Fragile Frogs?

[jpedersen024]

Ok, so I am frustrated.

I lost my last 2 ADFs tonight...?!? Despite all efforts. I am at a loss.

Are they that finicky and fragile? Are they a bad batch from the LFS? Does my well established, planted tank have something horribly inhospitable for them???

I give up!! The one that was growing and a bit larger was found (SOMEHOW ) on the FLOOR this morning. WHo knows how long he had been drying on the carpet. Seemed to be a little slower when placed back in the tank, and then died tonight - along (mysteriously) with the little one I just picked up YESTERDAY. Little bugger didn't even make it 24 hours this time..?!???

I don't get it.

Please fill me in if I am missing something! Food seemed to be fine. Saw both eat blood worms (could they have been bad?), and one was also eating shrimp pellets. Tank parameters are all stable. Would Co2 do anything? I can't imagine.... just a nutrafin system on a 55g.... not really much CO2 to speak of..

 

[GoldLenny]

What else is in the tank?

 

[jpedersen024]

it's all listed specifically in my profile, but just community fish... tetras, CAE, shrimp, dwarf cichlids, platies. Nothing that has caused them any harm physically.... I've watched carefully, and the fish pay them no attention at all (except when they're floating ). The bodies have been in perfect form - no visible signs of injury. Hence I am wondering if they are sensitive to something else..?

Sucker for punishment that I am, I took the little bugger back and got another 2.... only because this shipment was much bigger and stockier looking than the previous ones. These frogs are at least 1.5 times the size of the others. I feed them on bloodworms before adding them to the tank to make sure they had a good meal to start.

Hopefully they'll make it.... I just can't figure it out?

 

[three-fingers]

What's the pH in the tank?
With the fish you have listed, I'm guessing slightly acidic?

 

[jpedersen024]

7.5

while I'm at it... GH is 8, KH is 4, CO2 is only about 5 mg/L. Ammonia and nitrites less than 0.3 mg/L.

 

[three-fingers]

OK pH is fine . I'm almost stumped. Ammonia and nitrite should be 0 though, I don't think the frogs that that sensitive. Anyway unless your tank is new, you are possibly over stocked and should look into a bigger filter .

How tall is your tank?

 

[Esfa]

OK pH is fine . I'm almost stumped. Ammonia and nitrite should be 0 though, I don't think the frogs that that sensitive. Anyway unless your tank is new, you are possibly over stocked and should look into a bigger filter .

How tall is your tank?

keeping frogs in with fish can starve them, as all the food has gone by the time they have found it.

Maybe the one that jumped out died of stress. make sure all holes are taped off, if thre is a way out, these critters will find it!

The other could have just been bad luck.

 

[Christine1014]

The only thing that jumped out at me (no pun intended!) is the CAE... I'm sure you've heard of the dangers of keeping those, but another issue could be a terrory problem... typically with a CAE you don't want any other bottom-dwellers. And if you're heavily planted, there might not be a lot of "free space" on your substrate for them all to roam... I don't know if they're doing anything to your poor frogs, but I can't imagine that the stress is any good for any of them.

 

[Kevin_D]

A lot of Hymenochirus Frogs sold in aquatic shops are unhealthy, I started a post about it on a pipid forum ( http/www.pipidae.net/cgi/forum/viewtopic.php?t=610 ) and got a good response, its worth checking the link that Geoff posted in my thread.

I have 2 of these Frogs at the moment, I did have 4, but 2 died despite my best efforts, the other two are doing great though and are looking a lot healthier now. I keep them in a tank with no Fish, just other aquatic frog species.

 

[jpedersen024]

OK pH is fine . I'm almost stumped. Ammonia and nitrite should be 0 though, I don't think the frogs that that sensitive. Anyway unless your tank is new, you are possibly over stocked and should look into a bigger filter .

How tall is your tank?

I'm quite sure ammonia and nitrites are both zero, but my master test kit (scientifically correct as it can be) will only 'certify' that it has been measured to be less than 0.3 mg/L. I guess they can't accurately pinpoint a measurement less than 0.3, is my guess.

Tank is not new. Almost 3 years old and well established. I don't think I'm overstocked. Probably at a good limit though. And water changes/ gravel vac are done religiously.

Tank is 20" high. I've seen them zip up to the top and down again no problem though.

 

[jpedersen024]

keeping frogs in with fish can starve them, as all the food has gone by the time they have found it.

I was worried about this. Have noticed they're much slower. I try to feed directly to where they are (while distracting the fish with other food). In the past if I was still concerned, every couple of days I netted them and fed blood worms while they were temporarily isolated. Seemed to work well.

Can't tape off any more opening... my filter and biowheel need the small access that is available. Have lowered water level a bit though.

Hoping the others were bad luck/ unhealthy to start (I'm thinking likely..). The two I have now seem to be doing fine. Quite shy, so I really have to search to find them, but so far so good.... !!!!!

 

[Phaedra]

I think you're right in that some of them just really aren't very hardy. I got 2 ADF's when I first started stocking my tank and immediately noticed a difference between the male and female. While the male was active and curious, the female spent all of her time hiding, and just was NOT interested in any food offered to her.
After about a week of having her, I noticed her floating at the top of the tank one evening. I thought that maybe this was an improvement to her hiding, but the next day I found her dead.
The only cause I could think of was that she had drowned (unlikely), had some sort of genetic thing going on, or the guy in the pet store had broken one of her little limbs while he was getting her into her bag for transport (he wasn't exactly gentle) and she had finally given up the ghost.
I hand-feed my remaining ADF bloodworms and reptomin pellets and he seems to be doing pretty well. I still have yet to find the perfect technique, but it's a learning process.

If I ever decide to get another ADF in the future, I'm going to be VERY picky with which one I have them grab for me. Always the active ones with little round bellies from now on.

I forgot to add that an effective way to seal up holes without having to bother with tape is good old fashioned aluminum foil. I've got some over the holes by my filter and removing / replacing it is as easy as lifting the lid.

 

[Runit]

I also had a few ADF a long time ago that all died. Eating was a huge problem for them. They are so small and you need to actually watch them eat. In some cases I had to seperate them into a small dish just so they'd eat something. Try feeding live foods (if you haven't been), and you'll be able to cross off starving as a cause of death.

 

[jpedersen024]

They're still going strong... the 2 new ones. Maybe I've bucked the curse. They are MUCh bigger and healthier than any of the others ever were, and eating my baby platies and frozen blood worms just nicely....!!!!!

Although while doing a very thorough vaccuum this weekend, found one of the previous ones that had gone 'missing'... Poor little bugger made it halfway across the house into another room, and dried up in a corner behind the plant.

Add plugging up all holes to my list of things to do tomorrow.