# Frog Water question



## JoshMVG (Oct 27, 2009)

Hi guys
Just wondering what type of water that people use for their frogs
I currently use boiled springwater for my l'clhoris but was considering to start using boiled tap water, is that ok?
Iv also heard of people using just straight tap water 
wouldn't they b risking chytrid fungus?
Also iv seen some threads where people have home-made bio filters, anyone know how to make these?


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## booboomoomoo (Oct 27, 2009)

I just use tap water and add a bit of "Prime" an have so for the past five years for all my different types of tree frog an never had any problems


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## JoshMVG (Oct 27, 2009)

Thanks
"Prime" is that a pet aquarium water conditioner/ager


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## garycahill (Oct 27, 2009)

I have 2 plastic 200 litre drums full of tap water with an airstone running constantly in each.
The water is in direct sunlight & has to be there for 7 days before I use it.
Cheaper & better than adding chemicles to an animal's enclosure that is already prone to chemicles.


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## JoshMVG (Oct 27, 2009)

sounds like a good idea but id b worried bout a frog getting in the drums and infecting with chytrid
i suppose that could b fixed with a screen top
goin to try it thanks for that


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## garycahill (Oct 27, 2009)

Forgot to mention that. The centre of the lids come out, just leaving the screw down lid.
All you have to do is to put some flyscreen over the top of the barrel & screw on the lid a turn or so.


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## JoshMVG (Oct 27, 2009)

Ne one with bio filter for built in pond
advice?
how to make one?
do any brands make one for a pond that is only 5-6 inches deep


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## JoshMVG (Oct 27, 2009)

garycahill said:


> Forgot to mention that. The centre of the lids come out, just leaving the screw down lid.
> All you have to do is to put some flyscreen over the top of the barrel & screw on the lid a turn or so.


Sounds good thanks for that


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## bfg23 (Oct 27, 2009)

Might be worth changing the water a bit more frequently. 
I have just had a green tree frog of mine die. All signs have pointed to chytrid, and I was changing the water 3 times a week. I will start doing daily changes from now on.


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## garycahill (Oct 27, 2009)

Sorry to hear that bfg.
What were the symptoms?


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## JoshMVG (Oct 27, 2009)

Sorry to hear that 
I dont think that chytrid can b caught unless from an outside source so it would have something to do with ur hygiene/quarintine procedures 
But correct me if im wrong


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## bfg23 (Oct 27, 2009)

It hadnt been as active as usual the last month or two, but I put that down to the cold weather. 
I have had the frogs for a year or two now and have never had to watch them feed as they all get a fair share and all have been growing at the same rate, but this specific Green Tree had lost a bit of weight where the rest have been growing. 
The past two weeks it developed the 'hunched' appearance for long periods of time and noticed it stayed on the ground, never venturing up into the canopy of the tank. It also developed redness under its belly compared to the bright white of my other green tree frog.

One thing was a bit unusual was that it would not soak in the water bowl like most chytrid sufferers do.
I had it in a tank of its own for the past 2 weeks, With some extra heat running and it just deteriorated slowly. It would not eat the crickets put in the tank, but would writhe around if they touched its skin (another symptom of chytrid). 
Next step was seeing the vet for some possible treatment, but today he passed away. I feel so bad because it would have been a painful death for the little guy.

Yeah JoshMVG- I am putting it down to my own bad husbandry. I thought changing the water 3 or 4 times a week was sufficient. I still have one Green Tree frog and 2 Green and Golden bell frogs thriving in the tank though so I am a bit unsure.. It also seems that the remaining frogs have NOT contracted the fungus as they are still healthy active frogs.


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## garycahill (Oct 27, 2009)

Sorry to ask, what position was he in when after he passed away.


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## bfg23 (Oct 27, 2009)

He was on the floor of the enclosure and his body was hunched right in. Head was _just _pointed upwards as if looking forwards. Eyes wide open but all black.


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## JoshMVG (Oct 27, 2009)

{Qoute)u dont need to condition water for any animals which dont have gills
no need to dechlorine, cycle or anything

usinf airstone to dechlorify doesnt work anymore since they started adding chloromine to the water supply(Qoute/)
This is what my know it all friend just told me what do u think gary?


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## garycahill (Oct 27, 2009)

My water test show different with the chlorine. 
But I am adding direct UV, as I said in the post.
The test to this is that I bred & sold just under 900 frogs last year.
All the good books will tell you that tadpoles + chlorine = fatalities. 
I lost a total of 27 morphlings. 3 unknown & 24 that were eaten by tank mates.
To me that is proof enough.
How much water do you have in your enclosure?


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## IgotFrogs (Oct 27, 2009)

i only use water tha has had a water ager added to it because where i'm living now the tap water smells so strong of chlorine almost burns my eyes let alone a froggies skin ,,,, i figure why take the chance the stuff is pretty cheap ....


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## JoshMVG (Oct 27, 2009)

bout 30cm long 20 wide 12 deep


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## garycahill (Oct 27, 2009)

Definately, it will need a filter also.

I understand what you are saying IgotFrogs, but I just won't add chemicles to a frogs enclosure.
There's just something that is wrong about it to me.
It's what works best for each individual, not that it is definately wrong or right.


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## IgotFrogs (Oct 27, 2009)

i also have two filters running all the time in my frog tank ,,, and replace a small amount every couple days ... so far its working well for the guy's ,....


