Sinking ACF

[emberlisa]

I have 3 ACFs that are almost 2 months old. They always stay close to the bottom and only swim to the surface for air. It almost seems like something is wrong with their back claws. The toes look like they are scrunched together or something. It sometimes looks like they only have 4 toes. I'm concerned because they don't swim much at all, they are very inactive. I have 4 other frogs in a separate tank that don't act like them at all. they were all born at the same time but the other guys are twice their size and they swim around constantly and swim to the top for food right away. I think the other guys wait for the reptomin sticks to sink to the bottom before they eat them. Is there anything I can do? Is this normal?

[Geoff]

The obvious things to consider if you haven't done so already are the differences in environmental conditions between the two tanks in order to try and establish whether some aspect is adversely affecting the inactive frogs. Things like water temperature, water quality, filtration, exposure to light, particularly direct sunlight might be influencing their behaviour. I'm not sure what could reasonably described as normal but I think the problem here is that the inconsistent behaviour shown by sibling frogs in two separate tanks points towards something being amiss in the one with the inactive frogs.

[SailAwayAK]

You might start with checking your water parameters in both tanks and see what is going on there.

My frogs aren't very active during the day. Most often I can sit back and watch them really get active in the evenings. Even then temp makes a difference as well.

[SwimminSteve]

I agree with the above comments. Could you post a photo of the feet that you're worried about? I'd say there is definitely a chance that your slower froglets are just that: "slow". Some frogs just tend to be lazy or are "special", but I'm still betting on it being an environmental thing. Is there a reason you have them in separate tanks to begin with? Have these guys always been much smaller? Pics comparing the slow guys to the regular guys would be really helpful.
I wouldn't worry about them eating only sunken food. Frogs get used to obtaining their food a certain way. If they are used to finding it on the floor they aren't going to look for it at the surface. As long as they still have a good appetite I wouldn't worry about it. Are you only feeding them reptomin? Because nutritionally that could be part of the issue.

[emberlisa]

Hi. I've taken some photos for you guys to look at. I apologize for the poor quality, they were taken with my cell.

Here are pictures of the ones that stay along the bottom:



And here are photos of the siblings, which are kept in the tank with the light and filter:


Is it to early to tell the sex?

I agree with the above comments. Could you post a photo of the feet that you're worried about? I'd say there is definitely a chance that your slower froglets are just that: "slow". Some frogs just tend to be lazy or are "special", but I'm still betting on it being an environmental thing. Is there a reason you have them in separate tanks to begin with? Have these guys always been much smaller? Pics comparing the slow guys to the regular guys would be really helpful.
I wouldn't worry about them eating only sunken food. Frogs get used to obtaining their food a certain way. If they are used to finding it on the floor they aren't going to look for it at the surface. As long as they still have a good appetite I wouldn't worry about it. Are you only feeding them reptomin? Because nutritionally that could be part of the issue.

[emberlisa]

You might start with checking your water parameters in both tanks and see what is going on there.

My frogs aren't very active during the day. Most often I can sit back and watch them really get active in the evenings. Even then temp makes a difference as well.

Well, the frogs in the filtered tank are very active, always swimming around or floating at the top. I use the same water for the other tanks and feed them the same food, except I change the water every 2 or 3 days instead of having a filter (I am going to get a filter soon) and the water level is at about 6 inches.

[SwimminSteve]

I don't see anything off about the froglets. But I think that the light and filter have something to do with the others being more active. What is the water depth of the tank with the filter?
I have a froglet just about the size of yours and she spends all her time on the bottom. She swims around from hiding place to hiding place and to eat, but other than that I don't see her much. She has a filter but no tank light. She eats well and is growing. I'm not worried about her one bit. Some froglets are more shy that way. Try adding more hiding places including a floating plant. This should ease their stress and make them want to explore more.
It is probably too soon to tell sex with 100% accuracy at this point, but you might see a cloaca starting to become more prominent in a female at this age. To take good pics for determining gender: Put them in a kritter keeper(or clear container) with no substrate and a little water. Put the kritter keeper on a white piece of paper and get a pic of between its legs from above.

[SailAwayAK]

I am with Steve that I don't see anything off about their feet. How cute they are when they are soooo little! I got mine as adult whoppers and never hat froglets. Hiding places, lights and filtration will all make a difference. Heck if I lived in a room of white padded walls I would be more nutty than I already am. Some hiding vegetation on the surface can help.

[emberlisa]

I don't see anything off about the froglets. But I think that the light and filter have something to do with the others being more active. What is the water depth of the tank with the filter?
I have a froglet just about the size of yours and she spends all her time on the bottom. She swims around from hiding place to hiding place and to eat, but other than that I don't see her much. She has a filter but no tank light. She eats well and is growing. I'm not worried about her one bit. Some froglets are more shy that way. Try adding more hiding places including a floating plant. This should ease their stress and make them want to explore more.
It is probably too soon to tell sex with 100% accuracy at this point, but you might see a cloaca starting to become more prominent in a female at this age. To take good pics for determining gender: Put them in a kritter keeper(or clear container) with no substrate and a little water. Put the kritter keeper on a white piece of paper and get a pic of between its legs from above.

Hi. I agree with you that the light and filter are having a positive affect on the frogs that I am keeping in that tank. Even those frogs' bodies are only about an inch. They will be 2 months old on tuesday. They stopped growing about a week or 2 ago and I think I am even spotting a cloacal extention on one. Do you think it is possible that they are dwarfs? With the eggs, Insect Lore included a paper that states they are "African Water Frogs: xenopus laevis."

What do you like to feed your froglet? What is its name?

[tgampper]

The frogs look good to me. Generally these frogs are pretty lazy except during feeding time. ACFs are mostly crepuscular, being active during the twilight hours. In this species, both males and females will call. My house is quite noisy ACFs become sexually mature at 9 months for females and 12 months for males. It is very important that the water is properly conditioned and the optimum water temperature should be between 68-72(F). In captivity, temperatures above 86(F) can be fatal.

For the most part, in the wild, these frogs are able to withstand extremes in temperature from 55(F) to 136(F). They are able to survive in the most inhospitable places. It's amazing that people are having so many problems with them in captivity. My theory is that they have been breeding them for so many years that there could be something bad that has gotten into the gene pool or it's just poor husbandry!

[SailAwayAK]

Terry, I know somewhere I have seen write ups on optimal breeding temps. Ever seen anything? Supposedly it will make the frogs more active. As in a seasonal temp range. Not sure I buy into it but it sounded like an interesting theory. I have read most of the science studies including the one you have posted.

[emberlisa]

The frogs look good to me. Generally these frogs are pretty lazy except during feeding time. ACFs are mostly crepuscular, being active during the twilight hours. In this species, both males and females will call. My house is quite noisy ACFs become sexually mature at 9 months for females and 12 months for males. It is very important that the water is properly conditioned and the optimum water temperature should be between 68-72(F). In captivity, temperatures above 86(F) can be fatal.

For the most part, in the wild, these frogs are able to withstand extremes in temperature from 55(F) to 136(F). They are able to survive in the most inhospitable places. It's amazing that people are having so many problems with them in captivity. My theory is that they have been breeding them for so many years that there could be something bad that has gotten into the gene pool or it's just poor husbandry!

Thank you for the information.

Maybe a lot of inbred frogs are being sold these days? Would it terribly affect a froglet's genes if their parents are siblings?