Emaciated ACF

[Collegekid]

So the saga with Ruby continues. In early September Ruby bloated, it took about two weeks for the bloat to go away and for her to return to normal physically and start eating. She didn't eat at all during those two weeks. She has had a little trouble swimming ever since she bloated but has adjusted and is doing fine with that. About two weeks after she returned to normal she became extremely thin, so this was about October 15th. She has not been able to gain weight. She eats perfectly, no issues there, she just won't gain weight and looks horrible. I treated her with API general cure which is for internal and external parasites. No change. Her only other symptoms are the swimming issues she's had since bloating and excessive skin shedding and some tearing of her foot webbing. She is also always at the surface of the water. She is able to submerge and swim to the bottom but never settles there or stays anywhere but at the surface for more than a few seconds.

I'm not sure what I should do or even if I have to do anything. I mean she is eating and is able to breathe. I don't think she is getting worse but she just doesn't look healthy. The shedding also suggests she's probably not totally comfortable either. Could it be caused by organ damage from the bloat? Any ideas?

Here are some photos but they don't really do her condition justice. Her thighs are just so thin and her hip bones and rib cage in her back poke out. You can see how she sits lop sided at the surface of the water.














For reference this is what she used to look like:

[smood86]

Hi, what do u feed her? And maybe she needs a resting place to hang at the top of the water. How do you do waterchanges?

[Collegekid]

She eats reptomin sticks. I change about 50% of the water once a week with a siphon, making sure to suck out any poo/old food/shed skin (like I said she's been shedding a lot so there is quite a bit on the floor of the tank when I clean). I was slacking on water changes before she bloated, which is why I think she bloated, but since then I've done them religiously.

[smood86]

Maybe try some more fattening food?

[celticstarb]

I'm sorry to hear she is doing poorly.

Kidney issues such as renal cancer can cause water retention that can look like bloat. It takes a very experienced vet to diagnose kidney issues so there is no way to be sure.

Buy some nightcrawlers and see if she will eat them. I have never seen a frog turn one down, but I have never seen one so emaciated.

I never like suggesting this, but if she doesn't eat soon, it may be better to consider euthanizing her.

[Collegekid]

She does eat, very well in fact, she's just not gaining any weight.

[smood86]

Did you try the nightcrawlers yet? Wasmothlarves are very high protein as wel. My frogs go crazy for them.

[celticstarb]

You may want to try panacur in case it is worms or nematodes. You will want the liquid type. The dosage is 50 mg per kg. If you get some, you can tell us the concentration and we can help with the correct dosage for your frog. I generally administer it in one of two ways. For low dosage, such as preventative care, I gutload live brine shrimp with it. For higher dosages, such as active infections, I inject it into a nightcrawler and hand feed the frog. The panacur will kill the nightcrawler, but that's ok; your frog should eat the dead worm. Aquatic frogs are difficult to dose with oral meds, so the meds need to be bioencapsulated for best results (we call this gutloading).

http://www.beardeddragon.co/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=113

What temp is you tank now?

If you are currently going to college (because of your screen name), you may also want to go to your biology department to see if any of the professors have experience with xenopus. They may be able to help in lieu of a vet.

[Collegekid]

I have not tried nightcrawlers...do you think I'll be able to find them this time of year? We don't really have bait shops, but there is a local outdoor store that usually sells them. My only concern has always been their size, I have very small ACFs so the worms will have to be significantly chopped and it kind of bugs me to slice up a live worm (I'm a wimp, I know).

I am not in college anymore, I just was when I purchased them and joined the forum (5 years ago now!). It's a bummer because we did have a biology professor who had tons of reptiles and amphibians, she may have been able to help.

I suppose I'll go ahead and order the panacur then. I am not home at the moment so can't check the temp. I did unplug the heater when she bloated because multiple sources said my temp was too high. However I doubt I'll be able to go all winter without the heater, it'll get chilly, so I'll have to buy a new one.

[smood86]

Cant you adjust your heater to a lower temp? Around roomtemp? At night the temp in your house prob lowers and cause you have a relative small aqua. The watertemp might shift 2 much. They really sensitive to temperature changes.
Most petshops sell the nightcrawlers or wasmothlarves. The larves are between 1 and 2 cm. Might be a better option.

[tgampper]

I would say that your frog has some sort of internal parasite or bacterium since there is no outward sign of a virus, bacterial or fungal infection. It could be residing in the gut and siphoning off the food before it can be processed by the frog. You should prepare a fecal and water sample from the tank for analysis. Maybe a vet or a microbiological department at a college may be able to help. Have them check for Cryptosporidium and Mycobacterium. Just a suggestion. Good luck

Oh, by the way, the optimal temperature for ACFs is between 68-72(F). I keep mine at room temperature. Sustained temperatures above 80(F) can be fatal.

[celticstarb]

During the winter I use a heater set at 68 degrees.

I don't chop nightcrawlers. Even my mulleri boy can eat them, and he is tiny. The worms are easily twice his length. Walmart carries nightcrawlers for under $5 for 18 worms. Don't get the neon (glow) worms nor the red wigglers. You can use the "baby" night crawlers if they are in stock. These are about half the size of standard nightcrawlers.

If you are using the worms to inject panacur, you will need a syringe and 18 gauge needle. You can get these for cheap at a feed store or Tractor Supply.

[celticstarb]

How is Ruby doing?

[celticstarb]

Any update on Ruby?