African dwarf frog. I bought algae wafers for my Pleco, which I'm concerned that the goldfish are eating them instead. the goldfish are also eating the frog food. I feed the frog the sinking tadpole/frog pellets. I have heard that feeding bloodworms can actually make the fish sick??? < Feeding bloodworms has been known to cause digestive problems in some fish. It may be from overfeeding.> I'm not sure how that all works but I was told that the frogs like frozen bloodworms, so is it possible for the bloodworms to come alive after they have been frozen?? < Once they are frozen then they are dead.> I am looking for a substitute to feed my frog so I will have to deal with worms of any sort...ugh. and I am also trying to find away for my Pleco and frog to get food without the goldfish eating it all first. please help! < When you turn out the lights the goldfish will go to sleep and the Pleco will come out to eat. So feed the algae wafers at night. Unfortunately I think the goldfish may still find some of the wafers , even in the dark but it is worth a try. Your frog is a carnivore and will require some sort of critter to feed on. I suggest that you get some small earthworms and wash them and place them in front of the frog. I am sure he will snatch them up right away and hide so the goldfish won't get them.-Chuck> Frog missing foot I have two African dwarf frogs in a 2 and a half gallon tank. One is a female and one male. At least that is what I think. I noticed today that my male is missing his foot. Upon searching the tank to figure out what might have happened, I noticed that my thermometer was broken on the top. I have no idea how this happened. My main concern is that he will be okay and is not suffering. I was worried that he will get infected. Please tell me what to do. Thanks. < Years ago I had a newt in which my cichlids chewed off one of the feet. Keep the area clean so it doesn't fungus. Furanace is a good drug to use if you notice any cottony growth developing on it. It should soon heal up in a few days.-Chuck. Dwarf African frog with fungus 8/19/04 Bob and crew, <Hi, Pufferpunk here> I am currently having a problem with a fungus affecting one of my dwarf African frogs. I have a 2 gallon acrylic tank with a BioWheel power filter that houses two dwarf African frogs and one immature guppy. Life has been good for a while and the guppy has been growing pretty fast (had him since he was about 3/16" long. For the past couple of days, the female frog has been hanging out at the surface of the water, using a plastic plant to keep the front half of her body out of the water. Normally both frogs stay on the bottom except when feeding or getting air. I was concerned, but had no other symptoms to go off of, so I let it go. Yesterday, I found that her right hind leg is covered in a white fuzz (a fungus obviously) and she was not moving it. She also is not eating. I did an immediate 50% water change with distilled water, and replaced the filter (with carbon) just in case there was something in it affecting the water quality. It's been 24 hours now and while it doesn't appear any worse, it also doesn't appear better. The male frog and guppy are unaffected, but I don't have a quarantine tank to put the female in. Assuming that the fungal outbreak was caused by bad water conditions, how long should I watch for improvement before resorting to medication of the tank? Otherwise, if I should medicate now, what would you recommend for frogs? <She may have scraped her foot (any sharp rocks?), leaving it open to infection. I have had success with Melafix for this problem with aquatic frogs. You can also use Pimafix in unison with Melafix, for a 1-2 punch. These products are ok to use without quarantine, but remove the carbon. A water change is a good idea. These should be done weekly. Distilled water isn't necessary, just use lukewarm tap water (same temp as tank) & dechlorinator, for water changes.> Thanks for any help, David <I hope she gets better soon! ~PP> Injured Dwarf African Frog 10/24/04 Hello, <hi,
Pufferpunk here> I have had an African dwarf frog for about four
years. Tonight it seemed that he may be stuck under a rock
so I tried to lift it slightly (which I shouldn't have done) and
then it fell on one arm. The arm is now curled up,
especially the digits. He swims with some trouble now. I read that
frogs repair themselves very quickly. What is your opinion on this
situation? <I'm sorry your froggy is hurt. You're not the 1st one to
injure your own frog though. I once closed the lid on one of my tree frogs legs
& cut it off it's arm. Not only did his arm grow back, but every one of his
suction cupped fingers too! I think your frog will be fine, but I suggest
adding Melafix for bacterial infection preventative & fast healing.> Thank you,
