Red, raw genatilia - I'm incredibly worried! HELP!

[mpmistr]

There's no real pattern to when they have nuptial pads and when they subside. He may just not be 'in the mood' because of the recent issues. Even my females some times have 'dirty hands' from time to time but not to the degree my male does.

So long as the swelling and redness is going away I would not worry.

[Mentat]

Hi Caitlin! Your frog is suffering an infection and needs some help getting over it. Get a bottle of Melafix (natural mild antibiotic) at your pet shop fish area and use it daily following label instructions for a week. Let us know how it goes with it. Do not use any products that provide a "slime coat" since the binders can harm aquatic organisms in the long run. And yes, glad you got rid of the fish and snails; both are a source of pathogens. Good luck !

[CaitlinAnn]

Thank you. I found it very difficult to refrain from treating him, so I'm on my fifth day of treating with maracyn two.

[CaitlinAnn]

Hello..I thought I'd update!

The antibiotics I was giving Ghost were complete a few days ago and I'm back to weekly water changes (vs. daily). Actually last night I did a 50% water change and cleaned the filter a bit. So here's what I've done.

Cleaned out the intake filter and impeller.
Replaced the carbon biobag cartridge and rinsed the black sponge that came with the filter.
Removed a plant that was beginning to rot
Vacuumed up the algae in the gravel and scrubbed the sides of the aquarium

Either this weekend or next week I'm going to grab some more anubias, as they seem to be the best plants for Ghost and this aquarium. Hopefully it will make up for the few I had to throw away and the small ones that are coming a part.

He still does not have his "dirty hands" back and he's not singing yet, but I'm finally positive that he's going to mostly recover if not fully.
His eye is still not healed fully. It looks like his lens is missing and I'm watching to see if he's going to be blind in that eye, but its no longer red and shows signs of healing, as does his cloaca. He's also feistier. Instead of just floating on top, if he hears me walking around he'll torpedo down to the bottom like he used to (something he didn't really do while he was sick).

What I'm worried about is he seems a little lumpy when before he was smoothe and I'm wondering if its not some form of soft bloating. He's actually smaller than he was before this illness began, but his skin is not as smooth as it was and its also more yellow in appearance.

Anyways, here are my update photos.

The tank as it appears now.


Ghost resting on my hand last night. He'll still give "cuddles" like this, but he's no where near as docile as he was. I was also over feeding before he was sick so maybe its just normal weightloss from eating less.

Anyways thanks again you guys!

[Mentat]

Maracyn Two is a good anti-biotic if the bacteria you are dealing with is Gram Negative. If not; it's ineffective. Recommend do a week of daily Melafix treatments to try and get rid of bacteria fully. Yep, that eye appears to have physical damage to it's insides and is probably gone .

[SwimminSteve]

Sorry for dragging up an old thread, but I was wondering how Ghost is doing now. Did the infection clear up?
I also wanted to suggest some slight alterations to your tank set up. Good job lowering the temperature and removing the snails and guppies! Your tank looks very bright and open in the photo you posted. ACFs actually prefer a much darker, secure environment. I think you have live plants, so while you probably need to keep your light on, I would recommend adding some more hiding places. ACFs really like little aquarium decor caves/branches that offer shaded hideaways. I know that my frogs would stress without all their hideouts. You can even use a clay pot (turned on its side).
It would also be a good idea to add a background sticker/decal to the tank for added security. My frogs always seem to feel safer at the back of the tank for this reason, less exposure.

Cheers!

[CaitlinAnn]

Honestly, I'm kind of embarrassed to answer, but I thank you for your concern.

He was doing a lot better. His eye is still healing well, and he's swimming and eating well. He's also regained his "dirty hands" and has been mating with a female I added to the tank.

The problem is, I did not anticipate the bioload and did not do a water change when I should have. Last night I realized the ammonia was high so I did an emergency water and filter change. The disposable filter was done for..worse than I've ever seen one. So I'm not on very strict water changes and monitoring it closely. His hand is red and it appears to be an ammonia burn but he also has a black spot on his back that I can't figure out the cause of.


The first picture shows the black spot and the second the ammonia burn. It doesn't appear to be opening, or an ulceration so I'm wondering if its just thickened skin. He doesn't seem to have an issue with shedding, his weight, sex drive, swimming, and ability to eat are fine. I hand feed him and his tank mate.



This is the tank as of now. I've added another hiding spot, have been keeping the light off (for the most part), and added the black background/construction paper. I'm looking into more hides, just haven't accomplished it yet.

Since my emergency water change last night, they've both been looking better, but I'm keeping a close eye on them and about to check the ammonia again.

ETA: I notice the other two photos are still attached. I was going to use them before I got the other two. Hopefully they help.

[CaitlinAnn]

Zilla and Ghost. Next goal will be to help decrease the water flow so it doesn't bother them, though Zilla doesn't seem to mind. Also fattening Ghost up a bit..he's lost some weight. Finally have nitrates and nitrites at 0! I finally feel like I can breathe and that they're doing ok.