African dwarf frog - dropsy or just fat?

Question

I have had an African dwarf frog for about ten years. He lives alone in a relatively small tank and is fed pellets every few days. About two years ago he became bloated in the abdominal region, but it didn't affect his arms or any other part of his body. He just looks fat. His behavior hasn't changed at all though he has become less active as he ages. Is there something wrong with him or do I just have an old, fat frog?

Answer 1

i'm not a frog expert but if you've had him for ten years and he hasnt changed his eating or attitude or anything i'd say hes just getting old and fat

Answer 2

Have you tried feeding him a pea to see if he might be constipated?

I would think he would have died by now if he really did have dropsy.

Answer 3

If it was two years ago that be began to get bloated, I think he's fine, as dropsy takes toll fast. Dropsy will appear as bloating on the frog. It comes from bad water maintence, so if you haven't been changing the water as much, it is possible it could lead to dropsy. It can also result from an improper diet, which could be feeding them one food all the time and never switching it up. Are you feeding your frog those pellets from the pet store that say they're meant for frogs? I would suggest you feed your frog blood worms and brine shrimp instead. It's more natural and I like to think they just like the taste of real food better. They come in frozen cubes at the pet store and usually run at 5 dollars for a packet. I like to just throw in a cube every other day. Brine shrimp is good too. I would buy both and switch it occasionally so he gets a nice, varied diet. This will increase his longevity and happiness, and also lower the chances of dropsy and other diseases. If your frog has dropsy, the cure is risky and I don't suggest you do it. It involves puncturing the wounds, if they aren't near the eyes. I don't reccomend you do this, and you should, instead, seek a vetinary speciallist to aid you and your aging frog.

I think your frog is just getting fat. Mine did as well. That's quite a feat to have had them for ten years, I suggest feeding him frozen foods, though. But if he's lived this long you're obviously taking good care of him so I wouldn't worry. If you're really afraid it might be dropsy, below is a link about frog diseases, and a picture of a frog with dropsy, maybe you can compare.