Hi Amanda,



There are thousands of types of coccidia. Coccidia has not been proven or dis-proven to be host specific. Coccidia can live over two years in moist soil.

There is not a known cure for coccidia yet. You can treat a mammal by medicating and getting the coccidia numbers down low enough so that the animal’s own immune system wipes out the rest. Most amphibians are not bothered by coccidia. Dart frogs unfortunately are. An amphibians immune system , basically, ignores coccidia. In those species not bothered by coccidia, this is no big deal. In Darts it is a big deal because having no immune system , and being bothered by coccidia, you can not (as of yet ) ever wipe out the coccidia. We can bring down the number of coccidia ( by medicating ) in a Dart to the point where it is not effecting the Dart . But as of yet, no cure.

Hook worms, and lung worms can be picked up by external means (out-of-doors collections).

I would not want to speculate on how your frogs contracted nematodes or coccidia. I do know that tanks can/will be infested by external objects.

To find and ingest good medical info on Darts can be tough. This is one of the reasons I do not advocate introducing many objects from our locals into a Dart tank.

I hope this helps Amanda.



Rich



www.fryebrothersfrogs.com

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