Help...african Clawed Frogs Have Swallowed Some Gravel!

[Fee73]

Hi Guys

Hoping someone can give me some advice here...I'm in a bit of a panic. I bought two African Clawed Frogs on Friday, both young one about 1.5" and one about 1" in size. I thought I did everything right...cycled my tank (water perfect), introduced some plants, put in some hiding places for the little guys etc. I was feeding freeze dried bloodworms which they didn't seem keen on so off I went today to buy some fresh ones which they adored.

Shortly after feeding I noticed that the littlest frog has swallowed some of the gravel in the tank...I can see the orange through its skin . It doesn't look bloated etc but I'm worried it gets impacted. I now realise that I've stupidly bought gravel that's too small for them, I feel so guilty and am so angry with myself. What's the likelyhood of this little guy passing this gravel and also can I introduce some larger substrate on top of this gravel while frogs are in tank to prevent this happening again?

Any help would be much appreciated, my little boy will be devasted if anything happens to one of his frogs and i'll never forgive myself .

Thanks in advance.

Fee

 

[leeandstacie]

Hi Guys

Hoping someone can give me some advice here...I'm in a bit of a panic. I bought two African Clawed Frogs on Friday, both young one about 1.5" and one about 1" in size. I thought I did everything right...cycled my tank (water perfect), introduced some plants, put in some hiding places for the little guys etc. I was feeding freeze dried bloodworms which they didn't seem keen on so off I went today to buy some fresh ones which they adored.

Shortly after feeding I noticed that the littlest frog has swallowed some of the gravel in the tank...I can see the orange through its skin . It doesn't look bloated etc but I'm worried it gets impacted. I now realise that I've stupidly bought gravel that's too small for them, I feel so guilty and am so angry with myself. What's the likelyhood of this little guy passing this gravel and also can I introduce some larger substrate on top of this gravel while frogs are in tank to prevent this happening again?

Any help would be much appreciated, my little boy will be devasted if anything happens to one of his frogs and i'll never forgive myself .

Thanks in advance.

Fee

Not sure how to rescue your little fella but the larger gravel will get moved around by the fish in your tank eventually exposing the small gravel again

 

[saltynay]

Gravel is a big issue for them as it blocks their digestive track, don't feed them again for 2 days and hope it comes out on its own. If no luck you can then try some mild laxative fruit and veg like blanched peas if that doesn't work after a week or so go back to normal food and be prepared to find it dead one day soon, although it has been known in rare cases for them to survive. I recommend you swap out the gravel for sand or large river pebbles

 

[Fee73]

Thank you all for the replies...much appreciated! I checked on the little guy this morning and I can't see any orange shining through this abdomen now. Hoping its cleared on its own but not going to feed for the 2 days as you suggest just to make sure.

I'm definitely going to change the gravel as soon as possible. ONly thing is I only have the one tank, how will it go with cycling etc and what can I do with the wee guys while I'm setting up their tank again?

Fiona : )

 

[saltynay]

Just take out 60% of the tank water into a bucket, remove the filter, plants, heater, frogs and put it all in the bucket submerged underwater preferably. I advise you keep the filter and heater off as it should only take 15 minutes. Tip out the gravel give a little rinse and a sponge on the inside of the tank with tap water and replace with new gravel (should be washed before hand and thoroughly rinsed) then replant the tank. Place the filter and heater back and if using sand put a plate on the sand. Fill up 40% with fresh dechlorinated water pouring slowly onto the plate so as not to disturb the sand and return the frogs, then slowly continue to fill up with the old tank water.

 

[Fee73]

Thank you so much...I'm off to get a new bucket to put the little uns in. Should I add stress-zyme to the water to dechlorinate the new water? Sorry, I'm quite new to all this...its fine reading it from a book but I've no confidence in doing it for real!!!!

Fiona

 

[saltynay]

Yeop stress zyme is a dechlorinater should tell you on the back the relevant dosage.You don't need a new bucket surely, any container would do even your bin with a fresh liner in (lightly washed out) would be fine its only temporary after all.

 

[Inchworm]

Just make sure you keep it covered so they don't jump out.