[Nath514]

Hello Everyone,

I recently added my two african dwarf frogs to my planted tank. The tank is fairly new but I have kept the frogs in a smaller tank with no filtration for many years so I figured I was safe. The new tank is a 10 gallon planted tank with eco complete as the substrate. After about a week of being in the tank one frogs eyes have gone white. The frog is still very active and is eating. I have been taking daily water readings and all values are where they should be except the ph is a little high but just a little.

After reading many suggestions online to try Tetracycline I purchased the API Tetracycline and did a 4 day treatment of that. I didn't really notice any change in the milky eyes.

If anyone has any advice on how to properly treat my frog please let me know.

Thanks,
Nathan

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http://i.imgur.com/i8HvPv3.jpg

 

[deeda]

Are you running CO2 on this tank?

Please post the water test results.

 

[Nath514]

I am not running CO2.

PH: 7.4
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0

Using an API liquid test kit.

 

[deeda]

It is unusual to have zero nitrate in a cycled tank so that may be an issue. Can you transfer the frogs back to their original tank?

 

[Nath514]

The tank probably hasn't cycled yet as it has only been up for 3 weeks. I thought a low nitrate level was good? I know nitrite should be 0 but isn't a 0 nitrate optimal but you have a bit more room to play with Nitrates?

 

[H2Ogal]

When cycling, a tank goes through spikes in ammonia and nitrItes before they zero out and nitrAtes show up. It can take several weeks to cycle a tank without feeding it a source of ammonia (straight ammonia or fish food, or actual fish, but I prefer fishless cycling because I think it's kinda and easier).

If the unfiltered tank the frogs were in previously was heavily planted and had a good biofilm developed on substrate, decor, etc., it was probably already cycled and balanced enough for the frogs' bioload. If that tank is still set-up, deeda's idea to transfer the frogs back there until your new tank is done cycling is a good one.

FYI, don't know about frogs but I think that cloudy eyes in fish is often a bacterial infection following on damage from bad water conditions, etc.

 

[Nath514]

The old tank is still setup so I will move the frog back over. Do you think I should try another treatment of Tetracycline, or maybe something else?

Thanks,
Nathan

 

[H2Ogal]

You could try, to be on the safe side ... Is Tetracycline safe for filter bacteria? I'm not good at recommending meds, especially since I don't know herps. (I had a mini cycle just recently using two meds that were supposed to be filter-bacteria-safe.) You could also try adding Seachem stability to the new tank to speed up the cycle. But again: frog safe? don't know.

 

[Nath514]

I added some of my father's filter media to my tank to speed up the cycle. His tank has been established for several months so hopefully his bacteria will jump start my tank.

 

[Nath514]

I moved the sick frog back to the original tank and began treating with Pimafix and Melafix. After three days I am still not seeing any sign of the frogs eyes healing and the frog seems to be floating more and less active. Not sure what else to try, the pimafix and melafix say to treat for up to 7 days so I guess I will continue and see what happens.

 

[HybridHerp]

My only thought is that, perhaps there was an ammonia spike that caused some burns to the eyes?

I had a really bad ammonia spike once (don't get mystery snails and then watch them all die at once....its a good way to kill your water quality fast) and one of my pearl gouramis got hit pretty bad. Bad enough to permanently leave one of its eyes blinded :O

If that's the case, idk if the frog can fix that, but if it can still eat and get by if the eyes don't heal then its not the worst thing ever. Assuming of course that I am right and that it is the result of an ammonia burn damaging the eye and causing blindness.

 

[Kitsune_Gem]

You have to remember these frogs have pretty bad eyesight to begin with, they go off of smell when hunting.

Hopefully he perks up for you.

 

[Nath514]

Just wanted to give an update. The frogs eye remained a little cloudy but he had been doing fine. Must have been an ammonia spike. Wish I hadn't been so eager to add them to the tank before it had properly cycled. I learned my lesson the hard way.

 

[IDR]

Re: your zero nitrate reading, with the API kit, shake the ever living crap out of bottle #2. There are solids that need to break up in the bottom of the bottle. Pick seriously doubt you have a real zero reading.

 

[deeda]

Thanks for the update, I'm glad he is doing better.