C. Confused, poor grammar/spelling, and frogs how do I know the difference between an African clawed frog and dwarf frog? <Size, shape... that your other livestock are missing! Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/amphibfaqs.htm> also when they are small like an inch, do they grow bigger? <What? The Xenopus definitely do> if so how big? I'm looking on info on a dwarf, I had a clawed, I had to get another tank for it. <I'll bet... Learn to capitalize proper nouns, use spaces, write in sentences, please. Bob Fenner> Dead Frog Scam? - 02/10/2005 Hi I just bought 2 African Dwarf Frogs today. When I bought them, they were floating at the top of the tank and not doing much moving at all (if at all). I asked the worker at the store and he said that that's just what they do. <Though they ARE somewhat sedate animals, I have never seen them too terribly inactive at stores.... Usually they're milling about at least somewhat.> On the ride home, they didn't move in the bag. When I got home, I emptied the bag into the water after letting it sit for a while and they simply floated to the bottom of the tank and didn't move. <Not at all a good sign.> Eventually, one floated (not swam, floated) to the top with his nose near the surface and didn't move at all. The other simply stayed on the bottom on his back. <Yeah, that's not at all normal.> After about an hour of not moving, I took both frogs out of the water (I have other fish and if the frogs are sick I don't want to get the fish sick) <I'm not sure many diseases can transfer from amphibians to fish - but if they were to die in the tank, it could severely foul your water and cause problems for the fish that way.> and put them into other containers. <Any response when they were removed from the water? Also, what were the temperature(s) of all of these tanks/containers? Any idea of water parameters, including at the store?> They both stayed in the exact same position, one with his nose near the top, the other on his back. I gently poked both and they appeared to move slightly (when I first placed them in the tank) but other than this I have seen no movement. Is it likely that I was sold dead frogs? <Well, it certainly doesn't sound too good. I would absolutely consider returning them to the store - if they're not dead, they're almost surely very unhealthy. Also, do keep in mind that cold temperatures can be harmful to the frogs - if the tank water is very cold, it would cause them to be quite inactive.... Definitely try to find a store that has more active froggies for you to look at, and do a bit of research as to their needs before you purchase more; it sounds to me like the store you visited might not know much (if anything) about them. Wishing you well, -Sabrina> African Dwarf Frog, Invert??? I have a flame dwarf Gourami in a 20 gallon tank with an African dwarf frog. My flame dwarf Gourami has come down with some major abdominal bloating and I was told to use the APPLUS anti-bacterial solution to relieve the bloating. However on the bottle of the anti-bacterial solution it says warning, do not use with inverts. I've looked all over the web trying to find out whether my frog is an invert or not, but have received no info. PLEASE can you tell me: is my African dwarf frog an invert??? <Oh... frogs are amphibians... are vertebrates, not invertebrates (along with reptiles, birds, mammals... and fishes!). Bob Fenner> Frogs with Salt Hello, you're website has been a great help to me in many regards. I have one question that I haven't found an answer for yet. I have 2 African dwarf frogs in a 29 gallon tank along with some mollies, guppies, platies and some neon tetras. My water levels are all good. I have read that ADF's can handle some aquarium salt in the water but not much, but can't seem to find any specifics on exactly how much salt per gallon they can tolerate. Would you happen to know how much salt per gallon is acceptable for ADF's? Thanks. <Frogs really don't like any salt at all in their water. Frogs breath through their skin. There is a point in which salt will actually outright kill your frog and then there is a little amount that will weaken your frog and he will die from a disease before the salt actually kills him. I would try to limit the salt. I know your livebearers love it but the Neons and frog really doesn't. Start at a teaspoon per 10 gallons and what the reaction from your fish and frog. While the livebearers may thrive the others may come down with other problems down the road.-Chuck> Frog with cloudy eye 7/7/05 Hello, I have been gone for a couple of weeks and have had a friend caring for my fish and other pets, but today when I returned home I discovered that one of my African dwarf frog's eyes were clouded over, I'm not sure what I should do about this and would greatly appreciate your opinion. Thanks. <Check your water quality, change some water... make sure it is feeding and all should be well in time. Bob Fenner> Re: frog w/ clouded eyes 7/13/05 Hi Bob, you were the one who responded last time so I'm writing to you by name , plus it feels better to write to someone in particular. Any way, My African dwarf frog's eyes have not cleared up yet and he is spending all day at the very corner of the tank. His skin is looking very odd as well. I put him in an isolation tank away from all of my other fish. Also I tested the water and it was fine. PH. a little high but that's it. what do you think is wrong? Any suggestions? Angy <Yes... I'd administer 250 mg. per ten gallons of system water with a mix of Sulfa drugs... "Triple Sulfa" if you can find it. Bob Fenner> Frog Problems 8/2/05 Hope You can help us we are trying to start a African dwarf frog tank, with no luck. we have a small 5 gallon acrylic bow front tank with a corner bubbler type canister filter, all the water conditions