African Dwarf Frog Problems

[mpmistr]

I decided to get two african dwarf frogs for my 20g community tank. I thought they would be cute and I didn't mind hand feeding them since they'd occupy this tank with a handful of cardinal tetras, emerald green corydoras and some leftover molly/guppies I have in there.

I am running into some (big) problems though, I have a pretty good indication that I was sold some rather sickly frogs. One frog has developed fuzzy skin and has lost the ability to use one of its hind legs. Luckily the other frog seems okay.. some of my driftwood in my tank has also had a break out of 'white fuzz / fungus' so I removed it. Also I've lost two fish (a cardinal tetra and a black molly) and three guppy/molly fry have also turned up dead. I've removed the sick/infected frog and placed him in a 5 gallon quarantine tank and he isn't looking good. The other frog is a bit bigger and healthier looking.. I've decided to let him remain in the community tank and he hides behind the filter a lot but otherwise he seems to be active.



I've included some pictures. I am rather freaked out. I did some water changes recently and I share the siphon with other tanks (though I do not use it on the same tanks on the same day). My other tank with my ACF is fine, I hope.. I bleached all my siphons, nets, buckets and did a 50% water change in my ACF tank because I am really scared of what this frog brought in...

Anyone have any idea what this is? At first I thought Chytrid but that wouldn't affect fish. I am really considering treating both tanks with Maroxy or some other anti-fungal.. any ideas here? Honestly never had this problem before, I think it will be a long time before I introduce amphibians to my tanks again.

I am mostly concerned about introducing something seriously bad to my ACF tank, perhaps I should medicate or should I just wait and see?

[mpmistr]

Update:

The frog with the fungus/infected leg has died and the other frog is on his back.. I've placed him in some floating plants but he appears lethargic and dying. Kind of crazy these frogs appear to be DOA..

[Mentat]

Sorry you had to learn this lesson the hard way Michael ! That is the reason you quarantine frogs, fish, anything that goes into an established set-up. Here is a Care Sheet for them in case it helps for future frogs: http://www.frogforum.net/care-sheet-...warf-frog.html. Also, here is a bit more information on quarantine process: http://www.frogforum.net/general-dis...uarantine.html.

If surviving frog is still alive; recommend check the linked care sheet and ensure all it's requirements are met. Do you have any pics of frog with fuzzy growth? Did fish showed any symptoms before dying? Hope rest of tank habitants survive .

[mpmistr]

Sorry you had to learn this lesson the hard way Michael ! That is the reason you quarantine frogs, fish, anything that goes into an established set-up. Here is a Care Sheet for them in case it helps for future frogs: http://www.frogforum.net/care-sheet-...warf-frog.html. Also, here is a bit more information on quarantine process: http://www.frogforum.net/general-dis...uarantine.html.

If surviving frog is still alive; recommend check the linked care sheet and ensure all it's requirements are met. Do you have any pics of frog with fuzzy growth? Did fish showed any symptoms before dying? Hope rest of tank habitants survive .

I usually do quarantine but my townhouse has a ridiculous policy about fish tanks (as in I'm not supposed to have any, period) so I was unable to set up a proper quarantine tank as I have done in the past.. I wanted to set up another tank but it's basically against my lease and I had to beg to keep my current tanks.. anyways.. yeah I got burned pretty badly on this one.

The fish show no symptoms, they simply dropped dead. The ADF I thought was going to pull through just isn't moving, I assume it is dying. The people at Petsmart had told my girlfriend that these frogs were the last two from a 'bad batch' of frogs, they said that they were missing arms.. I assumed they were just bad morphs with genetic issues but I am afraid it was something much worse.

I guess I'm in damage control mode at this point. I'm glad I bleached down all my nets/siphon/buckets but man if this gets into my ACF tank I will be seriously bummed.

I have to wonder, what could these frog have had to kill fish??

[Mentat]

..I have to wonder, what could these frog have had to kill fish??

Without any visual pathogens or indicators it's just a guessing name. Frog batch could have genetic issues (rare) or were raised in contaminated water.

Did you introduced frogs into tank with a net or did the bag water also went into tank? If the last and there were toxins in water, that explains the sudden fish death.

[mpmistr]

Without any visual pathogens or indicators it's just a guessing name. Frog batch could have genetic issues (rare) or were raised in contaminated water.

Did you introduced frogs into tank with a net or did the bag water also went into tank? If the last and there were toxins in water, that explains the sudden fish death.

I used a net to introduce the frogs into the tank, they both appeared healthy.

I let them sit in a ~5 gallon critter carrier I use as a sort-of quarantine tank for one day. When I saw the white fuzz on the frogs leg I moved him back into the critter carrier with some water sprite to lay in and I set a small heater to 78F. Today I woke up and checked my tank and found a few dead fish. The other frog was actually active, I thought it was healthy but it simply 'gave up' and died too, no sign of illness I just found it lifeless, laying on its back on the substrate. I placed it on some water sprite and I let it rest but it died and never moved again. I guess I should have kept them in the critter carrier but that thing is so small I didn't think it would do them much good. I've been wanting to set up a 10 gallon for quarantine but of course, I hadn't.

This is kind of crazy. At least my ACF tank is okay, I did a 50% water change after I bleached all my nets, siphons, buckets thankfully. I don't think there was any cross contamination. Whatever it is, it's pretty serious and kills fast.

[mpmistr]

You guys think this may have been Chytrid? I am not entirely sure because it wiped some of my fish out..

I'm considering treating my ACF tank but they seem perfectly fine.

[rodsboys]

These frogs are a PITA to find in a healthy condition. It does not look like Chytrid to me, could be a ton of things. I would not bother your ACFs if nothing is wrong. I hope you didn't mix any water or equipment.

[mpmistr]

These frogs are a PITA to find in a healthy condition. It does not look like Chytrid to me, could be a ton of things. I would not bother your ACFs if nothing is wrong. I hope you didn't mix any water or equipment.

I think I've learned the hard way that ADF are a total nightmare to keep. It makes perfect sense to me now why so many die. I placed my frogs in a well established tank and hand fed them and initially they ate but 2 days later and they died? No reason, just dead..? Crazy.

Sadly I think I may have shared equipment but not on the same day (if at all) the only thing I used between the tank was the siphon I used for water changes. I know I did a 50% water change on the 20 gallon the day I got the ADF and after the ADF became sick I did a 50% water change on my ACF 40g breeder but I had bleached all the equipment so no harm there..

My ACF seem fine though, they're really healthy and active and I haven't seen any problems since the ADF died. I will admit I am freaked out though, is there any medication I should perhaps stock up on in case the worst case scenario were to happen?

I have no idea what these ADF had but whatever it was, it killed them very quickly.. one looked like it's leg rotted off and white fuzz was all over its body and the other looked perfectly fine, I actually thought it may pull through but nope, it was on it's back dying. I placed it in some floating plants and hoped it would pull through and I came back an hour later and it was dead as a door nail. Such a shame I really wanted to add these guys to my 20g.. again, crazy.