Help PLZ Sick African Clawed Frog

[Lija]

Brian, i'm with Paul on that, advising on something you have limited knowledge about may be very dangerous, some things require years of experience and still every single day you are finding something new. In exotic veterinary medicine even slightly wrong dosage or treatment protocol might end up very badly and it is very important to collect all history and to get as close as possible to correct diagnosis and therefore treatment. Talking of which, i just realized, i have never treated an aquatic frog hm... Lots to learn! But from fish tanks experience and my gut feeling - would it be wise to change water completely and to place each frog separately in quarantine with melafix and see how it will go instead of trying to figure out what is wrong with water? Just a though.

[mpmistr]

I would separate and treat this frog individually and then do a massive 75-100% water change in the main aquarium. I would then do 50% water changes once per week for two weeks and then add the other frog back in one it has healed. I would then monitor the water chemistry like a hawk to see if something is "off". I know from keeping 3 female ACF in a 40B, they are quite capable of making the tank dirty, even with the Eheim 2217 canister I use, which is basically an overkill filter.

This 20G Long may not be "overstocked" but it may be on the brink. It is also not wise to densely stock X. Laevis, because bacterial infections can happen when there are too many housed in one enclosure. How overstocked you are also depends on how much filtration you have going, what filter is being used here? Also you have to keep in mind once you add sand and decor, you don't really have 20 gallons any more, it could be as less as 15 gallon once the tank is set up. You could pick up a 40B at Petco, I think they are running a $1/gallon sale. $40 for that tank is well worth the money, I paid a lot more for my 40B and if I could go back in time I would have hit up that Petco sale! a 40B is actually 45 gallons, more than double your current volume.

Some additional info.. I read your post again, it said you used AmQuel, which is actually fine but you are throwing money away. I would pick up Seachem Prime, I know I have probably mentioned Prime enough to warrant a check from Seachem BUT it is a lot cheaper than AmQuel (because it is concentrated and you wind up using a LOT less of it).

Second and more importantly, you mentioned you use an "Ammonia Remover".. what product is this, what is in it, and why use it? This could be part of the problem, I can tell you from fish/aquatic frog keeping that the less you up in your water the better off you are, if you have proper husbandry and conditions in your aquarium you absolutely do not need this product.

Last thing I will mention, as far as your testing, are you using a liquid based kit or a dip strip kit? Just wondering because those strips are notoriously inaccurate and while liquid test kits aren't perfect they are much better than the strips. I would invest in the API Freshwater Master Kit, buy it online though because in pet stores they sell it for $30+ and I buy mine online for $20 (try Amazon).

[aquariumlover2014]

I would separate and treat this frog individually and then do a massive 75-100% water change in the main aquarium. I would then do 50% water changes once per week for two weeks and then add the other frog back in one it has healed. I would then monitor the water chemistry like a hawk to see if something is "off". I know from keeping 3 female ACF in a 40B, they are quite capable of making the tank dirty, even with the Eheim 2217 canister I use, which is basically an overkill filter.

This 20G Long may not be "overstocked" but it may be on the brink. It is also not wise to densely stock X. Laevis, because bacterial infections can happen when there are too many housed in one enclosure. How overstocked you are also depends on how much filtration you have going, what filter is being used here? Also you have to keep in mind once you add sand and decor, you don't really have 20 gallons any more, it could be as less as 15 gallon once the tank is set up. You could pick up a 40B at Petco, I think they are running a $1/gallon sale. $40 for that tank is well worth the money, I paid a lot more for my 40B and if I could go back in time I would have hit up that Petco sale! a 40B is actually 45 gallons, more than double your current volume.

Some additional info.. I read your post again, it said you used AmQuel, which is actually fine but you are throwing money away. I would pick up Seachem Prime, I know I have probably mentioned Prime enough to warrant a check from Seachem BUT it is a lot cheaper than AmQuel (because it is concentrated and you wind up using a LOT less of it).

Second and more importantly, you mentioned you use an "Ammonia Remover".. what product is this, what is in it, and why use it? This could be part of the problem, I can tell you from fish/aquatic frog keeping that the less you up in your water the better off you are, if you have proper husbandry and conditions in your aquarium you absolutely do not need this product.

Last thing I will mention, as far as your testing, are you using a liquid based kit or a dip strip kit? Just wondering because those strips are notoriously inaccurate and while liquid test kits aren't perfect they are much better than the strips. I would invest in the API Freshwater Master Kit, buy it online though because in pet stores they sell it for $30+ and I buy mine online for $20 (try Amazon).

