I have just one african dwarf frog and a one gallon tank. I clean the tank one day and the next the water is cloudy again. Is there a quiet filter small enough for a one gallon tank? or would a cleaner fish work? Please Help Me.
2007-05-28 15:18:44 · 5 answers · asked by B P 1 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
The other answerer is correct that what you're seeing is a cloud of bacteria, but this will be present for 4-6 weeks on average. That's okay, because these are bacteria you want. The frog produces wastes that contain ammonia. This can be toxic if the level gets too high. The bacteria will use the ammonia as a source of energy (food) and convert it to nitrite in the process. Nitrite is also toxic, but a different bacteria converts it to nitrate, which is less harmful. Until there are enough bacteria to convert the ammonia and nitrite, they'll reproduce - it's this "bloom" that makes the water look cloudy. Once the bacteria catch up to the amount of ammonia and nitrite being produced, any "extra" will starve and reproduction will slow down - and they cloudiness will go away. See this link for more about this: http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm This is written for tanks with fish, but the same info applies to frogs, salamanders, newts, turtles, etc., some are just affected less because they are able to breathe air - the ammonia and nitrite affect animals which can absorb dissolved oxygen through their skin, or have skin that are sensitive to to these chemicals.
Yes, there are filters made for small tanks. My preference is for this one: http://www.petco.com/Shop/petco_Product_R_2956_PC_productlist_Nav_222_N_24%20112_sku_925578_familyID_12148.aspx
2007-05-28 16:16:37 · answer #1 · answered by copperhead 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you should not be changing the water everyday, acutally you should not be doing full water changes at all. the cloudiness occurs of a bacteria bloom, and clears it self withina couple days. the properly cycle a tank, taking 25% of the water out each week and adding 25% new water each week is the way to go. this way the good bacteria can establish and you will have less ammonia, ph, nitrate, nitrite, and other issues. you shouldnt really use a filter in a tank that small with a dwarf frog, actually you should have have him in at least a five gallon tank.
2007-05-29 02:57:27 · answer #2 · answered by Twilite 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should never take ALL the water out of a tank. Of course it's hard to properly clean a one gallon. Just f yi, dwarf frogs do better in groups, though your tank is too small for more than one. You can buy little filters and or at least an air stone to move the water at any store for $10 or so.
2007-05-28 22:03:52 · answer #3 · answered by boncarles 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't know what you are feeding your frog but if you are not cleaning out the uneaten food it will cloud your water. Dwarf frogs actually need 5 gal. of water per frog. Getting a 5 gal tank with a filter will help because you won't have to do water changes so much and once your tank is cycled you will not have cloudy water from the bacteria building up in your tank.
This is a website for a dwarf group where they are all very knowledgeable about dwarfs and their care. Great group of people. Please join.http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/DwarfAfricanFrogs/
2007-05-28 18:05:47 · answer #4 · answered by carla e 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When you clean the water in the tank its always going to be cloudy at first. Thats because the water is building up bacteria. If your filter is working thats fine...Just let the water sit for a couple of days. And you should start to see a diffrence.
2007-05-28 15:28:49 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