# New to keeping ADFs, need some advice please. :)



## MattD (Apr 25, 2007)

Hi. The other day I purchased 2 ADFs for my 40 gallon tank, and so far they seem pretty happy. I have several bunches of floating plants that they hang out on, and they look quite funny kicking their powerful little legs to get around my tank. Once they get to the floor though, or reach something to grab onto they can relax nicely. My only question is, are these frogs able to find food? So far I've fed them simply by dropping bloodworms right in front of their faces as they float on the surface (with the limbs spread wide out, it's hilarious to see this), but surely this can't be the only method. If I dropped some algae wafers, would they bite into it? How about slow-sinking meat crumbles? I haven't seen them eat anything that wasn't dropped directly in front of them. Do you fellow ADF owners have any advice? Any particular food they like that they'll search high and low for if they smell it?

Thanks, much appreciated.


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## hollie (Jun 30, 2007)

You know, I've not actually seen mine eat yet! I drop in freeze-dried blood worms and flakes for my fish every day, and they scoff down loads, but there's always extra worms for the frogs. 

Apparently they like a little bit of raw fish now and again!


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## Mating Slinkys (Apr 17, 2007)

First may i say - _secure your tank!_ Mine was apparantly secure and yesterday i found my two ADF's dryed out on the floor (sniff.) They appear to be awsome escape artists...

Sorry about that, i didn't mean to rant, but having just lost mine, i don't want you to have the same problem.

As for the feeding (and your actual question...) i used to put bloodworms in for the frogs, but they seemed to take a little while to realise that there was food on the floor of the tank, but then they would come out and stalk the worms as if they were alive, pouncing on them after creeping up. They used to take a while to eat them all, but would eventually.

Hope you enjoy your frogs for longer than i was able to, they are awesome little blighters!


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## Stacey (Jun 3, 2007)

When I had my frogs I used a dropper to feed them a variety of (thawed) frozen fish food. After a while the frogs were trained and would swim right up to the dropper to eat.


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## hollie (Jun 30, 2007)

Yeah, MS is right - I had a tiny gap, no more than a centimetre or so wher the pipes came out of the back of my tank, and I found a frog sitting on my desk one morning. Luckily I averted disaster by finding him then, otherwise who knows what could have happened!!


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## nvmyluv420 (Mar 29, 2007)

when i first started with adfs i feed them blood worms as well. i was having really bad luck with them so i started feeding them frog and tadpole bites made by hbh. by nature they are supposed to search for food on the bottom. but i still put freezed dried blood worms in for my betta that my frog sences right away now, and he scarfs them down. it takes a little while for them to get a hang of it but they will eat them. be careful with the algae thins, the frogs have very sensitive diggestive systems and will die from constipation. they really dont need to eat very much so dont panic if your not seeing them eat. plus they are nocturnal so you wont see them do much during the day youll hear and see them more active at night with the tank light off and a simple lamp on. how tall is your 40 gal? its reccomended to have a tank no taller than 12 inches and i wanted to add them to my 55 gal thats 18 inches, if i hear they do well in a taller tank that they can rest half way up and then surface i would love to add them. im reading all theese stories about them ecscaping and that scares me, the only time ive seen my guys come out of the water, was when they stand on the heater hooks so i believe they need something to support there leap. also i notice the only time they did that was when my tank reached up to 82 degress F. i added some cold water and they came right back down. sorry for the long post i just have a passion for theese little guys they are awesome to watch!


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## MattD (Apr 25, 2007)

My tank is 18 inches tall, and the ADFs seem to have no problem getting up or down. When they need to get down they seem to know to just enter the main current, it just shoots them right down to the bottom. I saw one eat today, but only one of the two. not sure if the other is getting his share of food, but there was plenty to go around so if he gets hungry I'm sure something will be left over. 

I also am aware that I need to cover my holes. Currently, the only hazard is the opening at the rear, maybe 3/4" wide for the heater and the filters. So far they seem to be not wanting to jump out, but I check every time just to be safe. When I get a chance I'll add mesh to cover it.

Thanks for the advice, everyone. Sorry to hear about your frogs, Slinkys. Must have been upsetting to find them like that.


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## hollie (Jun 30, 2007)

Do you know what gender your frogs are? I've got two girls and a boy, and I've found that the biggest girl (Scarlett) tends to be a lot more active/rambunctious than the other two! Jack, the boy, is definitely a lot quieter than Giselle is.


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## Mating Slinkys (Apr 17, 2007)

Thanks for the sympathy Matt, is wasn't too nice no. I've only been keeping fish (and other aquatic bits and bobs) for about 6 months, and those two were the first deaths i've had. I know it's an inevitable part of the hobby that things die from time to time, even with the best care in the world, but i'd hoped i could put it off for a bit longer. Still, I hope that their deaths can provide an example to stop other frogs suffering the same. 

On forensic investigation of the tank, i reckon that they used the top of the filter as a platform to hop off and squeeze through the gap where the wires go out, it was only about 1cm wide too. Impressive if fatal escapology! So gauze away, and possibly invest in some chains, heavy duty padlocks and gaffer tape, possibly tiny straight jackets could be employed for the more active ones: keep the little houdini's in! (Probably gauze will be enough to be honest...)


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## nvmyluv420 (Mar 29, 2007)

slinky you are too funny! at least you have a possitive outlook on your lose!

matt dont worry if theres extra food it will go to the bottom and the frogs will get to it. ive seen them move gravel to get to the pellets i put in. thanks for posting how tall your tank is i will deffinetley be adding a couple to my 55 gal. knowing they can surface with no problem! good luck.


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## hollie (Jun 30, 2007)

Slinkys, that's exactly the way mine got out, too! I'm going to have to go consider that straight jacket bit...


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