Hi everyone,Im new here but seeing as I keep clawed frogs amongst other things I thought it best to start here.
Ive kept ACFs now for 5 years,there is a textbook way to care for them and a botched way whereby you learn from your mistakes-I learned from my mistakes.
Ideally they should be kept in a tank with no current with a substrate bottom that is not too tiny (they will easily fit small pebbles intheir mouths).The reason there should not really be a current is due to their crappy eyesight and that they rely on their lateral lines to sense movement.It is said a strong current is the equivilent of a hammerdrill going off next to them!
Rule number one- They are escape artists! make sure the tank is well sealed.
I keep mine (I have 2) in a 15 gallon with a UGF and medium sized pebble substrate,the temp is 24C.I feed them on prawns,frozen bloodworm and sometimes tiny bits of steak.When they sense food in the water they will make scooping movements in their hand and will eat anything that is soft textured and will fit in their mouths.If the food chunk is too smal they will lift a foot up and try to rip it with it's claw.They are so cute to watch and do the most silly things such as random catalogue poses in the tank.
I lost one of my frogs yesterday due to not paying attention to rule number one 2 years ago.Like I said,they are escape artists and one morning I found 2 of mine down stairs by the kitchen door in an almost dessicated state.Irescued them and returned them to water and nursed them back to health.One of the frogs subsequently suffered a stroke (There are many good ACF sites out there that explain their care etc).Both frogs then developed slight bloating and for the past year and a half they had their good weeks and bad ones.Many sites tell you that bloat is fatal and they will die in days-this is not always the case.Fast forward to 2 weeks ago...The female frog is fine and the 2 males who had bloat are still bloated-one only slightly and one quite severe.It did not affect them much (they still gangbanged each other etc and ate).I would think it terribly cute if I did not know they were ill.Last week I took the most bloated one to the vets (the smallest males' bloat appeared almost none existant now).The vet actually lanced him in several paces and I returned home and put him back in the tank with the others.I have been dosing anti-bacterial treatment number 9 for the past 3 months to contain the bloat and upon his return from the vets I increased dosage.Yesterday evening I found the smallest one on the top-he had passed away.The one I took to the vets is ok but his bloat is re-appearing.The female is totally fine.
Over the years my frogs (all called Dave) have lived in the same tank and have had fish with them too such as mollies,corries,guppies and platties.I found that tetras and male guppies will ''disappear'' if you put them in with them.One aspect of having them in a tank with fish is that you will never see dead fish in there,if something dies it will be eaten.
Oh and...the sound of them croaking when they try and ''pull'' in the night can be irritating if the the tank is in your bedroom!
Hope this helps,
Anything else-just ask!
