Bummer...lost a frog to the filter intake!

[CrazyCatPeekin]

That is, lost a frog to my covered filter intake. I have always kept my intakes on my frog tank covered with nylon and have hoped that would keep them from getting their little legs caught. This morning, however, I found one stuck and had to pull him out. Poor little guy must have drowned. I swapped out my filter intake for an Eheim prefilter which has much smaller openings than the standard intake basket. Of course, my remaining frogs are all over it...I don't know why they love the spot near the intake so much. I've been all paranoid and watching them crawl all over it all day. They don't seem inclined to slip between the slats of this one. ~Fingers crossed~

[Claire]

So sorry to hear this.
Hope you don't lose anymore.

[Netti]

Oh, how sad, Crazy Cat!    Keeping my fingers crossed it won't happen with this filter intake!

[CrazyCatPeekin]

Thanks guys.

Poor little thing had his whole leg stuck in there. I had to turn off the filter and remove the basket from the tank to get him out. Incidentally, the nylon covering didn't even have a hole in it and I had it stretched pretty tight.

I can see most of my frogs swimming around this morning. But it is pretty dark in the tank until the lights come on. You know I'll be checking those little guys all day once I can see 'em.

[Debra]

I'm glad your other little frogs are doing fine.

Your little frog didn't get stuck to the intake and drown. For whatever reason it died in the tank and eventually got stuck there. A healthy ADF can crawl all over or even stand (kind of) on the intake of a filter and be just fine.

Hope that Helps and I'm sorry for your loss.

[Afri]

I'm glad your other little frogs are doing fine.

Your little frog didn't get stuck to the intake and drown. For whatever reason it died in the tank and eventually got stuck there. A healthy ADF can crawl all over or even stand (kind of) on the intake of a filter and be just fine.

Your little frog didn't get stuck to the intake and drown. For whatever reason it died in the tank and eventually got stuck there. A healthy ADF can crawl all over or even stand (kind of) on the intake of a filter and be just fine

I have hear the theory that healthy fish/frogs don't get caught in filter intakes unless they are sick or dead, but I think in certain circs a healthy critter can get caught in a filter intake.  Has happened to me twice, and both times I had seen the critter happily eating and swimming about.  Inb both cases it was a filter with vertical slits, as opposed to the usual horizontal.  I think this orientation of slits makes the likelihood of critter eentrapmetnt much greater.  Also, especially in a small tank, I think the current can be pretty high, from observing plants and what not.  Anyways, sorry to hear about your frog.  Maybe a thin sponge on the filter intake would prevent a repeat of such a tragic loss.

[Claire]

I just came down this morning to find my tiny little albino frog with his legs stuck inside the filter.
He's mangled.
How do I put him out of his misery? Same as a fish?
I'm so sad.
Not having much luck with frogs.

[CrazyCatPeekin]

I'm sorry Claire, I really don't know how to euthanize a frog.

Debra, I am pretty sure he actually got stuck. I don't think he got sucked in; I agree that it is not that strong. I think he just got his leg stuck. I had trouble even getting him out and had to remove the whole intake to do so. I thought his leg was going to snap off. As I mentioned, the intake was covered with nylon. I don't think the suction would have been strong enough to suck him in even if he were already dead; he might have drifted over and stuck to the outside, but I doubt he would have been wedged in there as tightly as he was just from the filter suction.

Afri, it was an intake with vertical slits as well.

In any case, the new prefilter that I have put on has smaller, horizontal openings and is filled with sponges. The frogs have been crawling all over it for days and aren't having any problems.

[Claire]

He died brfore I had to make the choice, poor wee thing.
I'm actually properly upset, hubby came home super early with chocolate.
My filter has verticle slits too.
I've taken it out, I'm not going to lose my other wee guy.
I'll just do daily water changes.
 

[Wheels on the Bus]

You can put a sponge over the intake, as opposed to nylon. It will significantly decrease the life span of the filter's motor.

[CrazyCatPeekin]

You can put a sponge over the intake, as opposed to nylon. It will significantly decrease the life span of the filter's motor.

Agreed. I used to use sponges and actually still do, but only on my shrimp tanks now. For me they seem to clog up very quickly which is why I switched to the nylon on the frog tank. So far I am very pleased with the prefilter that I purchased, but it has only been about a week since I installed it.