Ok, I have had an established tank for a yr now. Cycled and all. I would never do that big of a water change at once cause I still would like to keep my bacteria and not start all over. 2. I use a whisper 40g. Iwas told to use double with them to help keep the water clean. 3. Prime is over rated and I currently can not buy it around here where I live amquel is easier to get. 4. I never said ammonia remover I was talking about the amquel helping reduce the ammonia. I use amquel plus and other than it removing chloramines and stuff it helps with ammonia, nitrates and nitrites without disturbing the cycle. It sounded like you were trying to bash me at all costs and I just wanna say not everyone does things the same way and just cause my way is different doesnt mean its wrong. I have had no issues in a yr until now. As far as I am concerned and have been told I have done nothing wrong and have done my research to be sure of that. Although all os a sudden I have "old tank syndrome" I have no idea what messed up my cycle but I do not believe it was anything I did. 4. I do have a freshwater liquid kit and if you had read the post you would have known that. I would never use a dip stick test kit. I do not mean to be rude but I feel you are bashing me and I did my research for over a yr before I started this journey and have been doing fine the last yr so I must be doing something right.

[mpmistr]

Ok, I have had an established tank for a yr now. Cycled and all. I would never do that big of a water change at once cause I still would like to keep my bacteria and not start all over. 2. I use a whisper 40g. Iwas told to use double with them to help keep the water clean. 3. Prime is over rated and I currently can not buy it around here where I live amquel is easier to get. 4. I never said ammonia remover I was talking about the amquel helping reduce the ammonia. I use amquel plus and other than it removing chloramines and stuff it helps with ammonia, nitrates and nitrites without disturbing the cycle. It sounded like you were trying to bash me at all costs and I just wanna say not everyone does things the same way and just cause my way is different doesnt mean its wrong. I have had no issues in a yr until now. As far as I am concerned and have been told I have done nothing wrong and have done my research to be sure of that. Although all os a sudden I have "old tank syndrome" I have no idea what messed up my cycle but I do not believe it was anything I did. 4. I do have a freshwater liquid kit and if you had read the post you would have known that. I would never use a dip stick test kit. I do not mean to be rude but I feel you are bashing me and I did my research for over a yr before I started this journey and have been doing fine the last yr so I must be doing something right.

Hmm, not sure where you feel I am bashing you, I am just trying to assist here. I did not see where you posted what type of kit you were using, if I missed that, sorry..

I do a 50% water change a week using amquel for water conditioner and ammonia remover and all numbers are in the normal range.

Maybe you should correct your grammar? The word "and" would apply you are using two products, again if I misread this somehow, sorry.

[aquariumlover2014]

Hmm, not sure where you feel I am bashing you, I am just trying to assist here. I did not see where you posted what type of kit you were using, if I missed that, sorry..



Maybe you should correct your grammar? The word "and" would apply you are using two products, again if I misread this somehow, sorry.

I apologize. I am being grouchy. I am highly upset to see all her suffering was caused by something that coulda been avoided. Therefore I am quick to defend myself cause of guilt. Blagh. Just after a yr I would have figured the cycle crashing was impossible. Also a typo in that quote. was supposed to be 10% not 50%. Thanks for your help and sorry to be so harsh. I am usually used to ppl bashing me and telling me I am doing everything wrong. Usually thats what happens. Even though this setup has worked for a little over a yr now. I am just upset that I didnt notice before she ended up getting so bad. I used to test my tank once a week when I did 10% water change and then I just sorta stopped since numbers were finally always normal. Again I thank you for all your advice.

[brian c]

is froggy any better?

[mpmistr]

I apologize. I am being grouchy. I am highly upset to see all her suffering was caused by something that coulda been avoided. Therefore I am quick to defend myself cause of guilt. Blagh. Just after a yr I would have figured the cycle crashing was impossible. Also a typo in that quote. was supposed to be 10% not 50%. Thanks for your help and sorry to be so harsh. I am usually used to ppl bashing me and telling me I am doing everything wrong. Usually thats what happens. Even though this setup has worked for a little over a yr now. I am just upset that I didnt notice before she ended up getting so bad. I used to test my tank once a week when I did 10% water change and then I just sorta stopped since numbers were finally always normal. Again I thank you for all your advice.

I am sorry if you took some what I said the wrong way. I really am just trying to help. Xenopus just tend to get larger, fatter, and messier than you sometimes can anticipate. The females are fist-sized little hams basically, so they really just might need more water volume and more frequent water changes to keep problems from cropping up.

In all seriousness do check out the Petco sale, I *wish* I had a Petco closer to me because I would be taking advantage of that $1/gallon sale a LOT! If there is no Petco near you, try craigslist, I've gotten a more than a few tanks off there for very little money, I was able to get a 50 gallon tank for $40. Worst case scenario, get another 20g long and split the frogs up, they do not get lonely so they won't mind being split up!