Making my Prison Frogs a Real Ecosystem (1 year experiment)

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An aquatic ecosystem fit for three little kings... but along the way this fish tank evolved into much more and we got to watch shrimp, snails, microfauna, crabs, and various fish interact with their environment as the tank evolved over one year. guest appearance from @TheDrPlants
a true low maintenance, no Co2, no fertilizer tank for the people. I'd love to make more
Join the Patreon: / leafystreet
Join the Discord: / discord

[@leafystreet]

Secure your privacy with Surfshark! Enter coupon code LEAFY for an extra 3 months free at surfshark.deals/leafy ngnoiwn'pngopeonpegoeopngwnnprgnpgnng gnppponenoppg TOES get off the keyboard. Thanks guys:)

[@Zub_Zer0]

TOES takes what is RIGHTFULLY hers (and apparently that is your keyboard)

[@user-dm5ue3es9e]

Bro can you send me a geko for free

[@jessieevely3268]

hehe silly toes

[@SirSqueakins]

Toes is trying to warn us about the end of the universe

[@EmpressOfExile206]

Leafy *I need to know,* what species are the tiny freshwater clams⁉️

[@hollisterlasers-ion8939]

You adding additional creatures to eat the black worms felt like that folk story where they got spiders to eat fleas, snakes to eat the spiders, ferrets to eat the snakes, and so on and so forth.

[@Fauthetherian]

Spiders eat fleas???

[@noahkendrick]

@@Fauthetherianyeah spiders will eat anything

[@sophiedowney1077]

​@@Fauthetherianspiders are great! They eat all kinds of pests. It's like how having snakes in your neighborhood helps keep mice away.

[@kiwi6421]

@@sophiedowney1077 And how having ferrets in your neighborhood keeps snakes away

[@noahkendrick]

@@kiwi6421 and how having hawks in your neighborhood will eat the ferrets

[@darrinstamand]

You should add a bear to the ecosystem

[@Shatterstar]

The bear would solve so many over population problems.

[@livthenekomancer]

Water bear

[@Shatterstar]

@@livthenekomancerI'm thinking Grizzly.

[@leafystreet]

Black or polar

[@DreamWalker_13]

​@@leafystreet def polar

[@synthicate5030]

"Getting views on KZbin isn´t worth bad animal care" WORD! Sadly so many people on Social Media need to be taught this. Thank you for this extra careful approach to anything.

[@egregius9314]

Ants Canada could do with that lesson.

[@nicohusky]

Well said. 👍

[@xrapidfirex1695]

"I had to move because my landlord is also a leech" 'til then it was really calm and relaxing but I just spit out my drink hearing this

[@tanksfornothin]

Dwarf frogs with monkey screeches give me inner peace

[@leafystreet]

Still can’t believe that’s how they really sound

[@othersunsets]

@@leafystreetjust wait until they start singing/buzzing in the middle of the night if you have any males

[@Gatekeeper_Edits]

Innerr peaaacccceeee ☝️🐢

[@MellowBeng]

You haven't posted in 8 months you good?

[@shreyamsingh2605]

Hey bro just asking if u forgot your yt password?

[@river7048]

if you narrated a whole documentary like this i would watch the hell outta it

[@leafystreet]

ur too kind, thank you

[@ToastersToastToast]

I’d watch it every week

[@ToastersToastToast]

@@leafystreetI like mini ecosystems, they’re cool :)

[@adriannabcustomfurniture]

Me too!

[@kastaway28]

i would watch it over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again

[@leafystreet]

UPDATE: pond 2.0 is in the works. If you’re looking to get African dwarf frogs please 🙏 buy them from breeders or true fish stores. This was a rare opportunity to buy a creature in a terrible “forever home” and document a before and after. The store has since stopped selling them. And Lebron actually came from a massive fish store in much better care

[@Jedi_Jack]

Is it ok to get them from Petco?

