# Truncatus deaths



## Arklier (Mar 1, 2004)

I purchased 4 truncatus from a well known vendor right after Christmas, along with 3 terribilis. I had the truncatus in a 2.5 gallon quarantine tank with paper towels and a fake plant, but one of them died unexpectedly and the others looked rather stressed, always flattening themselves whenever I approached. Last week I moved them to an opaque Sterilite shoe box with spaghnum and magnolia leaves. Today I came home to find a second one dead. I heard that they were hardy and it's very upsetting for me to lose them.

I feed all my frogs wingless melanogaster (except the terribilis, which get either hydei or 2 week crickets). I have not seen the truncatus eat, but they are very shy. I put some springtails in the tank tonight. Temps have been normal in the house, low to mid 70s. All the other frogs are eating like there's no tomorrow, even the new terribilis froglets. I have three amazonicus that I got last week that I keep in an identical setup and which are even smaller than the truncatus, and they're doing great.

Any suggestions on what I can do to avoid any more deaths?


----------



## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

So you had all 4 in a 2.5 gallon? That is a very small space for them. Maybe 1 in a 2.5 gallon.

Truncatus can also get stressed without proper hiding places, and in a 2.5 gallon I down there are many.


----------



## Roadrunner (Mar 6, 2004)

I`ve got 5 in a shoebox on leaf litter and no substrate and they are all fat and happy. They are quite hardy although shy.
Have you had them checked for parasites.


----------



## Arklier (Mar 1, 2004)

They are very, very small and supposedly group frogs. I always start my froglets off in a 2.5 gallon until they're about 3/4". It has about the same footprint as a shoebox. I've raised several leuc and azureus froglets this way.

I haven't done fecals on them, but I do have some powdered fendbendazole. I'm not sure how to give it to them, though. They are too small to give it by hand, and I'm not sure if they're eating or not. I did look in the shoebox and see one of them perched on a leaf though, so maybe the springtails will get them eating.


----------



## Arklier (Mar 1, 2004)

Well, it's kind of a moot point now. I just got home intending to give the other two an electrolyte soak, only to find them dead as well. I can't understand how this happened, and all so sudden. All of my other frogs are doing great, including the terribilis I got from the exact same source. I give all of them the same food and supplements as my other froglets, their housing the same as is recommended for other froglets, and yet they perished. I've got a vial of formalin handy, so I may send one of them out for a necropsy, even if it's just to get to the bottom of why they died.


----------



## sports_doc (Nov 15, 2004)

sorry my friend...  

possibilities that come to mind:

unknown toxin in the shoebox (?new plastic off gasing, residual soap?)
came with a bug (although they made it to that age/size without issue)
too cold for the youngster?
awakened a bug (obviously a contagious one) from stress (most likely)

I have some, lost one early on (4 in a 20H) to stress from it's tankmates that were slightly larger....it was a slow painful thing that I could have prevented by removing it earlier...but I subscribe to the better to leave well enough alone rule.

I find them tricky to breed successfully (in my hands at least) but not overly shy.

If you try them again I would use a larger container, and springtails from the start especially if they are small...plus froglets seem to take to them easier after a big move. temps 75 ish.

Best,

Shawn


----------

