Frogs in winter

[haver79]

I was out checking on my fish last weekend as it was in the upper 40s. I have a large leopard frog in my pond. We seen this frog late fall only for about 2 days then never seen him again. Thought he had traveled elsewhere. Now I know he is in the pond. Saw him moving around some on the bottom.
My question is this. Is he going to pick off my fish one by one? Do they eat in the winter? I only have 11 fish in my 3000 gal pond. (starting slow, first season with the pond)
Like I said he is a big frog and big enough to eat my fish if he wanted to I think as they are only 5 to 6 inches in length and one small fry. Not sure. I don't mind having frogs in my pond but am worried at this point that there is nothing for him to eat but his finned pond mates! I may not have any left by the time spring arrives! Wondering if I should try to net him up first chance I get and rehome him. I watched quite awhile and could not see all 11 fish. But pond was 3/4 covered so maybe the few I couldn't see were elsewhere. Still I wonder if he got some or what. The ones I could see all look healthy and doing fine.


This is the frog we seen in October. He is bigger than he looks in these photos.

 

[j.w]

Whoa he sure is pretty. He looks big enough to eat fish to me but I have read most like bugs and worms but will take a small fish if they can catch it.

 

[haver79]

Well I hope he is not eating my fish!

 

[adavisus]

No, he won't, frogs don't strike or catch prey underwater

When fish can fly, they will...

Regards, andy
http://swglist.wordpress.com/
http://www.pinterest.com/adavisus/pondering/

 

[Mmathis]

I wouldn't worry about him right now, anyway, as it's cold enough that he's dormant.

 

[mrsclem]

I had a bunch of leopard frogs in my little pond with koi fry in it, Never had a problem with them eating fish but if there are bullfrogs around that is a different story. They will go after fish.

 

[Phil]

Until yesterday I also thought frogs went dormant all winter. We run the skimmer and falls year round, and I went out yesterday morning about 6:30 to check the skimmer. It was about 40 degrees, and there was still some ice left on the surface from last week's single digit temperatures. I don't know exactly what the water temperature was, but I'm sure it was cold. I pulled back the lid and sitting on the skimmer flapper door right in the current was the biggest bull frog I have ever seen. He practically filled the opening. I shined the flashlight on him and he didn't move. He sat there for about an hour until my wife went out to check on him and as she approached he slowly slid off the skimmer and swam to the bottom of the pond. The pond is only 30" deep and I wasn't sure anything could have lived through that cold snap, but life finds a way. Very cool.

 

[jmajid]

Been seeing a frog/toad (not sure what to call him yet, but he's big) since the weekend... i saw him a few weeks back also when it was a little warmer and then we had a cold snap and this past weekend it warmed up again...
he seems to want to get out of the pond but the walls are a little steep for him i think and since i have raised the water level recently i think he has less places to "sit", so now he just floats...
i will take a pic the next time i can get close to him.
my fish are about 9 inches or more - but i am thinking of getting some 2"+ fish - should i be worried?