Eating Problems

[Davin]

I have two baby ACF's I got the first one last friday, and second wednesday. The problem is the second one is a tiny bit bigger, and seems to eat all the food. Right when I drop in the pellets it seems the second newer frog takes the smell right away and starts searching. While the first frog just sits back, and does not attempt to look for food. Like it will eat the minors crumbs that come right in front of him, but he will not actually attempt to eat a pellet or even search for the food. I have put reptomin in as well, and I can see the second frog swim to the top and take bites out of it. I break the reptomin in half.

What should I do in this situation? If one frog won't try to eat and everything gets eaten by the second?

EDIT: As I type this the my second frog is still scavenging for remaining crumbs while the first just swims up and down the side of the glass. Seems like he is trying to escape? Swims up and down against glass and side to side...

[Jenste]

If there is still food in the tank, the up and down swimming is the young frog being excited by the smell. You said you use both floating and sinking foods so it thinks it has to look all over for the meal.

Frogs will also occasionally do this - they can not "see" the glass so the swim until they hit a barrier then they swim up and down the barrier until they are satisfied there is no way through.

Both of your frogs are new and young. Being first shipped to the store, put in a new tank, caught in a net, bagged and then put in another new environment is extremely stressful...Stressed frogs will go off their food for even a few weeks with no ill effects.

Just keep feeding and be patient. The frog IS eating a bit so I am not as concerned.

Do you know you water stats? A healthy environment will help ease the transition.

[Davin]

They were given to me so I started cycling a tank right away which they are in. Once they get a bit bigger they will be going into a 20gl once I get that tank cycled and set up.

[xxianxx]

Try tong feeding the frogs with small worms, I do not place food in my Xenopus tank to feed my guys as the females tend to be very greedy and eat all the food, I have one who is so greedy she has nearly killed herself with overeating twice, so I always individually feed my frogs ,that way I can ensure they all get fed. This also has the added advantage that the frogs associate you with food and dont hide when you approach the tank.

[Davin]

What small worms do you suggest with baby frogs?

[xxianxx]

Small earthworms or larger ones chopped to size.