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Thread: What's wrong with my Frog?

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    Unhappy What's wrong with my Frog?

    Greetings, everyone. As some of you may realize, this is pretty much my first post on this site, and I joined specifically to write this. I bought an Albino African Clawed Frog, who is named Claude, just shy of five months ago. And he (she?) was doing well up until a few weeks ago when it started exhibiting concerning signs. Firstly, he had some red sores pop up on his left foot and a particularly nasty looking one on his head, right behind his eyes. I wasn't sure what it was - I tried using some fungal medication, and it had no effect (only thing it accomplished was dying the water a fluorescent green). But the other day I decided to put some aquarium salt in the tank, and it actually seemed to work to an extent (the sores weren't as red, and the one on his head actually seemed to go down). Unfortunately this is not the only problem my poor frog is experiencing right now.

    I noticed several days ago that Claude wasn't eating anything. I have tried several times to get him to eat, but he simply won't do it. Now he is staying at the top of the tank much more than is normal. He is still able to keep himself at the bottom of the tank, but I noticed that he is floatier than usual. But about three days ago, I witnessed the most disturbing display from the poor ol thing - he was at the bottom of the tank, and he started spasming and he regurgitated this green looking gunk (which the fish made quick work of), but afterwards he didn't act any different and he hasn't done it since. From what I've read, I'm thinking he may be constipated and simply can't pass any waste. I wanted to post here to get some second opinions and advice on what I should do. If you all need pictures, just ask and I'll take some. That frog has given me so much grief and I don't want him to die. Please help if you can. Thank you.

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    100+ Post Member mpmistr's Avatar
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    Default Re: What's wrong with my Frog?

    Quote Originally Posted by PineappleProducer View Post
    Greetings, everyone. As some of you may realize, this is pretty much my first post on this site, and I joined specifically to write this. I bought an Albino African Clawed Frog, who is named Claude, just shy of five months ago. And he (she?) was doing well up until a few weeks ago when it started exhibiting concerning signs. Firstly, he had some red sores pop up on his left foot and a particularly nasty looking one on his head, right behind his eyes. I wasn't sure what it was - I tried using some fungal medication, and it had no effect (only thing it accomplished was dying the water a fluorescent green). But the other day I decided to put some aquarium salt in the tank, and it actually seemed to work to an extent (the sores weren't as red, and the one on his head actually seemed to go down). Unfortunately this is not the only problem my poor frog is experiencing right now.

    I noticed several days ago that Claude wasn't eating anything. I have tried several times to get him to eat, but he simply won't do it. Now he is staying at the top of the tank much more than is normal. He is still able to keep himself at the bottom of the tank, but I noticed that he is floatier than usual. But about three days ago, I witnessed the most disturbing display from the poor ol thing - he was at the bottom of the tank, and he started spasming and he regurgitated this green looking gunk (which the fish made quick work of), but afterwards he didn't act any different and he hasn't done it since. From what I've read, I'm thinking he may be constipated and simply can't pass any waste. I wanted to post here to get some second opinions and advice on what I should do. If you all need pictures, just ask and I'll take some. That frog has given me so much grief and I don't want him to die. Please help if you can. Thank you.
    I think some pictures would help here but I have a few questions.

    1. What size aquarium is this frog kept in?
    2. What type of filtration is being used?
    3. How often are water changes being performed and how much water volume is replaced at a time?
    4. What type of water conditioner are you using?
    5. What does the diet consist of for this frog?
    6. What temperature is this frog kept at?
    7. Do you have a water test kit? Do you know the pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate levels of your aquarium?

    This sounds like some kind of bacterial infection, it could be reg leg, which is often fatal.

    Epsom salt baths can help with constipation. You just need a tupperware container or a small spare aquarium if you have one. Add a gallon of dechlorinated tap water and half a teaspoon of epsom salts (make sure it's not scented or anything). Let the frog soak for one hour and and then return him to the aquarium. Do make sure the water is as close to the aquarium water as possible, because sudden swings in temperature can damage a frog.

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    Default Re: What's wrong with my Frog?

    Red sores, loss of appetite, odd swimming behaviors; it definitely sounds like a bacterial infection (which is why the anti-fungal treatment wasn't helping). Please do take pictures and answer Michael's questions, because poor water quality is a likely cause for bacterial infections. Also, you said you have fish, but is Claude your only ACF? Do you have a spare tank to place him in? It would be easier to clean and medicate if he was in his own hospital tank.

    I would suggest treating the bacterial infection with Maracyn II or Maracyn Plus. Do you have those two medications in your LFS? And if you don't, thankfully they're both on Amazon! Remember, if your filter contains any carbon, to remove it before you start the medication.