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## JoshMVG (Oct 27, 2009)

Do you no if chloromide can b removed from aging/sunning
also is there a filter you could reccomend that does not need to b in the water and can sit outside the tank
?


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## booboomoomoo (Oct 28, 2009)

no u need to use a water ager and why waste time with sitting water out in the sun for a week when u can use a good quality water ager like prime and use the water straight away. Down in south u might not need water ager as they might not dose the water with the same chemicals as us up in sydney as for water changes i do mine every 2 to 3 weeks and my frogs r happy as they wont shut up but i do mist the plants in there tank everyday but i do use purigen in my filter to keep my water crystal clear


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## garycahill (Oct 28, 2009)

The end result after using water ager is aged water.
If you age your water, you will end up with the same thing, aged water.
One is instant & the other takes time.
I have the time & the room to do it & I strongly dissagree with adding chemicles to a frogs enviroment.
This is my belief, not everyone has it or has to agree.
I have had great success with breeding frogs using my methods, including endangered species.
My collection of tanks containing water would mean that the stuff the pet stores are peddling would cost me around $15 per week, on top of everything else.
I don't see why I need to keep someone in a job when nature is there to do it for me.


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## cris (Oct 28, 2009)

I just leave tap water for a few days or use rain water. Water straight from the tap is toxic to tadpoles and frogs.


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## booboomoomoo (Oct 28, 2009)

id say if it works for u stick to it but me personally i feel safer using water ager as the waterboard does not have to tell u what, when or how much chemical they add to the water. And i have seen half an aquariums breeding stock of african cichlids wiped out because they aged there water in barrels an had so for years and then sydney water added chloromon to the supply an goodbye thousands of dollars worth of fish


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## garycahill (Oct 28, 2009)

Work out what 873 Growling Grass Frogs (Litoria raniformis) @ $40 each comes to.
Cichlids are replacable, captive ranis arn't, they are also quite endangered in their native enviroment.
I was approached by NPWS so they could copy my method.
If you keep an eye out on scales for tails magazine in the next issue or so, you will see my article on this.
You are right, stick with what works for you, but don't discredit what someone else is doing because it is different.
If we all did the same thing, captive husbandry wouldn't improve.


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## JoshMVG (Oct 28, 2009)

Thanks guys
I think a non chemical approach is the go 
Im going to contact the local water authorities and find out exactly what goes in my water
And if it does contain chloromide (i think thats what its called)
Try and find out the best way to remove it, (hopefully gary's method does) using chemicals as a last resort
I also would like to know if their is anyway to sterilize water for chytrid other than boiling?


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## garycahill (Oct 28, 2009)

Boiling is the only method that I am aware of, there may be some other method though.
Why are you so concerned about chytrid? Have you had an outbreak before?
A death from chytrid is very easy to identify, from what I have seen
If you are not introducing new frogs to a shared enviroment, the risk is very small.
I have never had a outbreak of chytrid, even with frogs which are highly prone to it.
There would be other issues that I would be concerned about first.


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## JoshMVG (Oct 28, 2009)

garycahill said:


> Boiling is the only method that I am aware of, there may be some other method though.
> Why are you so concerned about chytrid? Have you had an outbreak before?
> A death from chytrid is very easy to identify, from what I have seen
> If you are not introducing new frogs to a shared enviroment, the risk is very small.
> ...


The main reason that im concerned about chytrid is that when i got my frogs of my friend he said that there were cases of frogs thought to have chytrid in our local water supply dams
He said that boiling was the only way to make sure you dont get it from any water source and to always do it
this ritual of constantly having my kettle on ( i dont drink tea or coffee)
is becoming tedious so i was hoping that someone had come up with an easier way
or if anyone had any problems not boiling it 
Thanks Gary i know that im sounding like a worry wart but my friends reputation in the NSW frog communitity gives his advice a great deal of credibility


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## garycahill (Oct 28, 2009)

Im not having a shot at you Josh, it's just that it has come up a bit lately & I haven't heard of an outbreak in captive animals at least. 
That's not to say there isn't one, more of a curiosity thing really.
I was always led to believe that chlorine kills chytrid. 
If anyone can prove or dispute this, I would love to hear from you as I don't have any evidence to support this other that reading it on ARC's website.
I was referring to boiling for sterilisation of non treated water, not treated water.
There are other products available for the sterilisation of implements, shoes, etc, but I am not sure with water.


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## JoshMVG (Oct 28, 2009)

Thanks Gary 
Yeah if i could find actual evidence myself i would have a need to ask these questions
I also would love to see some evidence of some kind that answers my queries 
maybe ill try looking overseas where they have had more experience with chytrid
Thanks Gary u have been very helpful by responding to all my posts and telling me about your barrel technique


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## garycahill (Oct 28, 2009)

If you contact Gerry at ARC www.frogs.org.au he will be able to answer any questions about chytrid, or get them at least. 
I don't know if overseas is the answer, it doesn't seem to affect their species like ours.


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## JoshMVG (Oct 28, 2009)

garycahill said:


> If you contact Gerry at ARC www.frogs.org.au he will be able to answer any questions about chytrid, or get them at least.
> I don't know if overseas is the answer, it doesn't seem to affect their species like ours.


Thanks


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