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Thread: Ruby (ACF) is bloated

  1. #1

    Default Ruby (ACF) is bloated

    Ruby, one of my ACFs, has bloated. I recently took on more hours at work and started slacking on water changes which I assume is to blame, I feel horrible. I've done one salt bath (1 gallon of water, 1/2 tsp epsom salt-30 mins per bath) a day for the past three days but so far it doesn't seem to have done much. She is able to dive but once she relaxes she floats back up top. She is mainly found floating on the surface, moving with the filter current. I'm not sure what to do. Should I medicate? I have a box of Maracyn II, though it expired in March. I can't get new Maracyn right away but might be able to pick up erythromycin or tetracycline at work today, would either of those meds work? Or would the expired Maracyn II be okay? Do you follow the treatment plan outlined on the box for fish or do you have to do a different procedure/dosage? Any help or advice is appreciated.

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    Moderator Jenste's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ruby (ACF) is bloated

    Aw I'm sorry!!

    any pictures? Is it hard bloat or soft bloat?
    Soft bloat it looks like a partially filled water balloon under the skin - very wiggly and jiggly. Comes on suddenly.
    Hard bloat looks like a balloon being inflated with air - very smooth and puffy. Usually is more of a gradual puffing up.

    I have a feeling you have soft bloat, which is similar to dropsy judging by how suddenly it has developed and that she is floating frequently. (often caused by a bacterial infection which may or may not be linked to you being busier...)

    Treat with Maracyn II or Maracyn plus, I would not used expired medications as the potency may no longer be accurate.
    I'd continue with the salt baths. I'd try increasing her bath time to up to an hour, even do two 30 minute baths if that is easier for you.

    Unfortunately not all cases of soft bloat are curable. Is Ruby your only frog? If not I would separate her from the others as if it is due to a bacterial infection it may be contagious.
    72 Gallon Bow - ACF and GF tank.
    26 Gallon Bow - ACF tank.

    20 Gallon Long - ACF tank.


    "If there were an invisible cat in that chair, the chair would look empty. But the chair does look empty; therefore there is an invisible cat in it." C.S. Lewis, Four Loves, 1958

  4. #3
    100+ Post Member celticstarb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ruby (ACF) is bloated

    Also, what temperature is your tank? When I'm treating frogs for bacterial issues, I try to keep the water around 70-72. This helps slow down bacteria growth, so the frog's immune system has a better chance of working with the medicine.

    Salt baths are good, but in your display tank you may want to add a teaspoon of marine salt (like Instant Ocean) per gallon of water. I find that amount of salt is good as a preventative step for bloat.

    +1 to separating your frog if she isn't your only frog. If it is bacterial in nature, it will be very contagious.

  5. #4

    Default Re: Ruby (ACF) is bloated

    I have one other frog, I will separate her asap. I'll try to pick up new Maracyn II/plus tomorrow. I'm not sure what kind of bloat it is, her swelling is very wiggly though, it jiggles and ripples when she moves. I did read on a website about bloat that my temp may have been too high so I unplugged the heater. The water is now room temp but that's still in the mid-upper 70's, we've had a heat wave this week so hopefully it will drop closer to 72 once it cools down a bit outside. I'll also start doing longer baths. Thank you both for the help!

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    100+ Post Member celticstarb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ruby (ACF) is bloated

    Try pointing a fan onto the water surface. Evaporation will cool the water to the low 70's. You could buy a fan like this http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cooling-Fan-...item19d938d991

  7. #6

    Default Re: Ruby (ACF) is bloated

    Took some photos. Her skin seems to be getting progressively worse since I started the salt baths, it's hanging off of her and she can't shed properly. Now it seems she's got a little sore forming on her left leg.



    DSC_1438

    DSC_1437

    DSC_1436

    DSC_1435

    DSC_1432

  8. #7
    100+ Post Member celticstarb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ruby (ACF) is bloated

    Were you able to find some Maracyn II or Maracyn plus?

  9. #8

    Default Re: Ruby (ACF) is bloated

    I have not been able to go to the store yet, I don't have a car. When my dad gets home from work I'll ask him to bring me to the store that used to sell it, hopefully they still do!