[@leafystreet]

No petco isnt great. some individual employess care but your business is better spent elsewhere@@Jedi_Jack

[@rebel.owl.04]

as someone who has now seven of these frogs (they've been moved to a 15 gallon, with sand for a substrate, plants, rocks, and drift wood to hide in, two snails, and a fish), we did get them from a local store that wasn't a fish store but a "hobby store". our little guys are happy, and we got them where we did because the owner did care about the frogs and took care of them as best he could. that being said, we stopped giving them the pellets once they got into their new tank, giving them bloodworms and brineshrimp instead. the frogs started to grow almost immediately after their diets were switched, and as of now they're quite happy. all of the supplies we use are from a true fish store a bit further away, although we do continue getting our food from a petsmart as we do frozen for convenience

[@fordguy2836]

@@leafystreet I buy from Petco cause I see animals there and I think to myself you know I could make they’re life better so I bought a few reptiles and frogs from there however we did get a couple with diseases that unfortunately didn’t make it as a result so I agree Petco has some who care but most don’t know what they’re doing

[@andrewkim2139]

@@leafystreet do you remember what song you used at 13:53? I’ve been trying to track it down, but I’ve been unsuccessful so far.

[@ItsNiash]

For a second I forgot I was watching a youtube video and not a documentary, the amount of effort and passion put in these videos is incredibly impressive!

[@Pineapple-yc9bj]

[@MelioVlogs]

I know it’s crazy! ❤️

[@lyladepaula3291]

There are professional nature documentaries with millions of dollars budgets that are not half as compelling as this. Incredible work I hope Helen, Keller, and LeBron enjoy their home

[@michellestares2335]

Hi😊happy spring

[@Samurai-2009-]

I can agree

[@Celestial_Reach]

I know right

[@bigbodoge9069]

Lebron is white?

[@huntercool2232]

I had an African Dwarf frog once when I was a kid. I called him “Squishy” and I’m embarrassed to say he lived in my goldfish’s fish tank. Looking back I realize now the environment he was in was not suitable for him whatsoever. Needless to say I didn’t have him for long and he passed away. I’ll always regret getting him and another one after him who met the same fate. I’ll never get another Dwarf Frog again, but I’m just glad to see someone finally properly take care of these amazing creatures for once! Thank you man for giving them a great home.

[@sentimentalbloke185]

frog murderer

[@darianromero3532]

You were a kid, my man. The real responsibility lays on the adults for not researching what they allowed their child to have. Cut yourself some slack, my guy, I'm sure those frogs would understand.

[@whitetober7825]

This unlocked a memory, my 4th grade teacher had one of these as a class pet. We were allowed to feed them sometimes but you were picked randomly. I just remember them being the cutest things ever and my teacher being incredibly protective of them

[@aster84855]

I can't express just how much i love the cinematography and sound design of your channel. Came for animals, stayed for animals and camera work and sounds and structuring

[@crossanddream2]

I've owned a clam as a kid from a fishing trip with family friends, I had been walking around the lake since I didn't want to fish. I ended up seeing something near the shoreline, I thought it was a rock but after my mom got it out of the water. It was a clam, my mom ended up letting me keep it. The clam ended up living in a 20-30 gallon tank all by itself and followed my mom whenever she was. If she was on the right side so was it and same for the left, it was werid to me as a kid since I never saw it move. Well it ended up passing sometime later, i believe from old age ans my mom decided to extract the pearl from inside of it. It ended up being a light pieple nearly white pearl, super beautiful.

[@kakangdailyjournal4863]

aren't pearls technically mummified parasites?

[@chesneymigl4538]

I remember going out on an oyster lugger many years ago as a kid. The fishermen were hauling up raw, live oyster and just eating them, then and there. I couldn't stomach the slimy blob, but I did find a tiny, half formed purple pearl like the one you described!

[@ApatheticBlogger]

I had a similar experience with what I think was an invasive mussel. Mom said I could keep it. Well apparently some bivalves reproduce on their own. Came back one weekend to find wall to wall tiny shellfish, literally thousands. Mom was pissed and didn't let me keep them anymore lmfao.

[@giftofthewild6665]

​@@ApatheticBlogger rofl 😂

[@Lucid_Droid]

Why is the fish love scene the most replayed one?..are you guys okay?

