# Frogs & Toads > Other Frogs & Toads >  What am I doing wrong? African clawed frogs

## Khayos

So in Dec. 09, my bf brought two home. An albino and a green one. Tiny things. Put them in a 10 gal then did some reading and found out they need 10 gal each. So we moved them to a 30 gal.
No rocks. No plants. Just caves.  We try to feed a wide range of food. mealworms, crickets, pellets, freezed dried shrimp, and blood worms mostly.
A couple weeks ago, I found the green one lethargic. He was making bubbly noises and doing this hiccup thing. Died within an hr of me finding him that way. I was calling vets and having a hard time finding any that were open at 4am and that knew what he was.
The albino, fine. Active, eating, etc. Waited a while and decided maybe it was just that frog. So I got a new one. This one was a green as well, about half the size of the albino. They got along fine.

I don't understand what happened. The lil one was really active, eating last night. I woke up today and he's dead. Nothing visibly wrong with him.

what's going on? The albino is still okay....Nothing wrong with him.  :Confused: 

YouTube - African Clawed Frogs

video of the original two.

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## scribbles

What temperature are you keeping them at? Do you use a filteration system, and if so what kind and size? The bottom of the tank seems to have a lot of feces in the video, which would cause ammonia poisoning. This species produces a lot of ammonia!

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## Kurt

The person you are going to want to talk to is Terry, our resident Pipidae expert.

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## Khayos

At the time we were doing water changes but realized quickly that alone wasn't going to cut it. Now we have a 30 gal whisper filtration. 

temp 75

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## Terry

Generally speaking, African clawed frogs have a strong immune system. Their skin contains a slim that seems to protect them from a variety of diseases. Usually when an ACF dies it is due to a husbandry issue. As mentioned by Scribbles earlier, these frogs generate a large amount of ammonia. I keep both albino and "wild type" frogs, two per 10 gallon tank, with no furnishings except a PVC pipes for cover. I do 100% water changes once a week and feed them a variety of foods including Tetra's Repto-Min, which they really enjoy. Feeding schedule is 3x per week. ACFs are primitive frogs that have a lateral line system on their back (this is the stitch-like appearance). The purpose of the lateral line sensory system is to detect prey in murkey water. High capacity filters create currents that stress out the frog. I do not use any filtration system. I prefer to hear the frogs rap at night  :Smile: . If you have any questions, please post them here or in my social group, "The Tongueless Society". Good luck with your frogs, with good care, they often live 10 years or more!

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## Khayos

ah I see! I'll probably ditch the filter then and do 100% water changes, I was only doing a 3rd.


So I could have more in a 30 gal? I was thinking of having a total of 3 but more is nice! lol I love their singing. I noticed they do it more when they think they got a new cave so I bought a couple to alternate with lol 

I'll probably just stick to this albino until I think I got the hang of it. Then try one and move up for there. Is it okay to keep them solitary for a while? I know the first time the one died, he was pretty anxious. now he's just really quiet.

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## Terry

> ah I see! I'll probably ditch the filter then and do 100% water changes, I was only doing a 3rd.


It would be a bit much to do 100% water changes on a large tank. Since I have mine in a small aquarium, I can easily do complete water changes. Since you have a 30 gallon, I would recommend a biological sponge filter of the appropriate size. The problem with high output power filters is that they create a fast current that will stress out the frog. The sponge filters do not create much of a current. ACFs prefer quiet water ponds, lakes and streams. 




> So I could have more in a 30 gal? I was thinking of having a total of 3 but more is nice! lol I love their singing. I noticed they do it more when they think they got a new cave so I bought a couple to alternate with lol


Oh, yes, the bigger the aquarium the better! It would be more comfortable for them to breed. Hiding places are a must since it reduces the amount of stress. I also suggest getting those floating, plastic lily pads as they like to leave the water occasionally (not required, but may provide your frogs with enrichment activities). 




> I'll probably just stick to this albino until I think I got the hang of it. Then try one and move up for there. Is it okay to keep them solitary for a while? I know the first time the one died, he was pretty anxious. now he's just really quiet.


Many people say that frogs are not social and can easily live by themselves. However, it has been my experience that these frogs are more active and better feeders if they are in pairs or small groups. My dream is to have a 55 gallon tank filled with about 12 frogs.  :Smile:  It seems that a companion frog will create an incentive for them to be more aggressive during feeding (which can be a good thing). Enjoy your frogs!

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## Khayos

lost the albino today. 

I'm not even sure what to say. I think he was acting odd last night, but he was still active. Just quiet. 


man this sucks. The water should been fine, I replaced it all 3 days ago. It does look kinda cloudy today though...

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## Paul Rust

> lost the albino today. 
> 
> I'm not even sure what to say. I think he was acting odd last night, but he was still active. Just quiet. 
> 
> 
> man this sucks. The water should been fine, I replaced it all 3 days ago. It does look kinda cloudy today though...


 *Oh No!!! Sorry to hear that.* :Frown:

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## JeffX

The problem with replacing it all is you kill all of the beneficial bacteria in the tank.  I'd use a filter, and do small water changes every week or so.

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## scribbles

I'm sorry for your loss, Khayos. I keep my two pairs African Clawed Frogs in a 29 gallon tank. I use a filter with a gentle flow set to the lowest flow setting, and have ever since my frogs morphed from tadpole to froglets. I keep the water level very high to minimize the water current, and do frequent water changes. I have never had a single problem with my frogs.

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## Kurt

So sorry for your loss.

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## Terry

> lost the albino today. 
> 
> I'm not even sure what to say. I think he was acting odd last night, but he was still active. Just quiet. 
> 
> 
> man this sucks. The water should been fine, I replaced it all 3 days ago. It does look kinda cloudy today though...


Sorry to hear about the loss of your frog. Don't get discouraged. I would get another pair of frogs and try again. There are plenty of people on this forum that will help you out step-by-step. Just remember that you did your best  :Frog Smile:

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