AFRICAN DWARF FROG something’s wrong with them???

[sscaria]

on friday i set up a brand new 20 gallon tank, let it sit with water conditioner. set up a water filter and tank heater (80° F) with thermometer. Saturday i bought three molly fish, three ghost shrimp, three algae eaters and three ADF (african dwarf frog). i set up gravel, some live plants and decor, added bacteria starter and added the critters (i let them adjust to the water before adding). within an hour, an algae eater died. thought it was just a coincidence. ADF were acting strange too- going up for air literally every five seconds. next thing you know another algae eater is dead. went to bed, wake up in the morning and one shrimp and the final algae eater is dead. now i can only find two ADF, and they’re just sitting at the top, heads out of water. sure they might be sleeping, but they’ve been like that for quite a while and it’s making me question if they’re okay. all the mollies are doing great and the remaining shrimp don’t seem to have anything wrong with them either. am i doing something wrong? why did so many fish die so fast? why aren’t my ADF active?? please help

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It's always best to set up a tank and let it run with added bacteria for a week or two before adding fish or other critters. You are supposed to feed the bacteria a few flakes of food daily. The tank needs to settle and bacteria needs to establish. Than add fish or other inhabitants slowly. Were you monitoring your water quality?

It's also important to know the ph of your water and the ph of the petshops water. Too big of a change will shock fish, and they die pretty quickly. Also if you have city water it will contain chlorine which is deadly to fish.

Keeping a fish tank is more about establishing the microscopic life that contributes to the nitrogen cycle. Without them a tank will die.

I unfortunately don't know anything about keeping frogs. Been keeping fish for decades. You are probably better off the pleco died as they can get quite large or they starve to death. Both options are bad. I don't know why they continue to sell them.

It took me a while to figure out how to keep fish tanks successfully. It's complicated up front and becomes easier as you learn.

 

[Starrponies]

Is there a lot of water movement with filter? Adf hate water movement. I've had my two about 3 years along with 2 loaches and some snails. I don't even have a filter. My plants filter it for me. I just add water each week that evaporated away

 

[Starrponies]

I also never wait with an empty tank. I always just set up up after I'm home with the fish. I've had fish and aquariums for 25 years never have any die other than old age. But I have always stuck with fresh water.

 

[Starrponies]

My Adf also love to eat shrimp! And any small snails. So they could be what got those.

 

[Starrponies]

Also some Molly's are bullies and like to nibble fins they could be bullying everyone. Especially when there are so many in a small tank. Just another idea. I only have 2 frogs and 2 loaches with few tiny snails and it's getting crowded as they have grown in 20 gallons. sorry I keep adding more! I love hearing my frogs at night! Good luck!

 

[Starrponies]

The other fish and shrimp require bubbler cause they need oxygen in water. African dwarf frogs do not. they breath air and love to make bubbles. I see bubbles at the tank edge which is a sign of happy frogs. I will stop rambling aquariums now I think I got it all out

 

[Starrponies]

Frogs are nocturnal too mine sleep most of the day! Floating or holding onto plant stems so cute