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#1
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Tadpoles and Frogs/Toads
I've had Wodehouse toads "orgying" every year by my pond (http://www.desertusa.com/mag99/aug/papr/wtoad.html). The brick sides on the pond have always kept them out, but I believe this year one pair must have made it past the castle walls. I have hundreds of tadpoles, all small and black and not identifiable as to species. They may be frogs for all I know. Down here in New Orleans there are so many types of critters around they could be anything. The koi don't seem interested in nibbling them either. Does anyone know the "attrition" rate of tadpoles to toads? I hate the idea of culling the masses, but I can't deal with so many, and neither can the pond filter. How many will make it to froghood? Michael Fermanis New Orleans, Louisiana USA (Remove the RICE to reply) ================================================== =========== |
#2
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Tadpoles and Frogs/Toads
Toad tadpoles turn quicker to toadlets than frogs do to froglets. So that is
good news. Also depends on temperature and food available. Can they get out now that they've gotten in? You don't want a bunch of drowning toadlets, what a mess! If they are toad tadpoles the fish are leaving them alone because they taste bad. They'll try one and spit it out. Look at one closely. A toad taddie has a whip like black tail. A frog tadpole has a fine membrane of skin around its tail, almost translucent in some. You can try netting them out into a kiddy pool filled with pond water and pond slime. Or give them organic lettuce to feed on. They may or may not make it, jammer's did not make the transition, so if yours do let me know. Toads are a popular food of hognose snakes and skunks. good luck! k30a |
#3
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Tadpoles and Frogs/Toads
Okay, this seems as good a time as any to ask this "newbie" question: Do
goldfish eat tadpoles? Would a frog eat toad tadpoles? The local Fowler's (?) Toads only come to my little wee 3' pond at night; but they make up for their brief attendance by making a lot of noise! OTOH, when the frog was there, she(?) would hang around day & night. When I had the first major algae bloom a few weeks ago, I made a mental note to to watch out for the tadpoles when I emptied out the pond & refilled it. However, the next day, there were no tadpoles to be found. What happened to them? Since it's a teeny water garden, I use a Little Giant pump, so I don't think the tadpoles were getting sucked into it, nor was there any sign of them when I cleaned the foam filters (although I did see things that may be "blood worms" as mentioned in another thread here). Also, the goldfish never seemed to eat the tadpoles before -- either that, or there were just lots of tadpoles to go around! I know that some of last year's froglets managed to get out of the pond (I keep bricks on the plant shelves so the toads & frogs can get out), but they must have been prodigious jumpers! It was pretty amazing to see things that looked like perfect little frogs, but maybe only 3/8" long! Thanks, Anne Lurie Raleigh, NC "MLF" wrote in message ... I've had Wodehouse toads "orgying" every year by my pond (http://www.desertusa.com/mag99/aug/papr/wtoad.html). The brick sides on the pond have always kept them out, but I believe this year one pair must have made it past the castle walls. I have hundreds of tadpoles, all small and black and not identifiable as to species. They may be frogs for all I know. Down here in New Orleans there are so many types of critters around they could be anything. The koi don't seem interested in nibbling them either. Does anyone know the "attrition" rate of tadpoles to toads? I hate the idea of culling the masses, but I can't deal with so many, and neither can the pond filter. How many will make it to froghood? Michael Fermanis New Orleans, Louisiana USA (Remove the RICE to reply) ================================================== =========== |
#4
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Tadpoles and Frogs/Toads
Do
goldfish eat tadpoles? ~ yes Would a frog eat toad tadpoles? ~ not as likely to, they taste bad. However, the next day, there were no tadpoles to be found. What happened to them? ~ probably eaten. Tadpoles are snack food for lots of critters. Dragon and damselfly nymphs, any number of other aquatic insect larva, snakes, bullfrogs, fishing spiders, water skeeters, fish, birds. Newly hatched tadpoles will spend all their time clinging to surfaces under the water absorbing their yolk sacks, so they kind of disappear for a while. k30a |
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