My frog's leg appears broken

[babaleuska]

The frogs are not together because I don't have a tank big enough to keep them all in. The two frogs are in a fifteen gallon tank, three of the others are in ten gallon tanks and the last is in an eight gallon tank. I can't afford to get a tank big enough for all of them. I clean the tanks usually about every ten days or so, the water is never cloudy and I do not let algae grow on the sides. The tanks all have plastic plants. I am going to move the injured one into a one gallon container and hope for the best. She is eating by herself, though probably not as much as she should. How do you hand feed a frog? I could not put her to sleep, just couldn't.

I don't use a filter or any other mechanicals. As with the larger tank, I just can't afford to buy that kind of set up.

[Mentat]

The frogs are not together because I don't have a tank big enough to keep them all in. The two frogs are in a fifteen gallon tank, three of the others are in ten gallon tanks and the last is in an eight gallon tank. I can't afford to get a tank big enough for all of them. I clean the tanks usually about every ten days or so, the water is never cloudy and I do not let algae grow on the sides. The tanks all have plastic plants. I am going to move the injured one into a one gallon container and hope for the best. She is eating by herself, though probably not as much as she should. How do you hand feed a frog? I could not put her to sleep, just couldn't.

I don't use a filter or any other mechanicals. As with the larger tank, I just can't afford to buy that kind of set up.

Sorry for your sick frog. Only thing can think of now is to try and ensure others are OK. Understand you have 3 tanks, with no filtration that you clean every 10 or so days. Can you please describe those tanks as to water temperature, dechlorinator used, presence of substrate (and what kind), decor, and tank cleaning procedure, etc. Photo's of each tank are also helpful too. Thank you !

[babaleuska]

Sorry for delay. Did the entire reply and lost it. I have 5 tanks. They are just plain glass basic fish type tanks. I do not regulate the temperature in them. The room they are in varies year round between 65 and 72 degrees in winter and 70 and 75 degrees in summer, lower temps at night. I have glass stones on the bottoms of the tanks that range from approximately 3/4" to 1 1/2' in size. No sand. When I clean the tanks, I empty the dirty water, rinse and clean everything inside (plastic plants and glass stones), scrub the sides and bottom with a scrubby and rinse. I use only water when I clean. Then I replace everything and refill adding Right Start to the new water.

I do have two tanks in my basement. I don't know the gallon amounts, but one is 30"X13"X13" and the other is 36"X12 1/2"X17". If I could use either of these tanks and combine all the frogs, perhaps this would be better. I am on a fixed income. I can not afford much, but maybe if I don't need to buy a tank, I can try to create a set up that would be better. Can anyone give me an idea what would be necessary for 6 frogs?

[Mentat]

... I have glass stones on the bottoms of the tanks that range from approximately 3/4" to 1 1/2' in size. No sand. When I clean the tanks, I empty the dirty water, rinse and clean everything inside (plastic plants and glass stones), scrub the sides and bottom with a scrubby and rinse. I use only water when I clean. Then I replace everything and refill adding Right Start to the new water....

OK, according to this, your frogs are living in an Ammonia/Nitrite bath. Aquatic animals (fish, frogs, etc.) excrete urea. The ammonia in it is highly toxic when contained in a tank. There are a couple of nice bacteria that reduce the ammonia into nitrites (still bad) and then into nitrates (not bad unless concentrated). In a well established system the bacteria in filter and to lesser extent in sand or gravel substrate will reduce those bad chemicals (ammonia and nitrites) and with weekly water changes you dilute the nitrates. But that is not happening in your tank.

Since the bacteria does not populate the water column and you have no filter or sand substrate there is very little good bacteria in your tank. Furthermore, taking the whole set-up down every 10 days and scrub clean it, throws the cycle back to zero again.

If you can't afford filters now; my recommendation is to get some clean sand: Quikrete 50 lb. Play Sand-111351 at The Home Depot and place around 1 inch in each tank bottom. From then on you use a pad to clean glass and a gravel cleaner to clean sand during water changes. Avoid gravel cleaners with 1 inch tubes (2 in. is better), they are too narrow and will suck the sand with dirt. Sand or filter media (when you get them) should only be rinsed in tank water, since tap will kill the good bacteria.

It will take the bacteria around 30 days to populate a sandbed or filter and cycle the aquarium. That time can be reduced in half by adding bacteria cultures by using a product like Seachem's Stability. Once tanks are cycled and with the constant toxic ammonia and nitrites removed think your frogs will be in a better environment to thrive.

Although don't know the glass thickness (used 1/4 in.), can estimate the first tank to hold around 20 gal. and the second one around 30 gal. Giving 10 gal. per frog gets us you can keep 2 in 20 and 3 in 30 gal tanks. Not optimal but if you could afford a couple power filters (check Craiglist for used Hagen Aqua Clears and do make sure the impellers are OK and work right before buying) it would solve the filter/housing issue for 5 frogs. I'm sorry but do not think the sick one will live for long .

Here is more housing and injury information: Housing and African Clawed Frog Disease and Injury. Good luck !

[rodsboys]

I would think the larger tank(33 gallon?) could hold all 5 of them just fine as long as you are able to get some filtration. Especially since your frogs are small. Completely emptying your tank and scrubbing it down causes more harm than good. Your tank can never cycle that way. Your frogs must always be exposed to ammonia without filtration and an established bacteria colony. Not to mention it must be exhausting completely cleaning several tanks every 10 days. Perhaps selling the small tanks will make some funds available to buy a filter?

[rodsboys]

The Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle

The Nitrogen Cycle

[babaleuska]

I have been keeping these frogs incorrectly for over ten years! Can someone give me the names of some decent filters, ones that are not complicated and easy to operate and clean, not expensive, but not "cheap" either?

[Mentat]

I have been keeping these frogs incorrectly for over ten years!

They are tough little fellows; but you can certainly improve their way of life .