[@Matilda-eo2eo]

No

[@malraj427]

We need true romance in our lives

[@ThemeParkBeast98]

Wait how do you know what scene is the most replayed? 🧐

[@HouseBijecarla]

I like when the frogs became monkeys for a fraction of the second. Nature truly is a marvel.

[@way9883]

4:11 "old landlord was also a leech" yesss call out those landlords

[@StickySauce101]

funny how landlordism is literally modern feudalism yet whenever people dare to call landlords out they face a lot of backlash, the sooner landlords are removed the better for everyone (and ofc landlords always argue they are "helping", yeah but the very system shouldn't exist at all, yet bring up the idea of public housing etc and they flip out as if you summoned demons into the world).

[@dangerxbadger2300]

Watching the Assassin Snail swirl its creepy little proboscis around in the victim's snail shell was definitely one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

[@_staright_5157]

The “hey, wake up, your identity just got stolen.” Was pretty funny

[@fightvale57]

You are one of my favorite creators. Please don't stop making videos. Or if you do I will literally pay you to FaceTime me updates. I hope you continue with longer videos. I foresee much success for you. This genre of YT needs your humor and aesthetic😊

[@leafystreet]

thank you so much 😭. It really means a ton

[@user-uo2kr8bx7k]

Love Leafy. I jumped on Patreon for extra content cuz I couldn’t get enough.

[@dianaheaphy8294]

You make it all look easy, but the amount of work that must have gone into this tank and this video is inestimable… The attention paid to every little detail is just amazing! I LOVE the eating sound effects! Thank you for sharing your talents!

[@cakeeeetime]

The amount of knowledge to keep that balanced O.o

[@theonlybrokenpencil]

Did you also grab your landlord with a pair of giant tweezers?

[@andrewcullen2527]

Bet they also have strange blue ink if you squeeze hard enough

[@sparrowdanielsdottir5888]

Excellent sound design. 👍

[@leafystreet]

thanks a ton!

[@arimochii4643]

" getting views on youtube isnt worth bad animal care " WHAT A KING

[@chernz722]

The Thai micro crab is my spirit animal

[@Beanboiwolf]

H u h

[@azayzelll]

the toes cameo has me doing a little jig in my chambers

[@foop.13]

i love how soothing his voice is don’t even get me started on the calming sound effects

[@Pineapple-yc9bj]

i dont know... how the fluff do i respond to that? 🤣

[@melbapeach162]

0:37

[@foop.13]

@@melbapeach162 it’s so preppy in here

[@tallmommy]

The "HUH" sound effects on the oblivious crab is the icing on the cake

[@Matteo000]

3:53 “Where did it come from where did it go, where did it come from” lol I got that reference🤣 Cotton eye Joe am I right😂

[@KateCantDraw]

"oop he's on the flo"

[@officiallythe_raresoozamsm]

I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE

[@Matteo000]

@@officiallythe_raresoozamsm lolll

[@Ulitka32]

2:27 “BuT I HaVe A fAmIlLy 😂 I DONT CARE 😂

[@septawatt]

i enjoy the way you narrate, almost like a nature documentary but (imo) better cause you know your stuff, care about the animals and environment you’re creating, and are funny. amazing work!

[@leafystreet]

that means a ton, thanks for watchin

[@DINGD0NG...]

Pond/tank ecosystem get me all wiggly. I live for water ecosystems, especially videos of it evolving from just water to full blown self-sustaining ecosystem

[@Imyourdemongirl]

I have an African clawed frog and seeing those little dwarfies finally having a home makes me happy

[@dracodracarys2339]

4:53 NOOOOO YOU GOT HER ADDICTED TO HENTAI

[@carlamelid6163]

I saw that big golden mystery snail at the end! they're so sick, they can change their sex whenever, they make so many babies, and they climb out of ur tank and get ur floor slimey if they can!

[@Hidden_Fern]

Truly one of the creatures of all time

[@pendlera2959]

Mystery snails (Pomacea bridgesii) can't change their sex. And they do lay a lot of eggs at once, but they put the clutch above the water line so it's really easy to remove.

[@BlondieGurl1129]

Does the assassin snail pose any risk to them?

