# Bloated Fire Bellied Toads



## Minch (Sep 14, 2021)

Hi, 

I think that my female FBTs are suffering from bloat and would like some advice, please. 

Background: I have had them for almost 10 years and they were captive bred in Europe. Temperatures - Day-time heating up to 25C and night-time down to 17C, heated with infrared and also have some UV and are kept in a plastic storage tank with plenty of ventilation. Land area has moss, built on gravel and large stones, and some caves and silk leaves to climb on. Water filter cleaned regularly. They have tap water treated with amphibian dechlorinator which is always left 24 hours before use, water changes every 1-2 weeks. They are brumating right now, not eating much but are taking a cricket/waxworm once a week or so, I also recently fed them some mealworms since the crickets were too fast for them. Im dusting the crickets with Repashy calcium plus powder. No odd behaviour, just those two gals in there, no tank mates except possibly some springtails. The bloat feels like air, not really solid. They did breed a million times this summer and I thought perhaps these were some left over eggs, but a couple of the males are also looking podgy now as well. Both tanks are filled from the same water source. I am reaching out to a local vet to see if they can accommodate exotics but have the following questions - 

1. The quickest treatment I can get is some aquarium salt - will this help, or alleviate, in the short term? 
2. I have some Josh's Frogs Ringer Solution on the way, and I was intending to bathe them a few hours a day, does anyone have experience of this product? 
3. If this is a bacteria, then can I use fish dropsy meds - e.g. Maracyn? 
4. Should I give both tanks a super clean and boil the gravel / ornaments ? 

Should I be doing anything else for them at this point? I would prefer to speak to a vet before doing anything radical and I definitely dont want to immerse them in salty water if this is going to be uncomfortable. I have heard recently about lancing them with a fine gauge needle but I will leave this to the vet, if that's what is needed - I would (and probably so would they) prefer a non-invasive remedy, but I'm very open to hearing 










Here's a pic, they are not as rotund as some Ive seen, but they are definitely a bit puffy 

Thanks, 
Matthew


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## Chris S (Apr 12, 2016)

Those are both females, and I would say they are likely just full of eggs. The top one looks a bit larger, can you take a photo of them on their backs?


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## Chris S (Apr 12, 2016)

Chris S said:


> Those are both females, and I would say they are likely just full of eggs. The top one looks a bit larger, can you take a photo of them on their backs?


and post an image of their setup?


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## Minch (Sep 14, 2021)

Hi Chris,

Thanks for your help. I took closer pics of the females on their backs (they didn't like it much - first time I have ever heard vocalise in 10 years) and also attach a top and side of the tank. I checked the boys - they are all looking OK. 

If eggs, I guess it would be preferable to a medical issue, but as you know they bred like rabbits this summer so Im not sure why they would both be retaining them. Is there anything I could do to relieve them, if that's the case? 

Would it be beneficial to put a bit of aquarium salt in there, to create an hypo/isotonic water which would, according to the post, help them divert a bit of energy to recovering/expelling the eggs? I could conceivably put up to NaCl - 25 g per gallon. Alternatively, as I said, I have some Josh's frogs Amphibians Ringers on the way, if the salt isn't suitable.


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## Eurydactylodes (Sep 7, 2021)

Contact a qualified herp veterinarian immediately.


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## ctharnettnz (Dec 25, 2021)

Minch said:


> Hi Chris,
> 
> Thanks for your help. I took closer pics of the females on their backs (they didn't like it much - first time I have ever heard vocalise in 10 years) and also attach a top and side of the tank. I checked the boys - they are all looking OK.
> 
> ...


Any updates on their health?


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## Chris S (Apr 12, 2016)

are you running a filter in the tank?

I still think they are probably eggs. They need to be fertilized, so just separate them from the males if you don't want anymore babies.


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