New ACF owner

[Tori Savage]

Update on Ghost...

He is still doing well. He has started calling again. He is enjoying feeder fish and blood worms. He eats earth worms when i find them in my yard. I've noticed that he eats his shedding??? Is this normal behavior? Also, Im looking to re-arrange my tanks. He is still in the hexagon tank. Would he do fine in like a 20g long tank?

[tgampper]

Eating the shed is quite normal, no need to worry. Ghost will do much better in the 20 gallon. You will have plenty of room for another one. Your diet is fine, Jenna mentioned Repto-Min - it is a good staple food and has all the nutrition your frog needs. I feed my ACFs Repto-Min exclusively and haven't had any problems. Worms are great too, just stay away from the freeze-dried.

ACFs have a complex calling system. Both males and females will call. The male will have a rapid buzzing sound and the female's call will be a slow tick (like a clock). Ghost is a male. Males are smaller than females and have darkened "gloves" on the fingers - these "gloves" are nuptial pads that helps the male grab on to the female's waist during mating. Females have a large folds on the cloaca (vent). These frogs are great! My males and females have a duet every evening - can't sleep without it

[Tori Savage]

The worms I feed are just frozen. Not freeze-dried. I feed them Hikari Bio-Pure Frozen Blood Worms

Aquarium Fish Foods: Hikari Bio-Pure Frozen Blood Worms

The woman who I had gotten him from, fed him feeder fish and freeze dried shrimp I do believe. But he looks really healthy. And hes huge. And if the female is bigger than he is, lordy she gona be really huge lol!!! The only other ACF ive seen were little small ones. And I think hed try to eat them. They are barely 1/4 the size he is, and hes full grown... the first time i attempted earth worms, he didnt like it. but a few times after that, i guess he was so hungry, he ate it. But hopefully i will be able to get a 20g long here soon...

what type of filter would be best? one that hangs on the side(which he has now), or one that is submersible? or which would be cheapest?

I also use the TetraFauna AquaSafe Reptile & Amphibian Water Conditioner for their water... All of my frogs actually. They seem to do better and soak more often than with other conditioners ive tried...

[rodsboys]

Feeder fish, frozen blood worms, and worms you "find" are not really a great diet for your frog. You should really get him on a good pelleted/prepared diet. The majority of feeder fish on the market have enzimes that prevent creatures that eat them from processing the protein properly. Worms you "find" can carry a number of contaminants including pesticides and fertilizers. Earth worms are great if you use farm raised worms like the ones in a bait store. Some pet stores carry them as well. Make sure you cut them into a few peices. Bloodworms of any kind really don't contain substantial nutrition and should only be offered as a treat at best.
I agree with Terry that the 20 gallon will be a good upgrade for him. Lots more horizontal swimming room.
If you are interested in getting him a buddy, check your local classified adds. People are often trying to get rid of these frogs for free or cheap.

[SanderB]

Feeder fish, frozen blood worms, and worms you "find" are not really a great diet for your frog. You should really get him on a good pelleted/prepared diet. The majority of feeder fish on the market have enzimes that prevent creatures that eat them from processing the protein properly. Worms you "find" can carry a number of contaminants including pesticides and fertilizers. Earth worms are great if you use farm raised worms like the ones in a bait store. Some pet stores carry them as well. Make sure you cut them into a few peices. Bloodworms of any kind really don't contain substantial nutrition and should only be offered as a treat at best.
I agree with Terry that the 20 gallon will be a good upgrade for him. Lots more horizontal swimming room.
If you are interested in getting him a buddy, check your local classified adds. People are often trying to get rid of these frogs for free or cheap.

If feed my frogs frozen bloodworms and sometimes earthworms, never had any problems. It are clawed frogs, not some kind of diseased humans with digestion isues. In nature they will eat probably everything that fits in their mouth: fish, insects, snails, other frogs, mice... I keep and my fish and amfibians like they would live in the wild --> survival of the fittest. Just feed them bugs, spiders, worms, fish...
Pellets might be good to but it´s expensive compare to the earthworms in my backyard.

[rodsboys]

If feed my frogs frozen bloodworms and sometimes earthworms, never had any problems. It are clawed frogs, not some kind of diseased humans with digestion isues. In nature they will eat probably everything that fits in their mouth: fish, insects, snails, other frogs, mice... I keep and my fish and amfibians like they would live in the wild --> survival of the fittest. Just feed them bugs, spiders, worms, fish...
Pellets might be good to but it´s expensive compare to the earthworms in my backyard.

Not a whole lot of "wild" ACFs getting their mits on goldfish and rosey reds. In the wild they would be likely to eat a variety of small fish not doubt. Few of which will likely not contain Thiaminase. Kind of sad really that purchased food is too expensive for you and you rather chance killing/harming them. The whole idea of keeping these animals should at the very least contain some though of their health and well being.

[SanderB]

Not a whole lot of "wild" ACFs getting their mits on goldfish and rosey reds. In the wild they would be likely to eat a variety of small fish not doubt. Few of which will likely not contain Thiaminase. Kind of sad really that purchased food is too expensive for you and you rather chance killing/harming them. The whole idea of keeping these animals should at the very least contain some though of their health and well being.

As I sad, I never had a sick clawed frog before and I´ve been keeping them for about 5 years or so. They realy like big earthworms, I once had a clawed frog and she ate 5 worms that where 25 cm each in 1 time. I also gave her a big mouse: My african clawed frog eating a mouse part 1 - YouTube

I wonder if she was a real Xenopus laevis or not some other species, both male and female where very big, the female was about 30cm when she stretched her leggs.
I also had a male at that time and he was about 15 years old or so was only being fed earhtworms.