[@carlamelid6163]

@@BlondieGurl1129, he shouldn't, mystery snails are quite large and assassin snails are very small :)

[@BlondieGurl1129]

@@carlamelid6163 sweet, thinking of adding one to my tank!

[@ThePepsiCrusader]

The Lesbian Gecko Guy is moving on to new grounds. Im so proud.

[@zaba_w_stdni]

YESS FINALLY WHO TREATS THESE FROGGIES LIKE LIVE ANIMALS AND NOT TOYS!!!

[@cakeeeetime]

Finaly a comment that cares! :)

[@yms4355]

Well he did not add any filtration and kept putting them in a tiny plastic cup only to showcase the feeding. Transferring the frogs, especially before feeding time, stresses them out. I wouldn't think that any amphibian likes to live in ammonia.

[@cakeeeetime]

@@yms4355 Why ammonia? The tank is a filtration system by itself. I thought the transfer was just a one time thing. He build the tank over a year ago, then he bought the frogs. The 'buying animals that suffer' is the part that icks me out, but the rest seems good.

[@godschild6172]

I agree. It’s pretty sad you won’t free the frog. You wanted the frog to experience an abnormal environment to see if it will survive.

[@cakeeeetime]

@@godschild6172 It's a realy bad idea to free pets. They either die (often slowly and painfully), because they are bred to live in the wild, AND/or they are a desaster to the environment, because they spread diseases or out compete naturaly occuring wildlife.

[@CheshireMadd]

When you introduced the assassin snail (to the video), I really appreciated that you blurred everything except the eyes and nose when you mentioned them. It made it really easy to know what in the fleshy mass I was supposed to look at :'D

[@maries5947]

Fun fact, Keller means Basement in Germany, so his name makes sense that he can't see very well:D nice setup tho!

[@SrSealKing]

Helen Keller is a person who was blind and deaf at 19months

[@Gatekeeper_Edits]

Helen and KelluH

[@lt7388]

Kind of like how shit hetero Canadian gangstalkers put implants in my eyes to give me cataracts

[@maries5947]

@@Gatekeeper_Editswell, then it doesn't means Basement in German 😂

[@ethancolbourne5908]

The reason they are called hellen and keller is because Hellen Keller is a person who was born deaf and blind

[@HelmsmanButterscotch_OwO]

you have the perfect sense of humor, and that's not an opinion. out with free will, leafy street supremacy.

[@fightvale57]

Please please keep making longer content.Your shorts make my day and your longer videos are legitimately my favorite. If I Give you money will you do it?

[@leafystreet]

I accept payments in the form of sending my vids to ten of your closest friends 🦧🙏. Fr thanks for watching, long vids are hefty edits

[@fightvale57]

​@@leafystreet more like 2 cool homies, 2parents and 6 aquantences.

[@user-uo2kr8bx7k]

I’ll donate $$ too.

[@juliemcgugan1244]

I did the same with Opae Ula (Halocaridina rubra,) shrimp in a so-called 'biosphere.' 8 turned into 200+, so much so that I had to convert them into freshwater (they stop breeding when changed from their preferred brackish water to fresh water. ) When I moved country, thanks to how rare they had become in those few years, I made 6 grand selling them, before leaving. My buyers got a lot of info from me on not just how to keep them health, but also on how to breed them, because they are highly sought after in the shrimp-keeping hobby, there. They assured me that they would make sure the hobby would thrive again.

[@Beamna-ex9hh]

i caught my Crested gecko watching "erotic reptile photos"

[@user-uo2kr8bx7k]

Alex, I’m not sure if your Leafy Street channel should get a timeslot on Discovery, Comedy Central or both. Loved the cameo from Dr. Plants. More collabs please . You both do Brilliant work.

[@FeralSheWolf]

I love your editing. The drag-'n-drop of fish tank from old home to new was a perfect demonstration of reality.

[@LifeinJars]

If Dr Plants is unavailable for narration, I will be available!

