African Clawed Frog Won't Eat & Shakes

[amandaglad]

Hello!

I have an ACF who will be a year old in July. Everything has been fine until a couple of weeks ago when he stopped eating! He is still active and moves around normally but at times he will stop moving and start shaking, almost like he is having a seizure. This is really starting to worry me!
Here is some information about his tank, any further questions let me know! But I really appreciate anyone who can help!

Tank Size: 10 Gallons, filled all the way
Lives alone
70-72 degrees F
Filtered tank
Diet: tubiflex worms, brine shrimp, frog pellets, blood worms, crickets, krill.

Water Quality Levels:
pH: 7.0
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 0

Thank you for any help! I would really appreciate it!

[SwimminSteve]

Hello,

I'm sorry your frog isn't feeling well. I have a couple more questions that might help us to help you.
What kind of filter do you use?
How often do you change the water/what percentage to do you change?
What do you use to treat the water?
Is there a light on the tank? Does he seem to have "seizures" when you startle him? Does his whole body shake? or just his hind legs?

Others here may have better ideas of what is going on. I'm no expert on water parameters, but what you've listed is fine.
It would be very helpful if you could show us a video of the shaking/seizures. Is your frog noticeably thinner? They can technically go for many weeks to months without eating, although we don't recommend you let it get to that point. I would cease feeding any freeze-dried food (tubifex worms, etc.) as they don't offer much nutritionally. You may have luck handfeeding earthworms if he won't take anything else.

My 8 year old albino ACF has been having "seizures" since he was around 3 or 4. I don't know much about it, but I only see him do it after I startle him by approaching the tank or turning on the lights when the room had been dark. He will dart around the tank, eventually smack into something, and then kind of shiver for 30 seconds or so. His front legs twitch back and forth. It's upsetting for me, but he recovers quickly and I very rarely see it happen anymore.

[amandaglad]

I use a Tetra Whisper PF 10 filter.
I change 25-50% weekly and then I change everything every month and scrub the rocks, etc.
I use AquaSafe Plus to treat the water and this time I added a little bit of Stress Coat Plus.
I keep the light off on the tank because it is a LED light and is too bright for me so I figured it would be too bright for him. Sometimes when he is startled, he will have these "seizures" but that has only been twice. It is mainly when he comes up to the top of the tank when trying to eat. When he has been startled, it has been his whole body and then he darts around too. But when he comes up to eat, it is his front limbs. I also noticed tonight that he has been shedding a lot more than normal.
He just started looking a bit thinner today, but not too much. For the earthworms, can I get them at any pet store and they would be okay for him? I always thought about getting some for him but since he stopped eating I haven't tried.

[Felis]

Hi,

are you sure about the 0 NO3? That is highly unlikely (impossible in a cycled tank). Your other readings are fine, but I would check the test kit to make sure that it works correctly.

100% changes disturb the natural bacteria fauna a great deal and shouldn´t be done on a regular basis; just stick with your weekly 25-50% changes.

The food you use is fine as long as it isn´t freeze dried; wet frozen or life would be ok.

From what you describe, the "seizures" seem to be simple startle responses (although I can be wrong here without seeing it myself). The forearm movements match the normal ACF foraging behaviour as far as I can imagine from your message. However, an ACF wouldn´t stop eating for no reason. The frequent shedding also shows that something might be out of order; are you sure that he doesn´t show any other symptoms? Sorry, I´m at a loss here But earthworms are worth a try, I don´t know of any ACF that doesn´t love them. The ones you can buy are fine.

[amandaglad]

I can try retesting the NO3. I will grab a new master kit at the pet store when I go there to get earth worms. It is freeze dried , I can go and get frozen. Does freeze dried harm them?
He acts the same like he has the whole time. He does not move at much, but I kind of relate that to him not eating and having no energy. The only other thing I can really think of is he might have went blind. He used to go after my finger through the glass and he used to chase after the spoon when I feed him, but now he does not do anything like that. Could he have possibly went blind?