    I'm so sorry Claude isn't feeling well (by the way, I love the name Claude!), and I hope he gets better soon.
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    Default Re: What's wrong with my Frog?




    ^There he is. I apologize for the bad quality, but I don't have a decent camera on anything I own. To answer those questions:

    1. He is kept in a 20 gallon long tank
    2. I'm using a carbon filter
    3. I typically do a 25% water change once a week, but I did a larger water change a week or two ago.
    4. I'm not exactly sure what constistutes as a water conditioner, but I use API Stress Coat+ every time a water change is done.
    5. When I got him, he was eating fish flakes (which is what he was being fed at the pet store), but I bought some frog pellets from xenopus express several months ago, which he quickly switched over to eating.
    6. I don't have a thermometer in the tank, and the water heater doesn't have a way to tell what the temperature is set to, but I would assume it is low to mid 70s.
    7. No, I don't have a water testing kit.

    I do have two spare tanks, a 10 gallon and a 1 gallon. I set up the 10 gallon a few days ago to move some baby plecos into it (they were in the 1 gallon tank originally). I'd gladly move him to the 10 gallon, but i don't have a heater or filter to go to it. The closest pet store is about a 40-45 minute drive, but I am considering driving up there Thursday to stock up on supplies like the things you all mentioned. And yeah, he is the only ACF I got.

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    Default Re: What's wrong with my Frog?

    No the quality is fine. Here's what I think.

    The gravel may be a problem if ingested, that could cause him to be impacted.. but that doesn't explain the sores.

    What's a carbon filter? Sorry for my ignorance on this one. The way most filters work is the water is cycled over media and eventually that media grows beneficial bacteria and it breaks down your frogs ammonia into relatively safe nitrates. Carbon can be helpful for some things but it in itself isn't filtration really. Do you know what make and model the filter is? I don't think they make carbon only filters though yours may have a carbon component (keep in mind this carbon media typically only lasts a few months at most).

    One last question.. who else inhabits this tank with this frog? You it's not a pleco is it? Those can be aggressive and attach the slime coat of a frog when hungry (they're territorial too!).

    BTW Stress Coat isn't bad, you get more bang for the buck with SeaChem Prime though (and it's better at removing ammonia).

  7. #6

    Default Re: What's wrong with my Frog?

    Probably a bad choice of words on my part. The filter media is a cartridge and its inside a filter that hangs on the back of the tank. A Whisper 10-30i, to be exact. The plecos are in a separate tank. I do, however, have six tetras (1 rosy, 3 white skirt, and 2 red serpae) that also inhabit the tank the frog is in, and they've never bothered each other.

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    Default Re: What's wrong with my Frog?

    The gravel is definitely worrying. Have you played with the idea to switching to extremely fine sand, large river rocks, or even a bare bottom tank?

    Because the cartridge comes with carbon (and therefore you can't remove it without getting rid of your beneficial bacteria), I recommend moving Claude to the ten gallon (and of course moving the baby plecos already inhabiting it) and treating him there. Xenopus laevis shouldn't need a heater unless your home is abnormally cold, and with daily water changes, you can get away with not having a filter until he is better.

    Also, just be mindful of the fact that tetras, when stressed, have the tendency to nip, so it's a possibility that instead of the water quality, they themselve caused the sores which then got infected. Just a possibility, nothing more.
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    Default Re: What's wrong with my Frog?

    Quote Originally Posted by PineappleProducer View Post
    Probably a bad choice of words on my part. The filter media is a cartridge and its inside a filter that hangs on the back of the tank. A Whisper 10-30i, to be exact. The plecos are in a separate tank. I do, however, have six tetras (1 rosy, 3 white skirt, and 2 red serpae) that also inhabit the tank the frog is in, and they've never bothered each other.
    Whispers are fine, I've used them in the past. I think the tetras may be nipping this frog, but it's just a hunch. Tetras are pretty nippy fish aren't they? There's a good chance it just happens when you're not watching.

    If it's not the fish nipping, it's a water quality issue. Have you considered just getting a 20 gallon for this frog and keep it alone?

  10. #9

    Default Re: What's wrong with my Frog?

    Well, I did plan on moving the frog to his own tank once he got bigger (I'm sure he'd make a meal out of them fish). I guess this could just speed up the process. I guess I could move him to the 10 gallon and move the plecos to the 20 gallon and go from there. If I'm able to get what I need on Thursday, that should help immensely. A shame the gravel isn't a suitable substrate - I'm quite fond of gravel... How does aquarium sand work exactly? I can only picture it being stirred up really easy and clogging the filter and just being a big mess.

    Also, this could also be an issue, and I'm embarrassed to admit it, but what do you all use for surface agitation for your frogs? I read that air stones and similar things aren't good for the frogs, so I don't have one in the tank, but consequently the surface of the water looks absolutely disgusting.

