Lucy

I've recently become the proud mommy of a cute little African Dwarf Frog.
In trying to learn the proper way to care for him, I've come across the following information regarding ADFs.

Chytridiomycosis is a highly contagious disease caused by the Chytrid Fungus.

This fungus lives on a frogs skin, when the infected frog comes in contact with another frog, the spores attach themselves to the healthy frog where it reproduces.

The symptoms include not eating, floating all the time or hiding all the time, bad looking skin, when the frog sheds, it comes off in shreds. Wanting to climb out of the water and thrashing about.

This disease can take over a month to show it's symptoms and is almost always 100% fatal.

It's recommended to quarantine your frogs for at least 2 months before introducing it to your healthy frogs.
It seems to only infect amphibians not fish.

This is a link to a scientific study done by and printed in The Journal of Medical and Veterinary Mycology regarding this disease and treatment.


http://www.jcu.edu.au/school/phtm/PH...groff-1991.pdf


Please note, this is just some research I have come across and so far have not encountered this disease nor can I vouch for the treament outlined in this study.

This is a much more detailed treatment for using Lamisal AT.

Attached Files

FrogLamisilBaths[1].doc (97.5 KB, 8 views)

steveangela1

I read about that fungus... luckily my adf's were not infected w/ it. My mil now is the proud owner of my last froggie... that way I can still go "visit" when I want to... I give her my aquatic aqusitions that I just can't sell back to the store because I am too attached... like my guppy fry that I raised, they were my first fry I had ever raised (knowingly, I got a surprise w/ a tank full of albino cory catfish a couple years ago)
I even take my froggie bloodworms when I "visit"...

I have noticed that the stores haven't been carring nearly as much ADF's lately I guess that could be from that fungus... of coarse I got the cold chill, hot head.. when I went into a store and saw "painted" african froggies.... they were blue, orange, pink..... OH the horror!

Lucy

Unfortunatly, I just lost one of my frogs to this fungus.

I've been in touch by e-mail with Steve Busch from talktothefrog.org about using Lamisal At as a treatment for the Chytrid fungus.
Here's what he said.

"I checked with the herpetologist we are working with about the dosage for dwarf frogs. I would use 10 squirts of lamisal AT into 400 ML's of water. Make enough solution for the frog to live in. You will need to change the solution every 3rd day for 3 times. Break down the main tank and sterilize."
Steve Busch

I got this e-mail too late to save my little guy. I hope this helps save someones little frog.

Let me add, should you feel your frog has died from this fungus sterilize everything that may have come in contact with it. I'd toss any substrate and plastic plants, they're fairly cheap and not worth the life of another frog.

To sterilize the tank use 20 parts water to 1x bleach.
Make sure your rinse it out extremely well and OD it with dechlorinator.
If you smell bleach keep rinsing.

Lucy

sirdarksol

If this is the fungus I'm thinking about, it's not just affecting pets. It is killing off wild amphibians around the world, being carried on the shoes and clothing of scientists, photographers, and hikers/climbers. Relatively recently, a pocket of previously-undiscovered frogs were unwittingly exposed to this fungus, likely being condemned to extinction.

This fungus could easily affect your local amphibians as much as it could your frog. If you have an amphibian that you feel died because of this fungus, please sterilize its corpse prior to discarding it, either by dousing it in a bit of bleach or by giving it a good old-fashioned viking funeral (cremation). This may be difficult to do, but, once this fungus is introduced into a system, there is little that can be done to stop it, so it is best to not take any chances that the fungus can be spread to the local wildlife.

Lucy

I inquired about using this treatment on any new frog before symptoms show up.
I was advised, that yes, you can treat a newly purchased frog as it will not have any ill effects on a healthy frog.
Quarantine it for an additional 2 weeks as usual after treatment.

steveangela1

Have you all read the news story where they took at least 100 and something acf's from a place in Nevada? They are illegal there, and the fungus was one of the reasons, the article said that the fungus is really harsh on our local frogs/etc because they have absolutly no immunity to it.

Lucy

I haven't read that. It's really a sad and serious situation.
I'm glad people are studying it.

steveangela1

I was interested because I am going to start up a guppy tank (I miss having them so much, Im getting some moscows) I was thinking of getting a couple adf's for it, but I am terrified of that bug.

Here is the link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080807/...frogs_seized_2

Lucy

Wow, thanks for the article. Other states may not be far behind in banning frogs that may carry the virus.

I'm like you, scared to get another, but this treatment provides hope.
A more detailed treatment using lamisal AT was sent to me, but it's in word doc form and quite lengthy.
If you'd like me to send it to you, just pm me.

I plan on treating any frog I get.

steveangela1

Thanks, I would love to have the article if I get another, I am not so sure though w/ me having a toad that I will even get any, since there is a chance of cross contamination. I would hate to hurt patch.

Lucy

It wasn't too hard to keep everything separate, and I mean everything!
I'm glad I took those precautions.

I just wish I had bought 2 frogs at the same time from the same tank. My original little guy is fine but I wish he had some company.
They both came from the same store, but a couple weeks apart.

sirdarksol

Thank goodness that states are at least recognizing the potential threat and doing something about it. Hopefully it's not too late for Arizona. This isn't the kind of thing that we should be waiting to see if it's a problem. Once we discover that it is a problem, it will be too late.

Red wag platy

I'm am also aware of the widespread decline in population of amphibians due to the chytrid fungus. This year has been named "The Year of The Frog". Are you sure that your frog died of the chytrid fungus and not just something that showed similar symptoms? Isn't the only real way of determining whether it's the chytrid fungus is to do a bacterial culture and sensitivity?

sirdarksol

Bacterial culture wouldn't do anything, since it's not a bacteria. Fungal culture (sorry, just poking fun there).
A fungus has tell-tale signs. It may not have been chytrid, but it would be pretty easy for Lucy to tell that it was a fungus that killed it. Combine this with the fact that it is highly communicable, and is known to have infected the pet industry's ADFs and ACFs, and it's a reasonable assumption, just like it would be a reasonable assumption that a dwarf gourami who dies of certain symptoms, of a disease that resists all treatment, likely died of iridovirus.

Lucy, is the document small enough that you can attach it? It needs to be 97.7 kb or less, which I think is somewhere around 5 or 6 pages. I think it would be a good thing to have readily available.

Lucy

I don't have much doubt, but you're correct, the only way to tell 100% would be to have sent it to a lab for testing.

I can try to attach it, let me check.

sirdarksol

Thanks.

I've moved it to the first post so it's more easily noticed.

Red wag platy

Oh okay. Just wondering. Probably is the chytrid fungus. I'm sorry about you're little guy.

Trio123

I dont know if my little guy died of chytrid fungus or not but I flushed him (before I had any idea what had killed him. The chlorine in tap water isnt strong enough to kill the fungus? I really hope it is or it wasnt chytrid fungus. Can this disease be carried by snails or bloodworms? I figure not which means it probably wasnt this fungus cause I had him for almost 9 months, unless I carried it home (I really need to start washing my hands well before leaving work!) Here's what happened... Chytrid fungus