.....and toads, oh my!

Found a juvenile (at a guess - half
the size of an adult) Gulf Coast toad
sitting on the vegetation at the surface
of my smaller stocktank. I don't know
if it's trolling for fish or discovered
the pond is a great place to catch
insects.

There is a Leopard frog (Rio Grande or
Southern - hard to get a close look) living
in the other fishtank. I lifted a lily pad that
happened to be its "roof" for the day, and
it gave me a very indignant look before
diving for the safer depths.

I have small shubunkin and comets
in both tanks, and haven't noticed the
fish population decreasing.

There are Leopard frogs in the inground
pond, and every several of weeks I net a
bloated (very dead) toad. That pond has
been the scene of toad activity almost since
we put it in, what, five years ago?

There are larger goldfish and/or comets
in the inground pond. Again, I haven't
noticed any population decrease.

On an unrelated note, at an event at Water
Garden Gems last Fall, I talked with some
people from a local school who were in
the process of designing a pond (with lots
of expert help). I offered fish and plants.
Left my contact info. They called about two
weeks ago and one teacher came by. I netted
some of my small shubunkin & comets and
several larger, and tossed in some healthy
floating plants. It felt good to give excess
population away to a good cause.

Gail
near San Antonio TX USA