In message , Robert
writes

Can you just leave it in the bucket and allow it to hatch then? No
food or special care?
Our very young tadpoles seem to get eaten by our fish but it would be
nice to save some until they are a week or so older before
reintroducing them to the pond. however they seem to feed on the algae
on the side of the pond so I didn't realise we could keep them for a
while in buckets.

We use a large ~ 100 litres plastic tub half filled with pond/rain
water. When the tadpoles start hatching we add some pond weed and a few
(defrosted) frozen lettuce leaves which keeps them going until it is
time to return them to the pond. If you keep them in a container for
more than a couple of weeks you will need to carry out partial water
changes otherwise the water will begin to pong.

Algae will grow on the side of your bucket if it's in a good light. If
tadpoles are underfed they just develop slower, even to the point of not
turning into frogs until the following year.

They do need enough oxygen in the water, at least until their gills
disappear. In cold weather there should be lots of dissolved oxygen but
warm water can't hold as much. Pondweed is good, rotting food isn't -
don't give them more food than they're actually eating.

BTW my first tadpoles are swimming now, at lunchtime they were basking
in a pocket of sun-warmed water on top of the jelly mass.

--
Sue ]