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    100+ Post Member celticstarb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ruby (ACF) is bloated

    I would definitely get her started on them ASAP. The sooner she's getting antibiotics, the better her prognosis.

    Also, please try to get her into a separate tank. I use rubbermaid totes as hospital tanks since they are dark and help reduce stress while in isolation.

  11. #10

    Default Re: Ruby (ACF) is bloated

    I put her in a ten gallon yesterday and got the antibiotics (Maracyn II) today and just put the first dose in. Since her salt bath yesterday she hasn't been floating, now she's sitting at the bottom (back feet on the ground and the rest of her pointing straight up). Should I continue giving salt baths now that I've given her antibiotics or should she just stay in the medicated tank?

  12. #11
    100+ Post Member celticstarb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ruby (ACF) is bloated

    Salt baths will compliment the antibiotics well. You will have to do daily water changes in the hospital tank, and this would be a good time for a salt bath. In addition to the epsom salt baths, I suggest adding 1 teaspoon of marine salt per gallon of water in both your hospital tank and your display tank.

    Just make sure to mark your water levels in the tanks so you can top them off with fresh water right before water changes. This step is important to make sure the salt level stays consistent when you add the 1tsp salt/gallon to your new water. Remember to only add salt to water changes; don't add salt during daily top offs.

    Just for general info, the epsom salt and marine salts work slightly differently. Epsom salt is a magnesium salt that will act as a diuretic, reducing the amount of fluid the frog retains. The marine salt will help in 2 ways. First it will help keep the frogs slime coat healthy. Second, it will make the aquarium water a little less inhabitable for bacteria and fungus.

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    100+ Post Member celticstarb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ruby (ACF) is bloated

    How is Ruby today?

  14. #13

    Default Re: Ruby (ACF) is bloated

    She doesn't physically look less bloated to me but she isn't floating and was in a horizontal position on the bottom today. She was also a little more lively when I went to catch her for her salt bath, but maybe that's just wishful thinking.
    I did not do a water change today. I'm not sure how that works with the meds. Is the medicine cumulative or does it wear off every day? If it's cumulative and every packet actually stays in the water for the week I'd need to add extra medication to make up for what I'm removing and I'm not sure how to do that.

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    100+ Post Member celticstarb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ruby (ACF) is bloated

    The instructions say to do a water change after 5 days, but I would do a water change daily before dosing the QT.

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    Default Re: Ruby (ACF) is bloated

    How is she today?

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    100+ Post Member celticstarb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ruby (ACF) is bloated

    Any updates?

  18. #17

    Default Re: Ruby (ACF) is bloated

    Sorry to drop off the face of the Earth like that. She finished her antibiotics a few days ago so I put her back in the main tank but she didn't look any better and was still acting pretty lethargic. She also hasn't eaten anything since she bloated. In the days since I've stopped the treatments the bloating on her back has gone down significantly but her legs are still full of fluid. I'm also much more concerned about her behavior, she's having trouble swimming normally and when she's floating at the surface she's not straight up and down, she leans slightly to the side and backwards. I'm afraid if it continues to get worse she may have trouble getting her nose above water.

    Not sure what, if anything, I can do for her at this point.

  19. #18
    100+ Post Member celticstarb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ruby (ACF) is bloated

    To be honest, bloat can be very tricky to treat. It may take several rounds of the antibiotics to see results. If you are worried about her reaching the surface, you can lower the water level to about 4 inches and adjust the antibiotics accordingly. You will have to be very diligent with water changes during this time since smaller bodies of water are not as stable as larger amounts.

  20. #19

    Default Re: Ruby (ACF) is bloated

    The meds say you can repeat it once. If that doesn't work should I try a different antibiotic? She really does look much better physically but behaviorally she seems a little worse. I wonder if there's just been too much damage internally.

  21. #20
    100+ Post Member celticstarb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ruby (ACF) is bloated

    I would try the one repeat treatment. After that, you can try a different antibiotic. You may want to try adding a tablespoon marine salt per gallon water to the hospital tank. Clawed frogs can actually survive brackish water, so a tablespoon/gallon shouldn't harm her. She will be slightly more buoyant, so lowering the water level would be good.

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