Help! My African Dwarf Frog & Oto are in a Deathlock!

[Aoibhell]

(See pics below)

They both seem to be alive.. I suspect that the oto has sucked onto the frog's mouth- either to save himself from being eaten or to try to take the frog out. I can't separate them. I've tried squirting water onto the frog's face, taking them out for a minute to see if the oto would release, and holding them under the filter outflow to try to agitate them enough to release them. No luck. Currently, I have the light out and am leaving them be, but I really want to save at least one of them.

I'm desperate, here... please help!

 

[OrangeCones]

It will be difficult. Otos can gulp air and use that in their stomachs to 'breathe' without gills for a time. They also have small spines on their fins. This could be tragic for both

Is there a food that the frog loves a lot? Bloodworms or a piece of earthworm? This 'easier' to eat food may cause him to release the fish, but, as you said, the oto may have attached to the frog's mouth as an attempt to save its life.

Holding both out of the water but directly above it so that the oto's back half is still in the water may work. The oto will want to get back to the water more so than the frog, I'd think. That may help the oto let go.

I wish you the best of luck, and let us know how it turns out.

 

[Aoibhell]

Is there a food that the frog loves a lot? Bloodworms or a piece of earthworm? This 'easier' to eat food may cause him to release the fish, but, as you said, the oto may have attached to the frog's mouth as an attempt to save its life.

Holding both out of the water but directly above it so that the oto's back half is still in the water may work. The oto will want to get back to the water more so than the frog, I'd think. That may help the oto let go.

I wish you the best of luck, and let us know how it turns out.

I tried blood worms, but neither budged. I tried holding the oto halfway out of water, but that also didn't work. In doing that, I was able to confirm that the oto is definitely alive, though. I think the frog is either dead or dying. The oto is hanging out horizontally while the frog is limply hanging from him.

This whole thing is awful.

 

[Aoibhell]

It turns out they are still alive. I've tried almost everything I could think of. I wonder if putting them in a cup of cold water would shock them and they'd release?

 

[Aoibhell]

Outcome:

My husband tried breaking the suction with a spatula fashioned from a straw again. He finally broke them free. Otto is dead The frog is alive but his mouth is gaping open. Not sure if it was because it's just been open for so long or if he broke something.

He appears to be conserving energy after all of that (it's been at least 13 hours). I put blood worms in there but I doubt he'll be able to eat right now. There is a red dot in his mouth.. not sure how serious the injury is. He better make it, though, after everything he's been through.

Thank you to everyone for their advice and suggestions.. better one than none. I'll update in the morning.

 

[lauraf]

Yikes, that's quite the saga. My condolences...

 

[MdngtRain]

sorry to hear about the oto. hope the frog pulls through. that's quite the ordeal. I know the frogs will eat anything they can fit in their mouths, but I didn't think it would go for something so big in comparison!

 

[Aoibhell]

Just a little update for anyone who followed this..

The frog (renamed Tenacious Fred the Undead) is alive and well. His mouth is finally closed and he's eating again. What a little trooper. He gets spoiled from here on out (if I can figure out how to spoil him.. haha)

 

[KcMopar]

Many frogs like worms.