[Felis]

Hi,

I don´t think that your frog went blind; it´s more likely that he doesn´t feel well for another reason (which is yet to identify). However, amphibians in general spend much time doing nothing, so it´s possible that your frog also gets calmer because of its age (of course, he´s still very young, but he isn´t a "baby" anymore).

Freeze dried foods can cause constipation, which may lead to serious health problems in frogs as well as in fish. Also, they hardly contain any nutrients. Therefore, it would be great if you could get the frozen food and the worms.

Can you upload some pictures of the frog and your tank setup? Maybe anyone can notice something and give you further advice.

[ElfDa]

Okay, I will get frozen food and worms. How long does frozen food normally last?

Here are pictures attached!

So cute and derpy!
I've heard of a number of these guys suddenly shedding more, and fasting, so I'm keenly interested in this thread.



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[ElfDa]

Also: I really hope he starts eating for you! I foster ball pythons, so I know the "why won't you eat?!" Panic all too well.

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[Felis]

If he won´t eat in the next few days, I would look for a vet with experience in amphibian treatment. ACF can go without food for a long time and adults shouldn´t be fed daily, but not eating is a very unusual behaviour for a healthy frog.

[amandaglad]

Well, sadly I don't think he will make it past today. He doesn't move much anymore and he was having trouble swimming around today. He is shedding more and more. If he is still alive once I am home, I will change the water in his tank and get rid of the skin but here are some pictures that I took this morning of him.... He's not doing good anymore. This is seriously breaking my heart.

PS. Sorry that the pictures are horrible, I took them with my phone before I had to leave for school & work.

[Felis]

I´m very sorry to read this Don´t you have the possibility to take him to a vet?
Frequent shedding could hint at a chytrid infection; ACFs, however, are very resistent towards this disease... Without a proper diagnostic, it´s probably impossible to tell what your frog is suffering from... I have to ask again: are the water readings ok?

[Heatheranne]

Hi amandaglad,

I'm so sorry to hear your frog is not doing well. I have never had ACF's. the only semi-aquatic frog I have is an American bullfrog. Quite different.

In learning much about water frogs, it's always good to get your water retested if any doubt. Have you added any new items to the tank? Any possible contaminates?

The tremors may be due to lack of calcium in the diet. It is good to rotate foods in water frogs so they have balanced nutrition. Most frog pellets provide adequately nutrients. If you can find a Repashy aquatic frog food it will be properly balanced.

I don't think your frog has Chytrid. He is no displaying the other symptoms of the disease.

I would recommend a calcium replacement.

If he pulls through the night, a vet visit may help. They could give him a proper weight-dosed injection of calcium gluconate. It works quickly.

Flukers makes a liquid calcium supplement also that can be used as a soak.

Powdered calcium supplement, even when wet, is not soluble or absorbent. It has to be ingested and must also have vitamin D3 to be properly absorbed.

I'd recommend a vet visit first thing if you can afford the visit. If not, try the calcium soak next.

I hope he pulls through the night.

If he looks to be suffering, you may want to consider euthanizing him. It is a humane way of ending any possible discomfort. The gentlest way to do this is to gently apply baby Oragel to his belly.

I will check back tomorrow. Hugs!

[Heatheranne]

Also, if you think there is any possible risk of ammonia toxicity or chemical toxication, the 1/4 dose Methylene blue treatment may help. Do not do both treatments at the same time. Use it as a 15 minute soak only. Only submerge to his neck, no deeper.

[amandaglad]

Hello all!

I want to personally thank you all for helping me out, but sadly my little bud did not make it yesterday. He passed away yesterday afternoon. It breaks my heart, but I'm hoping he didn't suffer before he passed. He did not look good yesterday morning, but at least I got to see him swim around one last time!

I appreciate everyone's help!

Thank you! <3