My new Xenopus Tads

[BugBoy99]

Hello Everyone,

I just wanted to share some pictures of my new Xenopus tads. They are wild-caught, and I will be raising them. I hope that someone else will enjoy them just as much as I do.




The pictures aren't great I know, but they are still quite small.

Sincerely,
Joh

[rodsboys]

Thanks for the pics. I really hope you keep us up to date. Wild caught is not something we commonly see around here. Is there any chance you could also follow the progress of their siblings still in the wild or did you scoop them all up?

[BugBoy99]

It is my pleasure, and I will definitely keep this thread updated. I'm afraid that in Richards Bay, SA, we only get wild-caught frogs. If you want anything exotic you have to order it, at high cost, and many species are illegal. I could quite possibly follow the progress of the siblings, the pool where I found them is found along the route that I regularly walk to get to town. I don't think I could make space for all the tadpoles if I tried there are still many remaining in the pool.

Also, I have a personal policy against collecting too large an amount of tadpoles from the wild. If I do wish to keep that species, I never keep more than three specimens from a specific locality, and release the rest of the froglets/tadpoles. I have about forty/fifty tadpoles, but I will release most froglets at a later stage. I am considering keeping two or three froglets, though.

Thank you so much for being interested.

[BugBoy99]

Just an update. Yesterday afternoon, after having placed the tadpoles in a large glass bottle of de-chlorinated water, I fed them a mixture of powdered flake food, and powdered pond sticks. I gave them an airstone on a schedule of about half an hour at a time, for most of the afternoon. And, for the evening, they had the airstone on all of the time, on a very low setting. They had the airstone on for most of today, and by this afternoon, have grown quite a lot. The largest is now probably about 6mm long, whereas the largest was about 3 mm yesterday. They are growing very rapidly.

[IrishRonin]

very cool, thanks for the update.

[BugBoy99]

My pleasure! It is so refreshing to meet people who share my interests. Monday September the 21st- three days after initial capture of my tadpoles.
And, they have grown tremendously. The pictures should make the increase in size quite plain.

[tgampper]

Hi Joh:

Thanks for keeping us informed of your progress with your tads. I am sure you have X. laevis. One important characteristic between X. laevis and X. muelleri are the length of the sensory tentacles. In laevis, the tentacles are about the width of the body while muelleri is twice the width. It looks like you are located in the southern fringe of muelleri range.

[BugBoy99]

Hi Joh:

Thanks for keeping us informed of your progress with your tads. I am sure you have X. laevis. One important characteristic between X. laevis and X. muelleri are the length of the sensory tentacles. In laevis, the tentacles are about the width of the body while muelleri is twice the width. It looks like you are located in the southern fringe of muelleri range.

Well, that's good to know. Thank you for the information. I am located on the southern fringe of X. muelleri'sdistribution range, I believe that I live almost at the southernmost point of its distribution. I will post the rest of the pictures as soon as I have sufficient data. The tadpoles are now about 4 centimetres long, and are beginning to grow hind legs now. I don't know if this is common with the tadpoles of domesticated clawed frogs, but my tadpoles have a habit of floating along the bottom of the tank, and then blowing upon the food on the bottom. This pushes the food into the water, where the tadpoles easily suck the food into their mouths.

[tgampper]

I don't know if this is common with the tadpoles of domesticated clawed frogs, but my tadpoles have a habit of floating along the bottom of the tank, and then blowing upon the food on the bottom. This pushes the food into the water, where the tadpoles easily suck the food into their mouths.

Hi Joh:

There isn't much known about the feeding ecology of tadpoles in the wild. Tadpoles are superior suspension-feeders. They are able to extract virus-sized particles from the water and their filtration rates are better than that of most other species. The scientific explanation is quite complex but the behavior you are seeing is typical. Don't forget to keep good notes.

[tgampper]

Hi Joh:

There are several states in the U.S. that do not allow keeping Xenopus unless you have a special permit. Most of the states are on the west coast. What will you be studying and what university will you be attending?