ADF's water Temp 64-68 F

[AlitaConejita]

This is my 4th post on this site ... No responses to my other 3 posts- I hope someone replies on this forum

I got a tank thermometer yesterday and noted that the water for my African Dwarf Frog is too cold - 64 F at night ... Higher during the day. I've had a regular lamp on and next to the tank for the past 6 hours and the highest the temp has gone is to 68. I've ordered a heater for the tank but it won't arrive for another 2 or 3 days.

What do I do for the poor little guy until the heater arrives?

More details (from my other posts): I've never had an ADF (or any other frog) before. I kept the ADF with a betta for the first 4 days but the fish ate all the food. I put the frog in its own tank (5 gal tank but I only put 2 gals of water in it). The frog has still not eaten (today is day 8). The frog is now covered in a white fuzzy thing from neck down that the pet store guy says is excess mucus it is producing or loosing.

I don't want the little guy to die

[The Fluffy Injun]

The fuzzy sounds more like a fungus than mucus. Perhaps some pimafix is in order? Someone with more exp should know. Their immune system could be down due to the low water temp and stress. Are you cleaning the water regularly or using a filter?

[AlitaConejita]

No filter. I've done two water changes and am going to do another tonight.

Would the pet shop have pimafix? I read to use Maroxy Anti-Fungal but couldn't find it.

The pet shop suggested I return him and get a new one but I'm worried they'd just get rid of him.

[AlitaConejita]

Here are some close ups of him in a jar while I clean his tank. It looks like his skin is falling off - kinda like someone who had a sunburn and is now peeling.

[The Fluffy Injun]

I work at a big branch pet shop. I know if you return a sick creature, we send it to the vet (we are lucky enough to have a herp/amphib vet by us.) We go by what he recommends, if treatment is in order than we treat it, if euthanasia is the recommended course then we do that. So I can't say he wouldn't be put down but it's possible.

You can get pimafix from most pet stores, it is a fish medication that works with amphibs. It will be .5 ml per gallon when dosing. Also might try upping his diet a bit. What are you feeding?

[The Fluffy Injun]

Ahhh. That could very well be shedding. It's hard to tell but if his skin looks like it's peeling then that is probably what is happening.

[AlitaConejita]

He hasn't eaten anything since I got him last Sunday (8 days ago) the pet shop feeds them zoo med aquatic frog & tadpole food micro pellets and recommended I give him the same. I've been placing 4-5 pellets in a little teracota plate in his aquarium twice a day. Each time I give him 15 min and then take the pellets out using a turkey baster.

[AlitaConejita]

The filmy stuff is coming off of him. The water is now at 77 F because I changed the tank with warm water and I turned off my a/c a couple of hours ago. ( he is still in the jar with his old water but I put that jar in his tank so that he can acclimate before I let him totally free in the new water).

Is it better to leave him in the cooler water till I get the heater, or to do water changes with warmer water that will probably cool during the night (greater temperature fluctuation)?

I hope the filmy stuff is just shedding!

[The Fluffy Injun]

I looks like he is just shedding, don't fret it's normal. Try to keep the temp warmer if possible. Just give good time for acclamation and he should be ok.

[Mentat]

This is my 4th post on this site ... No responses to my other 3 posts...

I'm sorry for lack of responses to your threads. Have already answered you in the other one. In the future, it helps to keep all posts related to same issue in one thread. Last pic appears to be a shed. Need to get the temperature warmer ASAP. For a full 5 gallon tank will need a 25W heater to bring the temp up to 9-10 degrees F. Eheim are the best heaters out there and anything else should be lower priced. Good luck !

[AlitaConejita]

Thanks for the responses!

I will try to keep the water as warm as possible till the heater gets here. I ordered the Hydro 25 watt submersible aquarium heater - it had good reviews so I hope it works well.

Luckily I work from home for the next few weeks so I'll be able to monitor the temp.

When can I expect him to start eating?

Also, the pet store just got a new shipment of teeny tiny ADFs and I'd like to get at least one buddy for this frog (once the tank is the right temp) - is there any issue about putting a much smaller ADF in the same aquarium?

[AlitaConejita]

I've kept the water at about 74 degrees F and continued to offer food twice a day but Karate never took a single bite. I brought him back to the pet store today so that hopefully they can get him to eat (I don't know how long they last without food but it's been about a week and a half at this point and I didn't want him to die while I tried to figure out what's wrong).

The pet store exchanged him for another one and I bought the new one a buddy. The girl at the pet store fed them before giving them to me so I know that these two have eaten today (the same pellets they sold me last time). If they go on a hunger strike then I know it's my set up. (I've washed everything out with warm water.

[Marc Paul]

When feeding ADF's you might want to wait longer then 15 minutes before removing food if you do not use things like a Turkey Blaster if they have not eaten, as it may take them longer to find the food. It may help to always use the same spot.