What and How to feed ADF's??

No clue where to post this thread so finally decided on here... I have 2 African dwarf froggies and need help feeding them. They willingly eat bloodworms, but they don't have much nutrition and I still have to reach my arm in with a syringe and stick the worms into their mouths. I've tried bloodworms, frog/tadpole pellets and bottom feeder pellets. (they eat frog/tadpole ones but laugh at the other one. I'm tired of either removing the frogs into a container while handfeeding, defrosting the bloodworms etc.. They are in my 15 gal tank with guppies, cories and soon to be my double tail red Betta Elvis. What do you guys feed and how do you feed them? I've tried small dishes in the tank but the cories devour it all before the frogs even think about finding it, and i've tried training them to come when they see the net or whatever. doesn't work... betta 2og12

 

I feed my three ADF's blood worms through a turkey baster (I keep the chunks mostly frozen and it sinks to the bottom). They also will eat the aquatic frog/tadpole pellets, but aren't as wild about them. I had to move the Neon's out of the tank because they were eating the food (both kinds) before the frogs could get to them. Now, my Betta tries to steal from them but the ADF's have gotten so big and bold that he soon leaves them alone until they are done and then gets the leftovers.

I know that isn't exactly the answer you were wanting, but I found that the ADF's were just too dang slow to find and eat their food, that I had to make it a more frog friendly aquarium rather than a more diverse community. I couldn't find a perfect solution. The baster worked the best, but it was still really difficult.

Good luck!

 

HI Scoutsfish~ Take a look at this post:
Frogbreeder has a lot of variety posted here, very informative.

I use reptile tongs and hand feed mine. When feeding HBH frog and tadpole bites I soak first, then drop in an area in front of tank that is cleared of gravel. Makes it much easier for them to see and me to clean out the uneaten pellets. It is much better for ADF's and easier when feeding in an ADF species only tank.

 

Thanks for the tips and the post! Why haven't I thought of a turkey baster?! haha I even have one only for the tanks, but haven't ever thought... If the frogs see my hand they sometimes will jump at it for food, but not always. Which reminds me.. I need to feed them... lol

one more question.. has anyone ever fed them shrimp pellets? it says they are for all bottom feeders and my cories, and all other fish go CRAZY over them (of course only feed them this few times a week)

Little Kermit and Scout(the froggies!) Had a tasty dinner last night of chicken! They and my guppies and Betta loved it! haha and the cories too! The frogs would get mad at the fish as the tried to steal their food and the fish aren't scared of me so using the turkey baster to shoo them off doesn't help much. haha My hands didn't even have to get wet this time! Thanks guys for the tips! Now I really also want to try earthworms.. I wonder if there will be many around right now... Can you freeze earthworms after cutting them up?...

 

Now I really also want to try earthworms.. I wonder if there will be many around right now... Can you freeze earthworms after cutting them up?...

I don't know about the freezing part, but I buy worms for my garter snakes at Walmart, back where you buy fishing licenses...

 

We always feed them the same as the other fish in the tank. Two different kinds of flakes, frozen brine shrimp, and blood worms (but not all at the same time) They are always fat and seem happy.
og6

 

In the thread I linked to above - look at #7 by frogbreeder. she freezes her earthworms in the fall for the winter months.

 

good to know! haha I've gotten worms from walmart before, but it wasn't for fishing or for fish! It was for a certain baby wild starling someone accidently powerwashed. The poor baby had hardly any feathers and was barely alive and breathing. A heated blanket, warm breath and some yummy food brought him back! We fed him worms and fruit/veggies/meat/anything we could find, then when he was able to fly and eat mostly on his own, we released him, watched him and when I would whistle, he would come back to me and land on my arm, eat then fly off again!(after we released him!) Whenever someone came to our door he would try to get in the house or land on their arms.. As he got colder and fall came on, I no longer called to him, or if I did he wouldn't come. We still saw him in our little pear tree and over time he joined the nearby flock! -keep in mind, we did look for the nest, but it is inside our roof making it hard to get to and I had to do something or he would've died(cats, cold etc anything)

 

Can I feed the ADF ghost shrimp? I got some from petsmart just the other day, and ended up losing some (new shipment into store probably just way stressed) anyway, I took a couple out and cut off the pinchers(just as precaution I guess) and cut them into smaller pieces then fed them to my hungry froggies. They gobbled it right up and begged for more! The fish of course wanted some and got into a small argument over a piece of one with two ADF's. anyway.. I know now they like and will eat it, do they have any nutritional value or will they harm the frogs if I feed them this once in a while?

btw- the GS were dead before I even took them out of the tank for the frogs. I didn't kill them(even though fish just eat them anyway..) Just wanted to clear that up so no one freaks out while reading this...

 

Going out of town for a week. Will my adf be okay? Ill feed day of/day before and the fish are being fed so hopefully they'll get some leftover food..also for feeding them worms... how would Iprepare it for them?

 

A week is to long for the ADF's to go without food and not be fed. Fish should be fine. ADF's are pretty slow when finding food and most likely the fish will find it first. I don't quite understand your post - are you having someone come by to feed the fish or do you mean you are feeding the fish and frogs right before you leave? If you're having someone come by to feed the fish, can they also feed the frogs?

 

My family will be here to feed the fish, but I will not. At the moment the fish food is just in pill organizers, easy to feed. The adf food is frozen and my entire family besides me is disgusted by the bloodworms. They also would have to stick their hands in the tank to feed them/find them. I give fish sinking shrimp pellets every now and then and the frogs come up and peck at the food. I can try to get them to feed the blood worms, but I'm worried about overfeeding as well. I hardly ever feed the 2 frogs the whole block of food, the fish eat some as well in boht tanks. Would they be okay with just the shrimp/sinking pellets?

