Tadpole has blockage in gill?

[AlliMarieFitz]

Hey all,

I have a bullfrog tadpole that seems to have some kind of blockage in its gill... Is this possible? It looks like the algae wafers I've been feeding them, but it looks almost too large to have fit in his mouth, so I can't figure how it would have gotten there... The gill definitely looks enlarged, and this is new since yesterday. He doesn't seem to be in pain, and I can't tell if he's moving any more slowly than usual or acting lethargic- he's swimming around occasionally and nibbling at the ground like he's still looking for food. Does this look like something I should be worried about? Should I try to remove whatever it is? (I'm inclined not to mess with him until it looks dire). Is it possibly some kind of internal organ or something? He has recently grown much bigger hind legs and I've been expecting him to sprout arms any day now, so I'm unnerved by this development- is it normal, or is something wrong? Thanks in advance for your help! I will try to upload the best picture I managed to get, in which he's swimming away from the camera (having some issues getting the site to upload the pic right now). I only see this on one side, the other gill looks fine.

[Cliygh and Mia 2]

Frog Forum has been having issues lately, upload the pictures to photobucket, and then copy and paste

[AlliMarieFitz]

I looked again, and I think he is just growing an arm! The other one I have did this while hiding in one of the aquatic plants, so I didn't witness the process. Luckily, it's taken me about 3 hours of research to find this article:

http://www.suttonmass.org/animals/fr...dpolearms.html

...in which time I can now see his elbow peeking out. So, I think all is going according to plan. Why did it take me 3 hours of stressing to find that article?!?! Jeez. I had no idea they grow their arms out of a little hole in their sides! Craaaaazy!

[Snappi13]

Very interesting. I learned quite a bit from that article. Thanks for sharing and hope ur tad morphs well!


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[AlliMarieFitz]

He has both arms today Glad my freak-out was for nothing, and that actually he's doing great! Haha.

[Snappi13]

Nice!! You will have a full grown frog soon.


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