Any ADF tadpole experts?

[Geoff]

I'll refer to my notes (of 23 years ago). I kept the eggs/tadpoles at 23°C (73°F) so if your temperature's higher the following time scales may be shorter.

The eggs took 2 days to develop into tadpoles but it was 4 days later when they developed into actively swimming and feeding tadpoles started feeding on infusoria. This stage becomes obvious because they'll transform from their passive state and brown, cigar-shaped appearance into tiny black tadpoles constantly swimming at or near the water's surface.

It was 4 days later (day 10) when they were big enough to start feeding on newly hatched Artemia nauplii (brine shrimp). If you've not already got any good quality Artemia cysts I advise you to get some and start hatching them. Apart from their nutritional value, Artemia are bright orange and it's very easy to see how well the tadpoles are feeding because their bellies turn visibly orange with the Artemia.

When you get the tadpoles past the infusoria stage and onto brine shrimp, things then become very easy provided you develop a routine of setting up a new Artemia culture every two days or so, feeding the tadpoles as often as you reasonably can each day and maintaining water quality.

The tadpoles are very interesting in appearance and behaviour. Notable characteristics are their large eyes, the seemingly effortless way they glide through the water, the way they retain the tadpole body shape after all four limbs have erupted, the way they feed throughout metamorphosis and metamorphosis occuring in tadpoles of different sizes. Those were my observations anyway.

I found that the average rate of development from egg to frog was 8 weeks but, of course, this is largely dependent on temperature and frequency of feeding.

[ramble]

Thanks for the info!

Maybe I'm on track since today is day 8 but they are at 78*F. I fed them both today and they at least seemed to be going for the shrimp and their bellies seemed tinged orange but they're so teeny it's hard to tell. They were darting to and fro more than they did with just the infusoria but I wasn't sure if that was hunting for bbs or just stronger swimming.

I thought the brine shrimp would take longer to hatch but it was less than 24 hours. I'll have to figure out how to get a more regular supply. I only have 7 tadpoles so it's not like I need thousands of bbs at a time. (Yes, I know my odds aren't good but I haven't lost any since hatching either, knock on wood! Mama and Papa just ate a ton before I found them.)

[Geoff]

I'm very impressed that you've got this far with them because it's at the infusoria stage when many people find it difficult to keep them alive. If the tadpoles are in a tank and you can view them sideways you could try using a hand lens/magnifying glass to check that they're feeding okay.

Here's an article about the tadpoles' feeding method, which might be of interest to you: tadpole

[ramble]

I'm so, so, so sad tonight. I did a full water change this morning (same water as always, dechlorinated last night, heated prior to moving the tadpoles) and they ALL died. Something must have gone wrong. Next time, if there is a next time, I will be hyper paranoid about testing water before I use it - the only thing I can think of is there was some change in ph in their tank before I moved them. I feel horrible about killing 7 happy healthy tiny little buggers.

[Jenste]

when you say full water change...do you mean 100%?


if so - that was the culprit.

with tadpoles, they are so sensitive to changes in their water, that I would never do more than 25% at a time.

[Geoff]

I did a full water change this morning (same water as always, dechlorinated last night, heated prior to moving the tadpoles) and they ALL died. Something must have gone wrong. Next time, if there is a next time, I will be hyper paranoid about testing water before I use it - the only thing I can think of is there was some change in ph in their tank before I moved them.

That's disappointing. I usually advise anyone trying to breed these frogs for the first time to be prepared for disappointment because it can be very difficult to get the tadpoles through the first couple of weeks.

I don't really understand why you felt it necessary to change the water if the tadpoles were thriving. It seems unlikely that they produced any significant waste. Any dead shrimp or other detritus could have been syringed out or siphoned using a short length of air line, which would have kept conditions stable. Personally, I've never worried too much about pH or other water readings.

On a more positive note, once the frogs start laying eggs they usually lay successive batches every few days so you could soon have other opportunities to try and rear them. As you've already been advised though, the female will need time to rest otherwise continual successive egg production will weaken her.

Good luck.

Geoff.