HELP! homicidal mossy frog

[lnikkiy]

A few weeks ago one of my adult male mossies drowned another adult male mossy. It was very sad, but i figured it was a one time breeding attempt gone wrong. This morning I walked in and the same male was holding onto another male underwater. I scooped them both out and managed to separate the two this time. I don't know what is going on. It looks like they are locked in amplexus, except the top males thumbs are latched around the other at the throat below the eyes.
Perhaps they are territorial? but everything I have read (and people I have talked to) say that a male heavy group is best.

I have a group of 9 mossies in a long 120 gallon tank. 3 adult males, 1 adult female, and 5 unsexed juvies (they are quite big, but not yet adults). The bottom has about 4 inches of water with lots of plants, moss, rocks, and cork bark to climb out onto.

I would really appreciate any advice. I haven't had this happen before, just this one male. I could put the homicidal one into his own tank I suppose.

[ColleenT]

he may just be a fluke. There are always animals that go against what they are supposed to. i would keep him separate, and keep an eye on the others. You might need to re-home that guy.

[lnikkiy]

Yeah I moved him this morning to a temporary home, I think I will just set up something permanent for him - unless somebody else has any other ideas. But right now that seems like the best option.

[Frogger00]

With frogs most of the time they are okay, but there has been incidents when they do show aggression towards each other. So like ColleenT said, he may be a fluke.


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[irThumper]

You did right to separate him. Better safe than sorry! You never know, it could be a thing of nature designed for him to eliminate competition (or some mutating gene causing the behavior, who knows) like how lions kill off the cubs of other males so they can then breed the females and produce cubs with their own genes.

[deranged chipmunk]

Sounds like aggression to mate. Separation is the best bet. They are normally peaceful frogs, but as with any animal, including humans, there are exceptions. Hopefully, separating them will resolve any issues like that going further.


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