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Dick: If Steve Childers ever wandered over here, he might enjoy this. A few months ago a pair of spawning tree frogs were coupled in the skimmer singing their song. It echoed! When I took off the lid, they jumped into the water on the submerged pump side of net/matting, and went to the bottom as if to avoid a predator. They were quickly sucked into the pump (will take 1.5" diameter objects). That pump feeds a direct return to the pond and a multi-chamber filter. I ran to the multi-chamber, took off the cover and removed the remains of the female from a leaf net I have there. The male was still holding on ... unharmed! He hopped off into the shrubbery. The corpse of the female had no legs. I figured the legs got past the net, so I started removing media to find them. Did not want any rotting frog legs in my filter! Couldn't find a thing. Then I remembered the direct return, which has a directional end-piece. Unscrewed it, but nothing came out. The legs had to be somewhere. So, I figured they must be stuck in the pump in-take before the prop. It is a pain to get the pump out because its a very tight fit. Got that done ... no legs. So, where were they?
I'd forgotten about the frogs .. a few storms in the area diverted attention. Then this past weekend the multi-chamber filter began to overflow, a drip at a time. I searched everywhere to find a blockage ... when I unscrewed the directional jet, out came a pile of frog leg bones. Very white & clean. The flesh had decomposed within the line.
The tree frogs sing & croak whenever it rains. I figure that male is in the chorus some place.... waiting for a ride?
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