Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I hope someone here can help -- no one at the pet store has a clue.

We've had this fellow for about six months and I guess he's developed dropsy because his abdomen is swolen. We're worried about him and want him back to his old self.

The "fish expert" at the local pet store scratched his head and said "I didn't know a frog could get dropsy" -- not very helpful. He suggesed Maracyn-Two anyway. It's been about two days and there are no noticable changes. I had also previously tried Tetracycline without result.

Interesting tid-bit. I'm treating him in the main tank because he "gags" when I put him in the hospital tank. Kind of opens his mount and dry-heaves a few times, then uses his front feet to rub his head. He'll pause a bit, then do it again. I couldn't watch anymore after five minutes so I put him back in his regular tank.

What are you feeding him?
This swelling may happen in African dwarf frogs if they are too often fed bloodworms. The bloodworms are difficult to digest and in too large quantities can build up as gas and solids in the frog's intestines and stomach.
Another possibility is fungal infection.

Well, he gave up yesterday morning. It would be nice to know what's causing this, so the next one doesn't face the same problem.

Feeding him sinking shrimp tablets. however, he seemed to like the falling fish flakes better. He started swelling when I did a water transfer. I immediately began using tetracycline tablets, with no effect. The pet store recommended maracyn-two, which was in the tank when he died.

The week before I had been using rid-ich in the tank to treat a sickly fish (which recovered nicely), but the water had been transfered a few times since then, so the effects should have been very diluted if there at all.