Sudden firebelly toad death

[benjamin]

A couple years ago I had a group of fire belly toads. They lead a very happy life and were constantly croaking and jumping on eachother (unfortunately they were all males and the store I got them from didn't have a single female). I was happy and had many hopes for the toads. But then, so spontaneously one toad bit the dust I had a rather hectic schedule and coudn't clean out the aquarium. Two days later all the rest of them died at the same time, it seemed like it happened in mid action, like the toads were just swimming along and then bang, they froze into their positions forever. Their spontaneous death has troubled me for the past few years and kept me from buying more, though I was very nearly able to breed them the first time. If knew what happened and how to prevent it I might get a few more of these animals and start over.

 

[ajfr0ggy]

Sounds a horrible experience. reminds me when all my green toads were wiped out in 1 month dies to an infection. That was ages ago though, I probably could have been able to treat them now.

what were the temps like? how was the viv set up? was there anything that could have been faulty in their water?

AJfr0ggy

 

[benjamin]

It was horrible. They had about three inches deep of water and many protruding rocks which made it about 50% land and 50% water, the temperature was about 23ºc, and they had lived happily in the aquarium for one year. Right after they died I suspected that a fly, caught in my house and fed to one of them, was what carried the deseas into the aquarium, but now I am doubtful of that.

 

[pollywog]

I had a similar experience about 6 months ago, I had 10 B.orientalis and 10 B.bombina die spontaneously as you described, with rigamortice setting in instantly just like they were frozen in time! Did you spot any symptoms (yawning, lethargy, excessive sloughing)?
They were all feeding well then after a week the first B.orientalis died. I removed him instantly, cleaned out the tank and within the next 2 weeks the rest had died, and at the same time the B.bombina started to die too. The B.orientalis and the B.bombina were kept in separate tanks in separate rooms. It could not have been anything I did as everything they were given was from the same source as given to my existing Bombina, likewise the room temperature was the same as my existing Bombina. After talking to my supplier we put it down to the sudden change of temperature as he had kept them in outdoor enclosures and then when they arrived with me I put them straight into holding tanks indoors. This was during the heatwave we had in the summer, but I am still not 100% sure as to the real cause. I had another lot sent from the same batch and they are all still fine and healthy.

 

[benjamin]

My toads died in the winter kept indoors at about 22º c. There were no symptoms at all. It would be just like somebody walking down the street and spontaniously keeling over.

 

[edward]

These symptoms can be indicative of an outbreak of redleg. You would need to have had a necropsy performed to determine the real cause of death.

Ed