[@Maestrose12]

I love how Dr. plants and leafy Street are together

[@orpheus3342]

6:48 'THIS, is a Scarlet Badass

[@DoorsToHideBehind156]

Wow I didn't know that freshwater clams and tiny freshwater micro crabs were even a thing! What a cool little micro ecosystem! 😊 I also didnt know about baddis fish, they're so beautiful! I thought they were kilifish at first.

[@BioWorkAgency]

You didn't know that freshwater clams exist?

[@retnuhretnuh]

If you want to keep clams in a tank, you should put them in a separate container in the tank. It makes it easier to control their location, they won't uproot your plants, and it's easier to make a weekly check if they're still alive. If one dies, and you can't find it, the ammonia spike will suddenly kill your tank.

[@LizBizBean]

14:27 "Oh! Yucky!" Me looking in the mirror fr

[@jiggyvision2116]

real

[@justashark776]

real

[@nathanclarke7162]

This shit rocks, you really nailed the vibe when it was the crab and then it was like "huh"

[@jerrimariekeith7879]

I LOVE my frogs! I have 3. Each one is in it's own 5 gallon tank with a few small friends, some snails, and lots of GREAT hiding spots. I have had one my whole life since I was a teen. They are so amazingly fun.

[@BigBlueDeep]

The old house to new house graphics made me chuckle

[@robinthetactician4649]

Man this was so cool makes me want to make my next aquarium more natrual!

[@user-uo2kr8bx7k]

I keep saying this is your best yet for the last 3 vids. They keep getting better. Crazy talented.

[@tamarrajames3590]

You are a delightful find, you popped up in my suggestions today, and I’m happy to subscribe and see more of what you do. Thanks for going to all that effort to save the frogs.🖤🇨🇦

[@Lucifersfursona]

“This is a scarlet badass” I love them

[@juliakaczmarek2191]

8:50 why in the hell is this so cute???? i literally squealed.

[@EinXTRAZ]

Gulp gulp gulp

[@PIGEONS_AndAXOLOTLS]

TIP FOR THE DUCKWEED! portal, plastic shapes you can use to make a area to allow light and oxygen into the tank

[@khills]

Aw, I love African dwarf frogs. I had no idea they were being sold in hardware stores - ack! I’ve been planning on getting another one; I had one in a full bioactive tank and kept her next to my desk in my bookcase. I didn’t even have to feed her too often; worms, fry, and eggs took care of most diet. Man, I wasn’t planning on starting to set my tank up til I got home from traveling abroad , but that’s like September and….

[@wasnlos2676]

Get at least two, if you're getting any. They're pretty social and do better in groups than alone.

[@khills]

@@wasnlos2676 That's interesting - definitely different information than when I had one before. (They were supposed to be kept alone, or with things you didn't mind them eating, because they were both carnivorous and cannibalistic.)

[@It_slipped_I_swear]

Snails learned chakra control

[@RND_ADV_X]

I hope the people at American Science and Surplus in Milwaukee see this video.

[@Asparagus_stars]

Bro watching your content evolve and get better and better has been such a joy, this vid is absolutely sick!!

[@dont_be_jaded]

I'm unreasonably obsessed with this eco system

[@denickle]

IT IS TIME TO INTRODUCE A NEW PREDATOR🗣🗣🔥🔥🔥🗣

[@Hunter-sc9bq]

EDP!?!?

[@denickle]

@@Hunter-sc9bq nah bro me

[@SolidSerpents]

The humor in this is great. Made me chuckle multiple times. Good video!

[@rainseductress]

This was fantastic! I was so sad to see it end, and my last thought when seeing it was ending was "moaaaarrr!"

[@DreamWalker_13]

Frick, Toes can see what i watch in the middle of the night!?!😰😰

[@imjustelm]

stellar. I’ve never been more invested in frogs before.

[@gracielacastaneda3295]

Anytime I watch this video I feel really calm and like watching how life finds a way

[@owlxowl]

it was so cinematic im sad it ended, 11/10 quality and storytelling

[@sammansfield21]

Love your quirky way of doing these videos. Perfect amount of facts and sarcasm/humour. Keep up the amazing work ❤

[@ArtsyEwok]

YOU ARE MY FAVORITE CHANNEL. The monke noises were on Pointe.

