A place to learn, share and inspire others to create a haven for you and for wildlife.
Sign In or Register to join the conversation
To my surprise (and frustration) most of my tadpoles this year seem to have died... Well actually, they have died. I've only got one left!
Now I'm a bit old to keep tadpoles, but I try anyway because the poor frogs think the swimming pool is a pond and like to winter in there... that's fine, but I'm worried that when spring comes and we chlorinate the pool again, the tadpoles die.... so i spent a whole day catching as many as I could with a net and moving them to various places... i put some in a calm bit of the stream, but I think most of them were swept away... I tried to make the pond safer for them, but I think the stream washed them away as well... so to be extra safe I put some into an old fishtank, with a couple of rocks and some weed and algae that i'd caught with them, hoping they could take care of themselves...
Anyway, I think they got hungry and ate one another because I only have one left but I have NO idea what to feed it... its got loads of live pond weed and I even caught some little pond bugs and put those in, but it's not growing, not metamorphosing, and not doing very much at all!
Help please! Thanks!
"Watch with glittering eyes the world around you, because the best secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."
Well it should have been, I took the tank of water from the pool.... It will have been more susceptible to heat and cold though, as its a smaller, plastic tank... I left the lid only half on so that it can breathe... and i've been replacing bits of the water...
Maybe they just take a long time to grow legs?
Hello
I raise tadpoles every year in a tank. My pond is a very good newt pond and there were great diving beetles so they ate all the tadpoles (or most of them). This is what happens naturally of course but I never bred tadpoles as a child so I felt deprived.
Once the tadpoles are free-swimming they graze on algae on leaves and the sides of the tank. After 2 or 3 weeks you have to start feeding them. I feed mine boiled lettuce. The lettuce is boiled to soften it for them and to remove any chemicals etc. Remove the uneaten mid-rib before adding another leaf. As they grow you can introduce flaked fish food once their back legs have developed. When front legs grow you must lower the water levels and give the little frogs somewhere to move onto out of the water. I put some stones in and cover with moss.
At the moment I am releasing my froglets to the side of my pond where there is grass and plenty of cover from the sun and predators.
Tadpoles in my tank develop a lot faster than the ones in my pond as it is warmer but they will develop at different rates. Bigger tadpoles release enzymes that stunt the growth of the smaller ones. Once the large tadpoles have grown into froglets the others quickly catch up.
I also change the water regularly with fresh pond water left to reach the same temperature as in the tank. This will contain water fleas for the taddies to eat.
Sorry this is so long, I could write lots more as I love seeing the taddies develop. The link is for a wonderful wildlife site that sells laminated instructions which I have used for years. Highly reccommended!
I wish you lots of luck, hope this is helpful.
http://www.uksafari.com/
Kind regards Jane.
Dont stop Jef
Im finding this real good reading.
What else do you do?
Cheers
AL
If its no fun Yer no doin it right!
Sorry,................. recommended!
Hiya Al, now are you just being kind as you always are?
Well I could go on about preparation of the tank and the oxygentors I put in the water. Mainly, I could rabbit on about watching them. I know this sounds a bit fanciful, but once the jelly is eaten and they start swimming around, they appear to be the happiest little creatures you could ever see. I have photos but they are on my external hard disk, I must download some to put on here. The little froglets are gorgeous, tiny minature frogs and man, can they leap. You have to give them somewhere to escape from the water because as they metamorphosize they are very prone to drowning! When there are a large number ready to transfer to the pond I use a container lined with moss to transport them but for the last few froglets I just put them in my hand and pop them onto the grass by the side of the pond, some of them now just jump onto my hand as I put it in the tank! It is important not to leave them in the tank as they will die of starvation. They need to catch the little flies and bugs in the garden, something I cannot provide.
Oh dear Al, I bet you wish you hadn't asked now. :-))
Thats great stuff Jef
The reason I asked you to carry on is because we built a small pond down at our Veg plot last year.
Its now full of Tadpoles and I saw 3 frogs in it the other day .
Ill get some photos and post them on here tomorrow or over the weekend. Just wanted to know a bit more about the wee beasties realy .
So thankyou very much for taking the time Jef
It is a pleasure Al.
In a tank the tadpoles are protected of course. I think for every 1000 tadpoles only 3 or 4 will survive, in a pond. They have so many predators, thats why there is so much frogspawn I guess.
It is the same with little froglets, everything seems to eat them.
Your children will really enjoy the pond, I know I love pond dipping! I would love to see your photos.
Jane
LOL Jef my children are 22 19 and 17 years old .. and to ask them to get there hands dirty helping down at the plot is like asking them to put there hands into a bucket of fire haha.
we made the pond just for something to do one day . and now a year on it looks fantastic .
Wow thanks Jef, that's helpful! I guess a load died naturally, and the rest probably from hunger... they aren't showing any signs of growing up, so maybe they're lacking in food... I'm away at the moment, but i'll try to persuade my brother to boil some cabbage for them!
If you think of anything else that might help, please let me kno!
Sorry Al, why did I imagine your children as aged 4 or 5? Oh well, I will recommend pond dipping to anyone of any age, I can just imagine you loving it :-))
Woodsi, I am so glad you found it helpful.
I really do recommend that site and the laminated information cards, I have found them invaluable and I don't think they are too expensive, £3 or £4?
I think boiled lettuce is better, I would imagine cabbage may be too tough for their mouths. I think you can also buy live water fleas (Cyclops) at pet shops and aquarist centres.
Let us know how they get on :-))
LOL Its no problem at all Jef . But you are so right pond dipping is for everyone Its a great way to spend an hour or 3 :D