Surinam Toad Breeding

[gigiols]

I have an adult couple of Pipa pipa taken from the wild. I have them in a 20 gallons aquarium with no substrate, many floating and aquatic plants as Elodea densa, Cabomba caroliniana, Pistia stratiotes, Sagitarria lancinata, Riccia fluitans, Azolla caroliniana, Hygrophila sp. and many others. There is a mud made by earth stuck to earthworms, during months it has been accumulated on the bottom and frogs appreciate it. They are often in amplexus, the female is fat, the male usually produces a metallic sound. Female has got a bigger cloaca trough the months but she has not the typical plate on her back. I would like to know which are the best advices to get a successfull amplexus with producing fertile eggs that are pasted on female's back. Please help me. This is a video of my frogs. Surinam toad Amplexus - YouTube

[Mentat]

Hello and welcome to FF! Watched video and all looks good until amplexus. A 20 gallon tank appears is just not deep enough for the upwards spirals the female does while laying eggs during amplexus.

You might have better luck if you transfer them to something deeper like an X-tall aquarium (65 gal. or 110H) or maybe use a new (no chemicals) commercial heavy duty type trash bin that can hold water to lid. Hope this helps you and good luck !

[Tongue Flicker]

Oh goodie! I've always wanted to see someone who keeps a surinam toad. Instead of the aquatic plants, why not use some soaked terminalia cattapa leaves (indian almond, as they call it) as a means of a substrate for them to hide in as well as do some foraging activities. Might also encourage breeding more

[gigiols]

As everyone know, to breed Pipa pipa is necessary a deep tank, but there are few people (who used to breed these toads) who say that the breeding methods of Pipa pipa are not as Pipa parva, indeed these frogs don't need deep tank to twist and lay eggs. I use Catappa leaves bought from Thailand even if Ph doesn't change so much as everyone say, i use also many oak leaves. My toads are adult size, they are huge, eat a lot, go to amplexus everyday.. but they don't do it seriously! I would like to know a method to induce the mating. A friend of Czech Republic in Europe say that probably these toads start to breed when the aquarium is filled with cold water to mimic rainy season that bring cool water from mountains and rain. Tips and tricks would be delicious

[Mentat]

... A friend of Czech Republic in Europe say that probably these toads start to breed when the aquarium is filled with cold water to mimic rainy season that bring cool water from mountains and rain...

Have you tried a 25% water change with enough colder water to drop water temps?

[Jaysommers]

A 20 gallon aquarium is absolutely deep enough to breed Pipa pipa. they do not perform the same loop as parva. I have been breeding Pipa pipa for over a decade in 20 gallon tanks.

[Ted]

I use silk leaves as a substrate.they look like fall maple leaves,,I wash and soak them really good and then add them to the tank.they sink and float around the bottom very naturally,and my frog loves to sit on them or bury himself in them.