African dwarf frogs with snails and shrimp
yng...@aol.com
but a bunch of cherry shrimp and a couple mystery snails. I am not
counting the trumpet snails and having added a couple of assassin
snails, those are gradually disappearing. The tank has a sand
substrate and a lot of hornwort and java fern.
Just added two African dwarf frogs. They seem happy enough (were
singing last night), but I am wondering what advice anyone can give on
feeding them. I have tried one feeding of thawed bloodworms, but even
the snails are faster than they are at grabbing them. The LFS sold me
tadpole/aquatic frog pellets, but I think those are two big, they
don't seem interested in them and the snails and shrimp also grab them
first.
Was thinking the frogs might dine on a few baby cherries, but so far I
haven't seen them attempt to capture any shrimp. I don't mind if they
do because there are plenty of them and some will escape by hiding in
the hornwort. The adult shrimp seem too big to be threatened.
I've read about putting floating a plastic cup in the water and
putting the frogs in it to eat their dinner, but wouldn't that stress
the frogs if I have to keep catching them to put them in a cup?
I do have a 2.5 gallon tank I use as a hospital tank and could set
that up and move the frogs there, but I'd rather keep them in the five
gallon if I can. Maybe it would be easier to move the snails out every
other day or so at feeding time.
Advice? Thanks.
-yngver
NetMax
nature. They seem to have very poor skills for eating. Turtles
manage alright by simply eating almost everything organic they stumble
into, but frogs complicate matters by being picky eaters.
Frozen bloodworm seems to be what I was the most successful with,
though they will frequently eat most other fish foods as well. I
would not worry too much. Once a week I would make extra effort just
for my peace of mind. Using a clear tube (like a UGF pipe), I would
drop the bloodworms in and position the tube end over the frog. It
would 'rain' food on the frog, who would eventually be compelled to
eat some.
NetMax
yng...@aol.com
plastic spoon to dump some right on their heads. They eventually
started eating. I think the initial problem was that they hadn't
settled in yet and were hiding and even when a bloodworm fell right
next to them, they were more concerned with dashing away to hide. They
are braver now.
I'm not so worried now because from what I have read, if they get some
bloodworms a couple times a week, that's enough to keep them well fed.
They are both male, apparently--both have the white area behind the
armpits and they are singing. I just thought at first they must be
exceedingly dumb, if snails could get to the food faster than they
could. This time, however, I observed a frog grab a piece of bloodworm
away from a ghost shrimp, so I guess they have some survival skills
after all. I may try tubifex worms or thawed brine shrimp too.
-yngver
> > -yngver- Hide quoted text -
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Kels Mustang
it) look for a kids liquid medicine dropper.
They're larger than an eye dropper, and sometimes the pharmacy will
give you one for free.
They're perfect for feeding bloodworms. Especially when you want to
target feed, or need that dead food to look alive (wiggle).
The frogs have very poor eyesight for creatures that hunt by site.
They tend to snap more at movement, so you got to get those worms a
wriggling!
Your frogs will be happy little piggies in no time.
They're also quick learners. In no time when they see the eye dropper,
they associate it with food. Then they quickly associate your face
with the dropper, which brings the goodies. Then soon all they have to
do is see your face and they come out to beg for worms.
However, I recommend feeding bloodworms daily.
Sadly, most dwarf frog deaths occur from not enough food.
A dwarf frog should have a nice poochie belly all the time.
I recently introduced a trio of dwarfs into a tank with that has a
baby bristle nose pleco in it too. Well the baby bristle nose doesn't
know what to think about the 3 amigos. He/she has been backing up to
them and flashing it's tail back and forth. I'm assuming this means
don't mess with me.....
It's cute though. it's just a baby (barely over an inch).
yng...@aol.com
just been using a plastic spoon and dropping the bloodworms right on
top of the frogs. Seems to work--they eventually notice something is
moving around them and start snapping up bloodworms.