 

I've never fed my frogs shrimp/sinking pellets - so I honestly haven't a clue. How about getting them some frozen Mysis Shrimp by Hikari. The Mysis are less messy than brine. They may not find them so gross. You could then cut the cube while still frozen and put it in little plastic zip pill pouches, or wrap them up (while still frozen) in a small piece of tin foil. Don't put in tank frozen. They would need to be defrosted first with a little tank water and if they can they can use a pair of reptile tongs to feed them. This way they wouldn't have to put their hands in unless your tank is much deeper. The tongs are at Petco and Petsmart for 10.00. They only have to try to feed them a couple of times during the week. Then you can feed them right as soon as you get home. You can explain to them also that the blood worms are not actually worms - if that'll help. If they do still eat HBH Frog and Tadpole bites, have them soak them first and drop them in. Just don't overfeed the tank or you'll end up with water quality issues.

 

Alright fed frogs tonight with my mom. Showed her exactly what to do and will also write info down. I don't want to get tongs but may have to... Ihave a turkey baster for now and a syringe. I told her to feed them with syringe(couldn't find turkey baster) and she was like I have to stick my hand in the tank..? Lol yes. Ill have to find it and feed them well before I leave..

 

Write everything down exactly - that's what I had to do when I went on vacation for one of my neighbors. Don't forget to write directions down for a water change along with the conditioner in case they have to do one. The tongs are so easy to use. I feed mine with them everyday except when they eat HBH frog and tadpole bites. I clear a spot from gravel in the front of the tank so I see the bare bottom and feed the pellets there. My frogs know feeding time when I give a little tap on the tank - they see the tongs and come right over to the front and wait. Very easy for me and keeps the tank much cleaner than just dropping in the food, plus I know they're all getting their fare share of food when hand feeding. Best of luck and have a great vacation.

 

I am doing big wc before so they won't have to mine come to the syringe. If tried twweezers before but they clamped them around its mouth and Ibecame worried they'd stab themselves....I usually mix the tadpole/frog bites with the bloodworms and let them get soggy then feed it.. haha the one always flips over onto its back while eating lol the other goees into 'downward dog' position and strikes the food as I feed. Lol any experience on feeding them earthworms and how to prepare them? I want to give them one today...

 

I have never fed earthworms to my frogs - I live in the city and I wouldn't trust them if I found them unless I had a pesticide free garden of my own. Frogbreeder mentions how to prepare earthworms in this thread look at Post #5.
If it were me and this was the first time feeding them something new I'd wait until I came home.(that's just me though) I'd be nervous trying something new right before I went away if I wasn't going to be home to watch them to make sure there were no ill effects.

 

Good point. Ill wait ill also make sure wherever I get the worm that its pesticide free

 

That's good - better safe than sorry Have a great vacation!

 

The instructions I made They should be simple enough.. And I ran her through what to do...leave early sunday morning and get back sunday evening.. figured twice should be good enough...

Frogs
1. Feed in middle of week, at least once or twice(Tuesday/Thursday works)
2. They will die if you don’t feed them.
3. Take 1 cube of frozen worms from freezer and put into small cup(on top of tank).
4. Put 3-6mm(using syringe on tank) of the smaller tanks water into the cup.
5. Fill sink with hot water, and float cup w/worms.
6. Let thaw.
7. Drain sink
8. Rinse hands well with NO soap.
9. Use syringe to suck up the worms and tap on glass gently/find frogs.
10. Put hand in tank and put syringe over frogs mouth.
11. Slowly release the food.
12. Repeat until most of worms are gone or frogs eating slows/their tummy looks full.
13. Pour rest of worms into other tank.
14. Wash hands and put stuff back
15. Thanks!!

 

Is the whole cube intended for the frogs (2 frogs), if so this is much to much food for them. When I feed my frogs Bloodworms they get about 8 each and I leave a few in the front of the tank for them to forage around.

If the bloodworms are for your fish also then I would only feed fish twice this week too. So your Mom can feed the frogs first - make sure they eat and then just add the rest for the fish. The fish will be fine with feeding only twice, until you get home. She could also skip the part where she has to fill the sink with water to thaw. Put bloodworms in cup, add tank water to it, it'll thaw pretty quick without having to put in sink with hot water since tank water is pretty warm. This should save her a step.

If she feeds to much food during the week you'll run the risk of water quality issues which is much worse than being a bit underfed. I'd feed (frogs/fish) twice during the week, as long as she sees the frogs eating, they should be fine. It's better and safer for fish and frogs to not be overfed. The more food that is fed means more poo, more uneaten food on the bottom of tank for a week which can cause water quality issues. Less is better for this week when your not home. Then when you get home, feed, do a good gravel vac, and water change.

 

Half the time, the fish eat more than the frogs do. I'll put less food than usual in the pill containers and they'll be okay. Did a huge wc already and I'm not too worried. I usually suck some up into syringe like once maybe twice per frog then give most to fish. By putting the food in the sink, it will thaw much faster, and she will remember to do it when she goes to use sink again. I know it is still a lot of worms for the frogs,but they've been fine in the past as long as I give the fish some too as frogs can't eat nearly the whole thing.

 

Sounds like you have everything under control Enjoy your vacation and let us know how everything went with the tank when you get back. We'll be here if your Mom needs us.

 

So far alls going well! Frogs ate 6-8 worms each yesterday and all fish are good!

 

That's great news! Moms doing wonderful!
Maybe she can take care of mine too when I go on vacation!

 

Haha she said it took forever to find them they usually just come out if they're hungry so that's good they weren't too hungry

 

Glad to hear they're doing so well!