# Frogs & Toads > Other Frogs & Toads >  Mossy frogs+Fish=?

## Brett

I'm thinking about buying one or two Vietnamese mossy frogs, and I was wondering if they'd appreciate little guppies or minnows in their water area so they have something to chase and snack on and stuff. Any thoughts?

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## Raya

I wouldn't recommend adding fish to your mossy tank. Mossy frogs want tannin-rich water, almost yellow in color. I don't think fish would do well in that.

In the wild mossy frogs live in waterfilled holes in trees and rock formation. So they don't usually share their homes with fish. Maby it will make them nervous since they hide in the water when being scared.

But I really recommend you getting a mossy frog or two. They are really cool frogs!

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## Brett

> I wouldn't recommend adding fish to your mossy tank. Mossy frogs want tannin-rich water, almost yellow in color. I don't think fish would do well in that.
> 
> In the wild mossy frogs live in waterfilled holes in trees and rock formation. So they don't usually share their homes with fish. Maby it will make them nervous since they hide in the water when being scared.
> 
> But I really recommend you getting a mossy frog or two. They are really cool frogs!


Thanks for the input! I definitely won't add fish to the setup now.

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## Martin

> I'm thinking about buying one or two Vietnamese mossy frogs, and I was wondering if they'd appreciate little guppies or minnows in their water area so they have something to chase and snack on and stuff. Any thoughts?


The frogs sure won't mind, food is always food  :Wink: 
However, you'd want to make sure the fish is free from nastiness etc. I'm pretty sure the fish won't like the kind of water that mossies like (like Raya said), but then again I don't know anything about keeping fish. Lastly, not all kind of fish is suitable for the frogs to eat (which they most likely will). Guppies are supposed to be fine, but I personally think it's more hassle than it's worth.

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## Brett

> The frogs sure won't mind, food is always food 
> However, you'd want to make sure the fish is free from nastiness etc. I'm pretty sure the fish won't like the kind of water that mossies like (like Raya said), but then again I don't know anything about keeping fish. Lastly, not all kind of fish is suitable for the frogs to eat (which they most likely will). Guppies are supposed to be fine, but I personally think it's more hassle than it's worth.


Yeah, that's what I concluded after I gave it some thought. I just figured it might be entertaining for me and the frogs.  :Big Grin:

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## bill

tannin rich water is what is commonly known as blackwater. they are countless species of fish that not only survive in blackwater, but THRIVE in it. some species are neon and cardinal tetras, endler's live bearers (a guppy relative that is less prone to parasites), mosquito fish and many others. all are peaceful fish that would be more scared of the frogs than the frogs of them....lol

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## Carlos

> I wouldn't recommend adding fish to your mossy tank. Mossy frogs want tannin-rich water, almost yellow in color. I don't think fish would do well in that.
> 
> In the wild mossy frogs live in waterfilled holes in trees and rock formation. So they don't usually share their homes with fish. Maby it will make them nervous since they hide in the water when being scared.
> 
> But I really recommend you getting a mossy frog or two. They are really cool frogs!


Have no experience with Mossy frogs and hope one day I'm able to keep them. However; I do know a lot about fish, including some that love low pH tannin rich water.  If still interested; look at the smaller fish originating from blackwater biotopes in the Amazon Basin's.  Among nice ones are: the Black Neon Tetra Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi; the Bleeding Heart Tetra Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma; the Cardinal Tetra Paracheirodon axelrodi; the Neon Tetra Paracheirodon innesi; and the Green Neon Tetra Paracheirodon simulans among others.  So if you want to try this experiment; select a group of one of the above (number limited by water side total gallons) and get them settled before adding frogs.

Be aware above tetras are not cheap feeder fish and if the Mossy's decide to eat them; it will be an expensive fail-ex.  Also, they require fully cycled set-ups with no ammonia or nitrites and frequent water changes to keep nitrates low.  To create the blackwater conditions, you can use driftwood (Malaysian sinks readily and works well), commercially available blackwater extracts, or a combo of both.  Be aware that fish in pet shop might be in neutral pH water and if your set-up is very acidic it will require to drip acclimate fish.  A rapid drop of more than 0.2 (pH scale is logarithmic) in 24 hours can kill the tetras.  Let us know what you decide and I will try to help on the fish side, good luck  :Frog Smile:  !

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## Brett

I'm thinking about keeping the tank lit with a fluorescent light, but would that encourage the growth of algae in the water?

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## Raya

> tannin rich water is what is commonly known as blackwater. they are countless species of fish that not only survive in blackwater, but THRIVE in it.





> Have no experience with Mossy frogs and hope one day I'm able to keep them. However; I do know a lot about fish, including some that love low pH tannin rich water.


I stand corrected.  :Smile: 

Another issue that I can see is that mossies don't want the water too deep. This may or may not be an issue for the fish, I have very little knowledge about keeping fish.
The fish may also get poisoned from sharing the water with mossies. Not that they are the most poisenous species out there but still...

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## bill

far from a correction Raya, just more information for everyone  :Smile:  like Carlos, i have a heavy background in aquariums, especially planted tanks, and we love those little fishies!!LOL

the subject of toxicity always comes up in the FBT threads. yet, i know many FBT owners who keep fish with the FBT's. i actually do know a frogger who keeps vietnamese mossies with fish in a wonderful paludarium. although, i must add, said person is a very experienced frogger AND aquarist.  :Smile: 

brett, any light will encourage algae growth, provided there are excess nutrients in the water. a few floating plants should absorb any extra nutrients, preventing algae growth.

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## COREY

I personally have no experience with mossy frogs...however im well rounded with red eye tree frogs... in my rainchamber/vivarium combo... i have dwarf catfish and plecos.... To my amazment my red eyes WILL and HAVE eaten the dwarf catfish... I think I was the first to report them eating fish... I only found out when i found a fish skeleton in the poop!!!  HAHA it was amazing!!  I have lost 3 /10 dwarf catfish... in the past 2 months.  I am almost positive it is just ONE particular female that eats them because she is ALWAYS down by the water as what i would like to call FISHING! =P Kinda like a cat looking into a pond for fish =P  SHe does the same thing.

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## Carlos

> ...To my amazment my red eyes WILL and HAVE eaten the dwarf catfish....


If dwarf Corydoras, it's risky, since species in genus have hard spines that could get stuck and damage frogs digestive system  :Frog Surprise:  .

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## COREY

I totally agree with you!!!   Don't worry i removed them a few weeks ago.  I don't want to waste money on them only to get them eaten...they are not as cheap as crickets/ roaches.

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