Substrate mixing/tilling

[jjmorton13]

Hello all-
I have an adult African bullfrog (who I thought was a female until I heard him call several times yesterday for the first time). He lives in a 55 gallon aquarium with eco-earth coconut fiber substrate that is 4-5 inches deep. I am a little worried that the bottom of the substrate will go bad (grow mold, harbor harmful bacteria, etc) since it stays pretty moist. Since my pyxie doesn't stir up the substrate much, would doing this myself help prevent spoilage, or is it advisable to replace the substrate more often? I have read that mixing in soil (additive free, natural, of course) could introduce beneficial bacteria that may help breakdown waste and prevent bacterial/fungal/mold growth. Any advice would be fantastic! Thanks!

[John]

Mixing it yourself is harmless, and mixing in other soil should be harmless too (provided there aren't larger animals in the soil too). The frog is unlikely to be effected by the current situation anyhow .

[Rabbit87]

I would just mix it yourself by hand, this should help it dry out better and prevent any mold or harmful bacteria from growing... I use coconut fiber substrate for my Sonoran Desert Toads and they do great.. I don't mix it with any soil either, just leave it the way it is. They seem to love it I'm sure your pixie will too!