ACF very sick, please help!!

[musicaloctopus]

Usually my mom has been trying to turn off my fish tank light to save the bulb and everything has been well with that for a while, and last Friday I turned on my light when I got home and my ACF had a seizure type thing, and since then he hasn't been the same. He's been shedding a lot, some of his claws seem to be missing, he won't eat, he was spending a lot of time at the top of the tank, and now he keeps having spasms, his back legs aren't working and I have found him laying on his back at the bottom multiple times. Today I tried giving him the first Epsom salt bath and I'm not really sure what I am doing. He is only a year old and I'm very worried..please help! I'll take any advice I can get!!

[Mentat]

Hello and welcome to FF! Sorry your frog is not well . Please answer the below questions so we can better understand what is going on. Thank you !

“Trouble in the Frog Enclosure”

The following information will be very helpful if provided when requesting assistance with either your frog or enclosure. To help with your questions, please utilize the below list and post the information in the proper forum area to get advice from FF members that keep the same frog. This will allow for little confusion and a faster more informed response.


1. Tank Size and volume of water in it (full, 1/2 filled, etc.)?

2. Number of inhabitants including all frogs and any fish?

3. Water source and any conditioner treatments?

4. Water Temperature and how is it heated (if so)?

5. Water chemistry levels: pH; Ammonia (NH3); Nitrites (NO2); Nitrates (NO3)? Note that if you do not have test kits, most aquariums/pet shops will do complimentary tests if you take a clean water sample.

6. Describe any filter system including model and media?[/COLOR]

7. Substrate type?

8. Tank set-up (plants (live or artificial), driftwood, hide outs and other decor? - How were things prepared prior to being put into the tank?

9. Main frog staple food and any treats? How often you feed?

10. CA, vitamins, and any other additives used (how often)?

11. Lighting set-up and hours it's used?

12. When is the last time frog ate?

13. Have you found poop lately?

14. A picture would be helpful including frog and tank (any including cell phone pics are fine).

15. Describe frog's symptoms and/or recent physical changes; to include it's ventral/belly area.

16. How old is the frog?

17. How long have you owned him/her?

18. Is the frog wild caught or captive bred?

19. Any medications in the water (treatment doses and for how long)?

20. Any salt in water (how much)?

21. Is the tank kept in a high or low traffic area?

22. Describe tank maintenance to include water changes, cleaning, media changes, etc.).

By Lynn(flybyferns), GrifTheGreat, and aquatic questions added by Carlos(Mentat)

[musicaloctopus]

I have a full 10 gallon tank
I have 6 small fish like tetras and platys, and my one ACF
I use tap water with stress coat conditioner and algaefix every once in a while
I use a heater which is currently at 70 degrees even
I'm unsure of the chemistry levels right now, I'm picking up a kit tomorrow
I use a black top-fin filter
I use small blue rocks
I have 5 artificial plants, one large oyster shell, one moss ball, and a few medium shells
I have been feeding him dried flakes, which I just read is bad so I'm changing it ASAP
I use a fluorescent hood light system on my tank, which used to be off from 6am-9pm but is now on all the time
I'm unsure of when the last time he ate or pooped was...
He is 1 year old and I've had him since he was a baby
He was captive bred
No medications or salt
We live in a very low traffic area
I change the 1/4 of the water about every two weeks and I use stress coat conditioner when I do, and I use a water vacuum on the rocks

[musicaloctopus]

this is my tank, and my frog. The last picture is of him laying on the tank which he has been doing A LOT and it worries me so much. The tank is extra dirty right now, I cleaned it earlier this week on Wednesday but he is shedding so much and it's getting so filthy so fast...

[Mentat]

I have a full 10 gallon tank
I have 6 small fish like tetras and platys, and my one ACF
I use tap water with stress coat conditioner and algaefix every once in a while
I use a heater which is currently at 70 degrees even
I'm unsure of the chemistry levels right now, I'm picking up a kit tomorrow
I use a black top-fin filter
I use small blue rocks
I have 5 artificial plants, one large oyster shell, one moss ball, and a few medium shells
I have been feeding him dried flakes, which I just read is bad so I'm changing it ASAP
I use a fluorescent hood light system on my tank, which used to be off from 6am-9pm but is now on all the time
I'm unsure of when the last time he ate or pooped was...
He is 1 year old and I've had him since he was a baby
He was captive bred
No medications or salt
We live in a very low traffic area
I change the 1/4 of the water about every two weeks and I use stress coat conditioner when I do, and I use a water vacuum on the rocks

Think 6 small fish and a frog are too much biomass for 10 gallon tank. BTW, an adult ACF will eat all those tank mates and a 10G tank is bare minimun for 1 ACF. Myself recommend a 15-20G tank for them. Here is care guide, please read it: http://www.frogforum.net/care-sheet-...are-sheet.html.

Stop using conditioner with stress coat; the binders have been known to harm fish and probably hurt frogs too; recommend Seachem Prime or ExoTerra Aquatize. Algaefix use is another proof your system is overloaded with organics. Under such conditions, pathogenic bacteria can thrive.

Dried flakes are not good frog food. Recommend try feeding thawed frozen bloodworms or daphnia. Can use a net to isolate frog from fish and feed in there, to ensure frog gets nourished. Most any fish will outcompete an ACF for food.

Flipping over points to some neurological disorder or could be related to internal bacteria. You need to increase water changes to at least 25% weekly with dechlorinated same temperature water and shoot for 0 ammonia/nitrites and nitrates below 25 ppm. When cleaning tank just vacuum gravel and clean filter media in removed tank water. You do not want mini cycles and associated ammonia spikes in there now. Gravel is an impaction hazard with aquatic frogs; fine sand or bare glass is recommended.

Until above conditions are met; medicating this tank could cause more problems than help. If you can get excess organics removed and nitrate levels down (guessing are high) then can try to treat tank with a combination of Melafix/Pimafix according to label directions for a week or two. Good luck !