are fine i.e. ammonia, nitrates, ph.... it is NOT heated , the water stays around 72 degrees, the tank has been running for about a month ,MT, we have tried twice to add frogs (4 young about 1 inch each time) but both times they all died with in a week or two. We are feeding them HBH frog and tadpole bites. We have no problems with our other 3 tanks (thanks to your GREAT help) , 55 Gallon Cichlids tank , 30 gallon GSP tank (soon to upgrade) and a 25 gallon community tank. We have read your forums and seen to have the tank set up right, Caves to hide in, Low water movement, i.e. the canister filter, broad leaf plastic plants (no live plants) HELP why are we always committing Frogicide? Thank You, Mike < Many frogs are held at wholesalers and retail stores and never seem to get enough to eat. If would recommend that you get a few frogs and feed them Calif. black worms. Just throw them in the tank and the frogs will find them and fatten up. Once they are eating then you will be on your way.-Chuck><<These animals won't live indefinitely on only dried diets. RMF>> "A Tale of Two Tanks" or "The Three Little Frogs" 8/25/06 I hope this finds you well. I'm having a very strange problem that I can't seem to solve by research or common sense, so I'm turning to you for expert advice! My son is delighted with his 3 African Dwarf Frogs who live by themselves in a 5 gallon tank with a Whisper filter, no direct sunlight, no gravel or sand, no live plants (artificial plants and decorations only). <Mmm, would be better... happier, healthier with some gravel, plants...> I've been able to manage to keep ammonia, nitrates and nitrites at zero - or get them back to zero when there have been spikes- and the temp at a nice steady 78. pH levels test around 7.2. They eat a pinch of Hikari frozen bloodworms purchased at our LFS every 3 days or so and seem to be happy and thriving. The problem is a smelly, slimy, grayish white sludge that keeps emerging on the water's surface despite everything I've tried so far (the water itself has always remained clear when looking through the walls of the tank). In addition to being disgusting, it's a safety concern since the frogs are surface breathers. The first time it appeared, the tank was only 1 month old. My attempts have included 1. skimming the sludge, doing water changes, cutting back on the amount of worms being fed, and filter cartridge changes every week, 2. putting the frogs into a holding tank while scrubbing and sanitizing the entire tank and its contents, then waiting for the tank to cycle again, 3. repeating step 2 when the sludge returned, but this time trying it without adding bio-Spira (just trying to account for all possibilities), 4. when the slime returned, putting the frogs into an entirely new tank, an Eclipse 2.5 gallon with bio-wheel we had on hand, which was allowed to cycle as well and had completely different plants and decorations, just in case. This worked OK for a while but the temp was too hard to control in the smaller tank (ran too hot) and the water was hard to keep clean because the bioload was too high and I had to change the filter cartridge frequently as it kept getting clogged with brown gunk. After two months, I thought it was time to put them back in their 5 gallon again. This time I completely replaced the filter with a new Whisper filter, just in case anything could have survived in the nooks and crannies in the old one. I just reintroduced the frogs to their 5 gallon tank 4 days ago, fed them 2 days ago, and noted yesterday that the water's surface was again gunking up and starting to smell! I skimmed off the slime, changed the filter cartridge (it looked fine - but just in case) and did a 50% water change. Ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites all read zero. This morning, the water looked OK but I detected a bit of the smell. I'm planning to go out and purchase a new package of frozen blood worms, since that's about the only thing I haven't replaced so far. Thanks for any thought you might have! Dianne <Some sort of "bio-film"... bacterial and likely protozoal population growth... these can be (am thinking of you doing push-ups ala Duvall, saying "You talkin' to me?") very persistent... I would try the "biological control route"... add a few sprigs of some hardy "floating grass/plant"... e.g. Anacharis, Myriophyllum... may take a few weeks to months... but should shift the population to "something else". Bob Fenner> Re: "A Tale of Two Tanks" or "The
Three Little Frogs" 8/25/06 Thanks for your reply, Bob!
< Bob is away for a few, RichardB with you. > I will try adding
the plants, but wanted to double check something with
you. Since ADF's are surface breathers, is there any
danger to adding a floating plant? < Not if you prune them
accordingly. > Or will a few sprigs not multiply very quickly? <
That depends on the species of plant you choose, the lighting, and the
quantity of nutrients avaliable for the plants to consume. Duckweed
would invariably take over the world, where wisteria or hornwort would
be less aggressive. Whatever plant you decide upon, try to keep at
least half of the surface available at all times. The idea of the
floating plants is great, and you may find the frogs hanging out in it!
> Dianne |
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