ADF curious death?

[aegillesp]

The tank we have is 5.5 gal, we use distilled water that we change about 1.5 gal every week. It houses 1 beta, 2 algae eaters, and had 1 ghost shrimp. According to the ammonia indicater we have in the tank says that it has been "safe". When we test the water the pH level is usually at 7 I think. it's typically a blushish color from the tester. We typically keep the tank at 76 degrees with a tank heater. Honestly, I didn't get to see the frog, my boyfriend got rid of it so I didn't have to see him dead but told me he was bloated and red. He was typically a tanish color and was pretty active. He ate frog pellets and beta flakes. This is all the info I can think of...

[mpmistr]

The tank we have is 5.5 gal, we use distilled water that we change about 1.5 gal every week. It houses 1 beta, 2 algae eaters, and had 1 ghost shrimp. According to the ammonia indicater we have in the tank says that it has been "safe". When we test the water the pH level is usually at 7 I think. it's typically a blushish color from the tester. We typically keep the tank at 76 degrees with a tank heater. Honestly, I didn't get to see the frog, my boyfriend got rid of it so I didn't have to see him dead but told me he was bloated and red. He was typically a tanish color and was pretty active. He ate frog pellets and beta flakes. This is all the info I can think of...

Okay this makes more sense but there's some red flags here.

1) Algae Eaters? If Common Plecos, both these fish need 55 gallons when full grown, if not more (They grow to 18 inches!). They are also incredible waste producers, so you most likely had ammonia present in the tank which is both toxic to frogs and fish. Also Common Plecos are nocturnal and rather territorial, they may have harassed your frog to death at night, as it also is a bottom dweller. This may work in a larger tank but in a 5.5 gallon, your frog had no where to hide, became stressed.

2) Overstocked. This tank is just plain overstocked for 5.5 gallon, overstocked means ammonia/nitrite which is toxic, can lead to death. A 5.5 gallon could support a single betta and a adf but the plecos don't belong in here.

3) Best to use a liquid test kit for your water tests. Strips are highly inaccurate also, the only 'safe' amount of ammonia is zero.

4) Quite possible the bloated/redness was occurred postmortem, but can't say for sure.

[rodsboys]

I doubt dude is running 2 plecos in a 5.5. Probably ottos.

[mpmistr]

I doubt dude is running 2 plecos in a 5.5. Probably ottos.

I don't know man, a friend of mine was talking to me about his fish dying and he had three goldfish and a common pleco in a 10g. I assume the worst when people tell me these stories about their fish/frog troubles.