Their stomachs are kind of rounded even though I haven't been feeding
bloodworms but every few days. I guess they got hungry enough to try
some other things--because I noticed one yesterday decided to grab
some of the algae pellet I had dropped in for the snails. Not sure if
that is good for them, but the algae pellets do contain fish meal. I
also tried a few bits of flakes and they were eating those too, what
they were able to nab away from the shrimp.
Just bought Reptomin's bloodworm treats (comes in a gel) which says
it's for aquatic frogs and turtles. But the package says not to feed
as a staple. I also got Reptomin's floating sticks for aquatic frogs/
turtles but then it occurred to me that since they forage for food
mostly on the substrate, they aren't going to eat something that
floats. I dropped one in anyway this morning, figuring that eventually
it will sink, and even if it doesn't, the shrimp will eat it.
Interesting combination with the baby BN pleco. I have two albine BN's
in our 29 gallon tank and they have gotten bigger than I thought they
were supposed to get--they're about four inches now. I'm hoping I have
a male and female--one is getting bristles on his nose and the other
isn't, but maybe they just aren't quite the same age. They were pretty
cute as babies but now they are bigger than anything else in the tank
and will push a mystery snail out of the way. Don't think mine would
care if I put the frogs in that tank--they don't pay any attention to
the other inhabitants, as long as they get out of their way when
there's a zucchini slice to eat.
Kels Mustang
On Feb 23, 1:54 pm, "yng...@aol.com" <yng...@aol.com> wrote:
> Thanks. I already have some droppers so I could use one of those. I've
> just been using a plastic spoon and dropping the bloodworms right on
> top of the frogs. Seems to work--they eventually notice something is
> moving around them and start snapping up bloodworms.
>
I like to take the dropper and give a very gentle swoosh of the water
near where the worms have fallen onto the gravel. It makes them move
just enough to get their attention. They tend to snap at movement.
I've seen them sit in a pile of worms and not eat a single one. Swoosh
them a tiny bit and snap!
> Their stomachs are kind of rounded even though I haven't been feeding
> bloodworms but every few days. I guess they got hungry enough to try
> some other things--because I noticed one yesterday decided to grab
> some of the algae pellet I had dropped in for the snails. Not sure if
> that is good for them, but the algae pellets do contain fish meal. I
> also tried a few bits of flakes and they were eating those too, what
> they were able to nab away from the shrimp.
Don't know about the algae tab. I'd be more concerned about how much
it ate before it was fully expanded.
Poochie bellies are a good thing.
> Just bought Reptomin's bloodworm treats (comes in a gel) which says
> it's for aquatic frogs and turtles. But the package says not to feed
> as a staple. I also got Reptomin's floating sticks for aquatic frogs/
> turtles but then it occurred to me that since they forage for food
> mostly on the substrate, they aren't going to eat something that
> floats. I dropped one in anyway this morning, figuring that eventually
> it will sink, and even if it doesn't, the shrimp will eat it.
>
The Reptomin's frog food is not for these frogs.
Best food, and most economical too, Hikari's frozen bloodworms.
I prefer the flat pack because I can break the size portion I need to
feed that day (it varies per day between all the tanks).
If you would feed as much as the cubed for daily, then maybe that
style would be better for you.
*Tip for the flat pack....
I like to take the brand new pack - hold it at the bottom and whack it
on the counter shattering it into different sized pieces.
Just be careful not to break the package. Chunks of bloodworms flung
all over your kitchen is NOT fun.
The plecos are so funny.
I have a male and female in the 75g and 2 teeny babies in the Eclipse
tanks.
I got my male as a tiny baby from his breeder and put him the 6g until
he was big enough for the 75g and Angels.
My son has a female and wants a male, so if either baby turns out to
be male, he's getting it for his tanks.
The other baby will go into the 75g with the M and F. They haven't
spawned. = (
The male tries his best to woo her, but she's not buying it.
She took a liking to a different male I had, but he died suddenly
without warning. ( over a year ago)
So if I get another female out them, there's hope for him. Poor guy,
he's had his cave all ready since his tendrils grew in. = )~