African Dwarf Frog diseases! Please read and help me!

[erin14]

I posted this in the general freshwater but got no responses after 2 hours...i really need one and was hoping someone could help me here? Please?

What are the kinds of diseases african dwarf frogs can get??? I just lost one of mine today for some reason and I'm not sure why. I fed it yesterday or the day before, I can't remember, and it ate fine. It was also swimming okay too. I tested the water and this is what i got : pH 7.2, amm 0, nitrate between 5 and 10 i'd say, and nitrite was 0. So everything was good there. Water temp is at 75F. The tank has been set up since June and is a 20g. The frog did look kinda plumper then the others but i just thought maybe it was getting a little more food then the others...they only ever ate bloodworms. I also thought maybe "it" was a she and was pregnant?? But I wasn't sure. I just found it dead about 30 minutes ago and it wasn't any fatter or skinnier then it has been. Anyone know what might have happened??? Its kind of upsetting to me because I really liked them, they had a lot of personality! The only thing I could think of that might have had an impact on its death was the fact that i just added some melafix and pimafix to the tank to treat an open wound on my tetra yesterday night. The other 3 are all doing ok and just ate too, so I don't think that would do it. I sure hope its okay to be using mela/pimafix especially since i was told to do so by people from here. Please help:(

[destined_love7]

Sorry I can't help you. I have some and love them! Check out this site. There is tons of linked stuff there and I trust these folks...

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/dwfaffrogfaqs.htm

[midiamin]

What about filtration, and lighting? Maybe the frog was older. Where did you get them. I want some?

[msjinkzd]

I always check disease info on adf's at www.pipidae.net (http://www.pipidae.net) ...the guy that has the site is german, so some of the wording is weird, but there is alot of really good info there. Did you notice it spending an unusual amount of time at the surface? Did it have any discoloration to its limbs?

[erin14]

Filtration is just an AquaTech 20-40 (they never had any problems with being pulled towards it or limbs getting sucked in). Not sure about lighting, but its not any darker or lighter then normal, if you know what i'm trying to get at haha. They did have an ornament to hide in, if in fact it was too bright for them, and they knew it was there because thats where they slept. They were always out during the day and the light was on. I read that they need to have a pretty stable "day" and "night" schedule so i try to turn lights on and off around the same time each day. I got them from the store i work in, i felt sorry for them because to be honest (i know, this sounds bad) but no one really knew how to care for them. They survived in the tank they were living in at the store for probably 2 months for sure and the only foods that ever went into the tanks were flakes and algae wafers so i guess they were surviving off of that. Now they eat bloodworms after I did research on what to feed them. To msjinkzd, it was never at the top unless it went up to get air like they usually do. I can't really remember now, but i'm pretty sure everything was normal on it, no discoloration of limbs that i can remember. The only thing i noticed was that it was a tad bit fatter then the others, but i thought maybe he was just getting more food then them.

[msjinkzd]

was it at all bloated or just chubby? I really wish I had an answer for you! I am gonna go look around and see if I can find anything, good luck!

[midiamin]

Almost all gods children need sunlight or artificial daylight source of light. If you don't get it, see what happens to you over a long period of time. Not saying that this is the answer to your froggy loss but ......................

Also check your water quality. How often water changes etc. Should be on a regular basis - more than once a month - preventative measures for healthy environment - it helps to limit desease. Maybe increase filtration. Planty of live plant - natural filters.

GL

[barthur33]

A diet of just bloodworms makes these frogs VERY susceptible to bloat! Whether dwarf or clawed(like mine), these guys need a little more balanced diet. Pan worms, small pieces of chicken liver(I cut up and then freeze, makes it quick and easy!), sinking carnivore pellets, etc,. Good luck!

[WaterBaby]

Something else. I have been keeping ADF's for a couple of years, and have only one left, and sad to say I would not put another one in her tank.

ADF's need more of a balanced diet, and should not be fed bloodworms alone. There are a few commercial frog blends in the pet stores. Mine seem to like the HBH frog and tadpole bites. I also feed them bloodworms (occasionally), fish flake food, spirulina flakes, and brine shrimp.

There is also a serious disease out there called Chytrid (kit-rid) fungus that seems to be running rampant and killing many frogs. I belong to an ADF forum, and many of the people on that forum, from not only the USA, but overseas as well are having a problem with this disease. I've lost quite a few in quarantine from what appears to be Chytrid (but I can't be sure). Here's a link to a good reference.

http://www.flippersandfins.net/chytridiomycosis.htm

so like I said, I only have one left, and have not had any others live through quarantine, so I have given up for the time being. Unless I can find a reputable, clean source for the frogs.

Good Luck,

Michele