Concerned about fish & frog

[Haeclark]

Returned from our weekend trip last night...
Checked on Blue & Ferggie, & started cleaning the tank water...discovered the glass thermometer tip was cracked & chipped (the very tip, where the metal balls sit).

I was immediately concerned, as before I had left, my frog Ferggie was acting strange (even Blue a little), but I thought it was because I had used a pre-mixed treated water solution instead of dropping the drops in like the previous 2 changes I had done (haven't had them too long, got Blue Aug 30, & Ferg the 31...so-far have done 100% water changed once a week for their 2.5 gal filtered tank.)
Before I left, due to their behavior & fear I did this change wrong, I re-changed the water, this time treating the water as I normally did.

However, upon looking at the broken thermometer...noticed some of the balls were almost rusty looking, and seems it had been that way for at least the weekend (not sure how long). Think this might be the real issue as why my frog was acting so weird (she actually climed out of the tank threw feeding hole...never did that before, as she's an African / dwarf frog & lives in the water)
Now my frog is doing things I didnt notice her doing before...such as sometimes Ill see her floating up-top upside-down! But when I touch her, she reacts & swims off normally.
Not sure if Im just delusional from worry, but it also seems her belly color changes as well...almost a copper, metallic sheen like color instead of creamy white as when I first bought her.
I feed her blood worms, and a sinking beta food (pet store manager told me both the frog & fish can eat it ok). When I first got her, she hid allot at the bottom, and in there caves...now she often sits at the surface roughly 1/2 the time, or more.
When I get paid tomorrow, Im going to buy more filters (as Im out now, and need to change this one...this one is 1-1/2 weeks old) & a test kit, as I currently do not have one (so dont know exact water condition levels...any suggestions in types / brands of testers for someone tight on money?)

I didnt have any more rocks to fully change everything out...and an mot positive if there are any of those balls from the thermometer still in there or not. Not sure if frog's behavior is due to her being sick, or just becoming established in her tank finally?
Blue seems to be eating and acting normal now, since I fixed the water before I left on the trip (he even re-built his bubble nest).
Should I change the rocks too to be sure there's no more of those balls from the broken thermometer?
Dose it sound like my is sick and in danger? This is my first time owning a frog & beta fish, and not sure what a sick frog looks like. Heard they can go 3 days w/out eating, so cant fully tell if she's in danger or not.
I have only owned goldfish before, and know first hand that metals can be dangerous for fish...anything I should do I havent, or will they be ok as they are?

Sorry for the long post...just wanted to make sure all bases were covered.

[onefish2fish]

google.com
type in "fishless cycle"


API (freshwater) master liquid test kit is good and easy to use.

i wouldnt personally do 100% water changes. id go with (since your tank most likely isnt cycled yet) 20-30% a day to keep amonia/nitrite and nitrate levels down and after your tank cycles 10-20% a week but since its only a 2.5 gallon you may want to do that every 3-4 days.

is it an actual tank or fish bowl? when you do water changes do you put declorinated water (some sort of tap water conditioner was used) back in?

do not change your filter pads!! this is where alot of the "good bacterias" are housed and removing the pad will just have it start all over again.. keep it the way it is until your filter physically overflows ( if its a hang on back filter youll know what im talking about when it happens, it overflows into the tank dont worry ) and when this happens swish it around in some old tank water to free it of some of the debris... only when the filter pad is really falling apart should you replace it with a new one.

[Haeclark]

thanks for the information (some relief there) & the test kit tip. Any idea on how long (average time) it takes to cycle a 2.5 gal tank? Im sure it depends on conditions...just wondering general time.

They're in an actual tank...a 2.5 gal starter one I got from Petco for betas or gold fish. Came with the filter and light (plus some food and sample cleaner).

I use Jungle's fish care made easy "Start Right with Allantoin (neutral skin protectant)". It says complete with conditioner, removes chlorine & chloramine, for fresh or salt water fish.

How about the broken thermometer tip though? Not sure if there are any of the metal balls still in the tank, as I have the original rocks still in there, and not sure if there are any, if they would be harmful to my beta or dwarf frog? It wasn't any part of the main section that cracked / broke, only the very tip.

also was wondering...I know betas build bubble nests when they're happy & ready to spawn...could / are there any other reasons why bubble would appear in a tank (aside from possible soap). Just curious, as I dont want to think seeing bubbles is normal when it could be something else (small bubble, not large ones)

[Flashygrrl]

Usually takes a couple weeks to cycle a tank. I'd get that API kit (try to get it at Petsmart, they're usually cheaper) and test daily and do a 25-30% water change if the ammonia or nitrites gets above .25. On a cycled 2.5 I usually do a 50% water change 2 times a week. Don't worry too much about the price on the liquid test kit....the strips are usually just as expensive and a lot more useless.

In regards to your broken thermometer, did it look like any of the metal balls got out when you removed it or did they look like they hadn't moved? Furthermore, if the tip was cracked enough for there to be a possibility of those getting out is there a possibility for there to be glass shards in the tank?

For the bubble question, sometimes they'll kind of randomly put bubbles against something but not build a complete bubble nest. If you've got a filter maybe they've tried to build one but the filter keeps destroying it.

[Haeclark]

thanks for the reply Flashygrrl & the tips on tank cycle.

As far as thermometer...not sure about inside main tanks, but...

before the trip last weekend, I did a water cleaning, then about 10 min later a 100% tank change due to thinking I mixed the conditioner wrong, as I found my water frog outside the tank...during change 2, the fish, frog, caves and thermometer were in a smaller .5 gal fish bowl...this is where I noticed the metal balls falling out of the thermometer, inside the .5 gal bowl.

Not positive, but think it happened during clean 1, when I first removed the thermometer, so not positive if any fell into the main tank, or if any pieces of glass are inside it (didn't even think of the glass...was more concerned the metal would possibly harm the fish or frog)

the frog passed away yesterday...not sure due to thermostat breaking, or my beta attacking her (caught him 4 times flaring at her, not to mention the sores he created over last weekend).

could the metal balls cause harm too if there are any in the tank? Might this have been part of the reason my frog died? Will post a pick I took of her before she passed later.

[Flashygrrl]

Not sure...I have no idea what they actually put in those things.

[Haeclark]

got a response from the tera website...the balls in the glass thermometers are lead, and should harm the fish or frog. Relieves me of worry for Blue, and also explains why frog ultimately died.

[onefish2fish]

honestly id guess your frog starved to death.. usually the fish will eat the frogs food before they even realize theyve been fed... why not try 1 or 2 ghost shrimp? theyre interesting/cost pennies/and since there is no frog to prey on them id think they'd be a nice addition ( but i am unsure if betas will eat them or not ) check em out, but i personally wouldnt put anymore then 2 in a 2.5 gal

[Haeclark]

no dont think that was the case. I made sure she ate when I fed her...watched her eat the worms when gave them to her, and also had brine shrimp (would leave her 1 small one with a few worms). Blue was very disinterested in the shrimp, and would ignore them. Thats one reason I knew something was off, when she wouldn't eat the last time I tried to feed her.
No I believe her wounds inflicted by Blue were her ultimate demise. She no longer had a right hand, and most likely the whole arm was broken, plus she has a bigger wound (for her) on her chin, ans a few smaller wounds / bumps on tummy. Not to mention her coloring was very off...believe this was due to her sores getting worse. Know I could have gotten some kind of medicine for her when paid, but not sure if it wold have helped her at all, with her broken arm.