# Froglet Drowned :(



## Spar (Mar 27, 2004)

quick lesson learned already... build a death-trap area for froglets, and they will die... wasn't rocket science, but still didnt seem to get through to my head.

off to tank re-modeling #3. I am also moving froglets to their own containers, so shouldn't have this problem in the future.

sucky to learn lessons the hard way.


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

Could you explain that tank setup where it happened?

Luke


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## Arklier (Mar 1, 2004)

Are you sure it drowned? Or could it have died in some other way and fallen in the water? Or did you find it in the water?


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## Spar (Mar 27, 2004)

found it in the water in an area that it wouldnt have been able to climb out.

not sure how to describe the setup, but it drowned because the land area has access for tadpoles to swim under it. in the back of my mind I doubted that a froglet would be able to swim under it once it lost its "desire to swim deep". Guess I was wrong. Either way, I am in the process of redesigning it with little to no drowning risk. Will be more efficient this way too.


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## Guest (May 6, 2005)

Sad way to learn but it happens


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

So basically the froglet could not climb out of the water feature?

Luke


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## Spar (Mar 27, 2004)

Darks!de said:


> So basically the froglet could not climb out of the water feature?
> 
> Luke


that particular area, yes. it was kind of like a tunnel underneathe the land area.

just a lesson learned to have absolutely no accessibility to un-climbable-out areas in a frog tank.

the new setup looks golden though  so not worried anymore.


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## booboo (Jan 22, 2005)

pictures?


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

Pics would be greatly appreciated, im trying to frog-proof my water feature and would like to see what caused you problems.

Luke


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## Spar (Mar 27, 2004)

I guess I never took a full picture of the setup, but this pic shows the screw-up. It is an island made out of egg-crate w/ screen mesh over the top and almost all the way to the bottom (allows for 1" of space for the tadpoles to swim around for more water surface area). The water line was about 2" above the bottom of the screen mesh, so I assumed that actual froglets would not try to get underneathe it once they didnt want to swim under water anymore. however, I realized that "if" one were to swim under there, he may not be able to get back out; so, I cut some entrances out of the screen mesh in the front to allow for passage through. I found the one drowned because I had noticed 2 other froglets underneathe clinged to the bottom of the island (a no-no); when pulling leaves and moss back to get the other 2 out I noticed the one on the bottom.

Long story short, just make the morphing tank simple. My new one is setup with a gravel island covered in wet almond leaves (will have magnolia soon), and the water is only 1" deep which covers about 1/2 of the 10g tank, but even that part has tons of java moss for them to climb up on.

Old Setup (Death-trap):


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

Thanks for that, get it now.

Luke


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## Guest (May 9, 2005)

do you htink they drowned just because they got under there, or because it was hard to get out? im planning on adding some PDFs to my paly. there is water underneath the land, but there arent small openings. its just open water all through out the bottom of the viv. there are many easy access spots to get out of the water, but a frog could get stuck under the land (if he was stupid enough not to swim out). in my case it should be really easy for them to "swim to the light" so to speak.


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## Guest (May 9, 2005)

I like your "community style" morphing tank... are you the least bit worried about canibalism? I guess with 80 tads you might not care that much?


-Tad


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## Spar (Mar 27, 2004)

i think he drowned because it was hard to get out. you could keep them in a "potentially dangerous" tank until they start showing front legs, but it really is the safest bet to get them out before they absorb their entire tail. then get them somewhere that the depth of water is only 1" or so.

as for canibalism, they eat eachother in my small containers that I keep them in for the first 2 weeks, but not after (in the 20g). Not sure why, but probably has to do with not needing to be territorial in larger space and having plenty of food. I have a strong algea producing light, java moss, almond leaves, and I cumble up spirulina and tropical fish flakes and sprinkle in every other day for them. I doubt they get hungry too much as being always full.

I also have a fish-fry mat in the tank with about 100 small plastic plants attached to it for additional hiding places.


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