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    Default Re: What's wrong with my Frog?

    Quote Originally Posted by PineappleProducer View Post
    Well, I did plan on moving the frog to his own tank once he got bigger (I'm sure he'd make a meal out of them fish). I guess this could just speed up the process. I guess I could move him to the 10 gallon and move the plecos to the 20 gallon and go from there. If I'm able to get what I need on Thursday, that should help immensely. A shame the gravel isn't a suitable substrate - I'm quite fond of gravel... How does aquarium sand work exactly? I can only picture it being stirred up really easy and clogging the filter and just being a big mess.

    Also, this could also be an issue, and I'm embarrassed to admit it, but what do you all use for surface agitation for your frogs? I read that air stones and similar things aren't good for the frogs, so I don't have one in the tank, but consequently the surface of the water looks absolutely disgusting.
    I think your 20 gallon is overstocked and you are suffering from water quality issues. That's not to say the fish aren't also nipping the frog, it's quite possible.

    What you have is a build up of organic waste, surface agitation won't fix it. You can use a paper towel, by laying it over the top of the water it may soak some up. It will come back of the water quality issues aren't resolved though.

    I use sand, it's fine. I've had canister filters, HOB filters, and internal filters and they all survived sand substrate.

    Here's a picture of my tank currently 40 gallon breeder with 4 adult clawed frogs (including 3 huge females). With sand I've found that you don't need a lot, just sprinkle enough on the bottom to give the appearance of ground cover.
    https://postimg.org/image/gwdbxzvov/

    Honestly you could just go bare tank, put a towel under your tank to give the illusion of substrate. There's no best way to keep ACF and the frogs couldn't care less about substrate.

    I think moving the frog to a 10gallon is fine but I would invest in another 20 gallon long. The reason is because 10 gallons are just so hard to keep stable, too little water volume. It's just really hard to control temperature, water quality, ect..


    Oh and yeah, air stones are fine, but not really necessary.

  12. #11

    Default Re: What's wrong with my Frog?

    I cleaned out the gravel about a week ago. Do you think the water quality will, for lack of a better term, stabilize or improve since I have done that? I don't know what other organic waste I could be failing to see.

    P.S. That's a lovely looking frog, I must say.

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    Default Re: What's wrong with my Frog?

    Quote Originally Posted by PineappleProducer View Post
    I cleaned out the gravel about a week ago. Do you think the water quality will, for lack of a better term, stabilize or improve since I have done that? I don't know what other organic waste I could be failing to see.

    P.S. That's a lovely looking frog, I must say.
    Thanks! But can you see the other hidden one?

    You honestly probably have too much fish and frog poo and too little water. Cleaning the tank will help but overloaded tanks tend to not be stable (ammonia builds up fast & the filter beneficial bacteria can't break it down fast enough).

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    Default Re: What's wrong with my Frog?

    I see him now! Sneaky little thing.

    I didn't think those little fish could make so much waste. whenever I get the money, I'll get another 20 gallon tank or buy a larger tank to move the fish to and move the frog back to the 20 gallon tank.

  15. #14

    Default Re: What's wrong with my Frog?

    So, I have an update, and not necessarily a good one.

    I got home from work a few minutes ago, and my frog is staying at the top of the tank. It looks like it has some skin hanging off of it, but the concerning part is that I noticed one of his legs is a tad red. Is this the red leg that I've heard about, and is it too late to do anything about it? This must have sprung up overnight, because I didn't notice it yesterday.

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    Default Re: What's wrong with my Frog?

    I think he needs to go into a hospital tank and be treated with maracyn 2 or maracyn plus immediately.

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    Default Re: What's wrong with my Frog?

    Oh, I am so sorry. See if you can get some Tetracycline and start treating him immediately. Tetracycline is stronger and is used to treat red leg. I believe you administer 1 mg for every 5 grams of weight? But, just in case, research other people's opinions on how to administer it.
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    Default Re: What's wrong with my Frog?

    I would if I had any, but I have none of those things here.

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    Default Re: What's wrong with my Frog?

    Are you able to get to your LFS today? API has its own brand of Tetracycline medication that should (hopefully) be sold there. If you can't make it, quarantine him and let's hope for the best!
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    Default Re: What's wrong with my Frog?

    The soonest I'll be able to get there will be tomorrow morning. Should I try moving him to the 10 gallon? There's no heater in there and I don't want to risk putting him in shock from the temperature difference.

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    Default Re: What's wrong with my Frog?

    If you've already removed the plecos, definitely transfer him to the 10 gallon. If there's a difference in temperature, you might have to do it the old fashioned way; place him in a container with some of your 20g tank water and float it in the 10 gallon, slowly acclimating him. Once the temperature is the same, then you can release him into the 10 gallon.
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