# my imitator dead in the water



## Abbathx (Aug 15, 2007)

i found him during my daily tank routine and i found him dead in the bottom water film container he was doing perfectly fine day before. tank temp avg was 76 day drop to 70 at night his entire life he was eating fine also saw him eating the day before. did he drown? there was other debris in there like coco bedding ect. it really sucks


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## Anoleo2 (Feb 1, 2006)

Sorry for your loss...

Couple questions:
How many imis do you have in that viv? And do you know sex ratios?

Sometimes females (I think it's females...) can get aggressive towards each other and fights break out, sometimes leading to drownings (not sure if this has been proven? But I've heard stories of it happening).


Once again, sorry for your loss...


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## Abbathx (Aug 15, 2007)

just 1 and was a calling male in a 10gal. had him for 7 months


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## HappyHippos1 (May 7, 2007)

Too bad, chances are he drowned if the water was too high. I've heard other stories of drowned frogs in film cannisters.


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## Thinair (Aug 27, 2005)

I don't know the cause of your imi's death, but it most likely wasn't drowning. I've found that they can swim really well, and quite vigorously. Usually they'll dive to the bottom after being startled and stay there a worrying amount of time, but always come up again. And I've noticed during tadpole care behavior there is sometimes a great amount of splashing and swimming about...

Imitator are generally hardy too, so it might have been a drastic change...temperature, humidity, chemicals (anybody been doing a lot of housecleaning lately?)...


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

Was the film canister vertical? I have heard of them getting stuck and not being able to get out of vertical film canisters. Im sure it is rare but can happen.


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## Abbathx (Aug 15, 2007)

Thinair said:


> I don't know the cause of your imi's death, but it most likely wasn't drowning. I've found that they can swim really well, and quite vigorously. Usually they'll dive to the bottom after being startled and stay there a worrying amount of time, but always come up again. And I've noticed during tadpole care behavior there is sometimes a great amount of splashing and swimming about...
> 
> Imitator are generally hardy too, so it might have been a drastic change...temperature, humidity, chemicals (anybody been doing a lot of housecleaning lately?)...


isn't that behavior with most frog when they are startled. no cleaning products no change in temp or humidity.

yes the film cantainer was vertical and had the most water also had the most debris thats why i thought he drowned. i think something wrapped around him and weighed him down after looking at him quite thoroughly.
i will definitely dump and clean out all film containers in the future so i won't experience this again.
thank you for responding


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## Peter Keane (Jun 11, 2005)

I've had imitators scare me with water.. when the misters come on in the morning and every other day the heaviest rains (mistings) take place and my imitators hunker down in the axils of bromeliads and Diffenbachia and these will literally fill with water and it covers their heads and I finally reach their tank to feed them and I see them under the water and it kinda freaks me out every single time I see them do that so every time I poke in and out they pop all fine and rarin to go for breakfast.. o they are very good in/around water.. I would think your frog unfortunately might have gotten caught on some debris in the canister and could not get out.. or could not get out for a long time and got exhausted and drowned... I am sorry to hear about your loss.. Peter Keane, JungleWorld


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## Rich Frye (Nov 25, 2007)

Or, as with many frogs contaminated with 'stuff', the frog may have went to water for a soak and later died in the water. 

Rich


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## Dancing frogs (Feb 20, 2004)

I've been working with imitator since I got into the hobby, and never seen them have a problem with either climbing or swimming.

What do you use for water?


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