[@Sofolio]

New favorite KZbinr, we’ve been needing someone who likes creative ecosystems AND is goofy/ lovable ❤

[@huntercool2232]

1:38 “And they’ll suck just about anything their little mouth desires. And almost nothing is off limits.” *No Comment.*

[@kyle-pg8xm]

much like your mother

[@Astrovideos6362]

@@kyle-pg8xmwat

[@SlurpieDoo]

goddamn the production on this!! love your stupid idiot humor and i have a blast watching every video you post. Thanks for making this♥

[@kyoungheekang3993]

Yo cool appearence of Dr plants!!! Thanks for the awesome video:)

[@sethjacksonanimation8407]

Gotta praise your editing, adding swimmy sound fx to all the critters is documentary levels of effort!!

[@rittikaali101]

Your videos are so fun and educational. Would love more reptile content.

[@pinstripeowl]

Incredible video! The ecosystem build up was amazing

[@DizzKola3]

This was the most interesting video I think I’ve ever seen. So fascinating to watch. I wish I had half of your knowledge about aquatic life forms so I could create my own! Well done! Side note: SO happy that you don’t curse because I can introduce your channel to my 4th grade students. They’ll love this! 🐟 ❤️

[@sarahjo5570]

Youre genuinely such a good storyteller. And also educational but funny about it !! I love

[@bokajllensch661]

Hey this is aswome! I watched some other guy building an ecosystem but I couldnt stand his way of narrating. This is perfect!

[@shadow_shine3578]

These make me so happy. I love your amphibians and reptiles

[@FoxWithRabies]

"But i have a family,a little family-" "I dont care. "

[@EmilyNaumer]

Even the ad is entertaining lol, top notch!

[@mojofr4605]

Insane camera shots I love it

[@TimmyGC]

I like the longer format.

[@cobydenny6247]

The amount of effort that goes into your setups and videos is wild, keep up the awesome work!

[@teresacline6672]

It's incredibly heartwarming, humorous, and educational to watch your content and I'm so happy to see this video. I loved every moment of it. The quality of your videos are every bit as good as nature documentaries on network channels. I always admire your creativity and consideration for the animals that you're working with and the joy that you bring to all of your viewers. Thanks so much and looking forward to seeing much more.

[@irradiatedsnakes]

yay for keeping the snail leeches!! that was wonderful to see. those guys are glossophonids- they're proboscis-feeding snail leeches. they carry their babies around on their backs just like an opossum. it's very sweet

[@American-Jello]

Love this channel. Never disappoints.

[@catholicatkin5765]

This video is so excellent it felt like a nature documentary❤

[@laya8880]

The monkey noises for the dwarf frogs is peak comedy. There's nothing further, we can all go home.

[@timinthewild]

Sensational

[@Garry12222]

NOO WAYYY I LOVE DR PLANTS!!! YOU AND DR PLANTS ARE LIKE MY FAVORITE KZbinRS LOL

[@kaydabalab]

I always truly enjoy your ecosystem videos :) thanks!

[@Qwertylol]

Ever since I saw the short with you and Dr. Plants, I’ve been waiting for him to show up in a video. I am happy to say that the wait is now finally over. Love the little sound effects, especially the little “HUH” sound from the micro crab😂

[@ViraVile]

I love this!!! I'm nearly 7 months on on in a somewhat similar Journey! Your tank-mate/ecosystem choices are so inspired! I suddenly found myself the caretaker of a tank in my office that had been essentially abandoned when an employee changed offices, with only one Borneo loach and an African Dwarf frog left alive in a bog of algae. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing(Having only Leos, a crestie, and a Bearded Dragon under my belt and misc rehabbing of reptiles). So I learned fast and did the best I could for the little guys. Now Ed, Edd and Eddy(Ed was blonde so I got her two traditionally colored ones for her trio), and the loach, live in a refurbished planted tank with some nerites, (they ate all of my small shrimp, so now they're roomies with a pair of Amano) and a few chili rasbora.

[@moon8568]

Dude your editing is so fun to watch high omg and the music is beautiful and the comedy is funnnny lmaoooooo