# ADF foot caught in filter help! :(



## 1stAquarium (Jan 4, 2010)

I was looking in my little 8 gal tank earlier and realised one of my three ADFs had got his front left foot stuck in a gap behind the filter. I thought he was dead at first but then he moved. I immediately turned it off and while I was trying to take the top off the filter to free him, he panicked and managed to get free himself but his foot is all bloody and a bit mashed up  poor little thing. My male betta (the only other thing in the tank with the three frogs) started going after him cos of the blood, as he was sat on the gravel looking pretty dazed, so I caught him and put him in a plastic floating breeding box with some java moss to hide in and some frozen brine shrimp to eat. Should I add melafix?? I don't know whether this can be used on frogs or if it's harmful? 
The filter is going in the bin btw, it's already eaten a guppy and two neons in the past  I thought I'd sorted it out but I'm not risking any more accidents! So the tank is without filter for now until I get a safe sponge filter.
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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

I would hold off on Melafix and any other medications and give the frog a chance to heal up on its own. The primary focus should be on pristine water quality, so lots of small water changes (10% each day) after feedings will help a lot. Amphibians absorb things such as medications through the skin, which can cause a multitude of problems. The big risk now is secondary infection, which can be avoided by keeping the water conditions as clean as you can get them without shocking the animals. 

What kind of filter is this? (make/model) and what size tank is this? There are usually easy options for modifying the intake on most any filter to make them more animal safe. If this filter has "eaten" more than just this frog, then I am wondering if it is too powerful for the size tank you are using it in, or if there is a problem with the animals that they are so weak that the filter has the ability to do this? Those are the only 2 reasons I have ever known a filter to eat or suck in animals, unless the filter is missing intake parts that allow the fish to get up inside of it.


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## 1stAquarium (Jan 4, 2010)

Hi, thanks for your reply. It's an 8 US gal tank as I mentioned, and the filter does not seem to have a make/model on it - it's some tiny cheap rubbish thing that came with the tank and the reason things keep getting stuck in it is that there are like gaps in the back of it (which are meant to be there) which I guess suck water in (although this would have no function for the filter) and that's where they've all got stuck. Anyway it's gone now so it won't be a problem anymore. 
I'm already doing small water changes and the frog seems to be doing fine so I'll just see how he goes on.


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## zof (Apr 23, 2010)

Is it a hang over the back type filter? If it is you might consider putting some nylon stockings over the intake, I've seen people recommend that here, or from my recommendation get a pre-filter, Its just a simple sponge like device that attaches to your filter intake. Plus it will cut down on the force of the flow because it will pull water from a greater surface area. I got mine for like $6 online so I could raise fry in my main tank with out worrying about them getting sucked into the filter.


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## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

frog should heal on his own eventually. I use to have one that had a stub for one of his rear feet, he did just fine.


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## 1stAquarium (Jan 4, 2010)

Yeah I'm thinking of just getting a sponge filter, I've tried messing with this one before but to no avail. 

When I first got my frogs one of them definitely was missing a foot - now none of them are! Can they grow back or am I just going mad?!


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

There is a point where they can redevelop some parts, such as toes on a foot may grow back if there is just enough of the other still there... but when it comes to growing an entire new limb or entire foot, no... once its gone it is gone.


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## 1stAquarium (Jan 4, 2010)

He had just a little stump and now I can't even tell which one it was as they all have normal feet
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