I know a lot of you have garden ponds, so wondered if you could answer this
question. Yesterday I discovered approximately 80% of the tadpoles in my
pond had died - they were all floating just under the surface. It was
strange they had all died at once I thought. The pond is new and has few
plants in it, but is reasonably clear. It has lots of those tiny floating
green leaves on the surface and one bunch of goldfish weed dropped in. It
was definitely over populated with the tads and I think there would have
been a lack of food. We have had very heavy downpours over the last few
days, could this have contributed - hammering down on the surface? As far as
I know, there is no chance the pond could have had chemicals washed into it
from the land.

Thanks.

"anne" wrote in message
...
I know a lot of you have garden ponds, so wondered if you could answer
this
question. Yesterday I discovered approximately 80% of the tadpoles in my
pond had died - they were all floating just under the surface. It was
strange they had all died at once I thought. The pond is new and has few
plants in it, but is reasonably clear. It has lots of those tiny floating
green leaves on the surface and one bunch of goldfish weed dropped in. It
was definitely over populated with the tads and I think there would have
been a lack of food. We have had very heavy downpours over the last few
days, could this have contributed - hammering down on the surface? As far
as
I know, there is no chance the pond could have had chemicals washed into
it
from the land.

Thanks.


Did you fertilise the lawn with some sort of weed & feed recently (as a
source of chemicals?). I agree it seems strange they all died at once, but
at this stage I suppose they will still be vegetarian so eating each other
wouldnt be an option if there was no natural food, so if its a brand new
pond with no algae and no other natural food, they might have starved to
death. And as they all were 'born' at the same time I suppose they might all
die at the same time as well.
--
Tumbleweed

Remove my socks for email address

.. The pond is new and has few
plants in it, but is reasonably clear. It has lots of those tiny floating
green leaves on the surface


That sounds like a form of oxygen depriving pond weed, if it has small 3
leaves.
Could be that, could be viral.
S

"Tumbleweed" wrote in message
. ..

"anne" wrote in message
...
I know a lot of you have garden ponds, so wondered if you could
answer
this
question. Yesterday I discovered approximately 80% of the tadpoles
in my
pond had died - they were all floating just under the surface. It
was
strange they had all died at once I thought. The pond is new and
has few
plants in it, but is reasonably clear. It has lots of those tiny
floating
green leaves on the surface and one bunch of goldfish weed dropped
in. It
was definitely over populated with the tads and I think there
would have
been a lack of food. We have had very heavy downpours over the
last few
days, could this have contributed - hammering down on the surface?
As far
as
I know, there is no chance the pond could have had chemicals
washed into
it
from the land.

Thanks.


Did you fertilise the lawn with some sort of weed & feed recently
(as a
source of chemicals?). I agree it seems strange they all died at
once, but
at this stage I suppose they will still be vegetarian so eating each
other
wouldnt be an option if there was no natural food, so if its a brand
new
pond with no algae and no other natural food, they might have
starved to
death. And as they all were 'born' at the same time I suppose they
might all
die at the same time as well.

The thing I find strange is that the frogs chose to lay eggs in a pond
with no (or little) vegetation.
'Just don't seem natural. Predators, like moorhens or water shrews
would have scoffed the bodies.
Heavy rain should just have encouraged them to swim deeper.
How about lack of oxygen? If there were no (or not enough) oxygenating
plants and no flowing water, the pond would have been virtually
stagnant and the taddies would quickly have used up whatever residual
oxygen there originally was.

Whatever the cause, scoop out as many of the bodies as possible,
before they decompose and add to the problem.

--
ned

On 4/30/04 6:49 AM, in article , "anne"
wrote:

I know a lot of you have garden ponds, so wondered if you could answer this
question. Yesterday I discovered approximately 80% of the tadpoles in my
pond had died - they were all floating just under the surface. It was
strange they had all died at once I thought. The pond is new and has few
plants in it, but is reasonably clear. It has lots of those tiny floating
green leaves on the surface and one bunch of goldfish weed dropped in. It
was definitely over populated with the tads and I think there would have
been a lack of food. We have had very heavy downpours over the last few
days, could this have contributed - hammering down on the surface? As far as
I know, there is no chance the pond could have had chemicals washed into it
from the land.

Thanks.


I can't say I know much about this problem if only to tell a story.
I one day noticed a lady walking beside a ditch at the Albion Ferry in
Fort Langley, BC. I was waiting for the ferry and it was a long wait.
I like company so approached her and after exchanging pleasantries I
asked her "What are you doing?" "Well, she said "the tadpoles are still
living. And that is a good thing" I was interested and asked her "Why is
that a good thing?" "Well" she said "the tadpoles are the..." and now I
can't remember for sure what her words were but I think she meant all is
well in the environment because if something is wrong the tadpoles die.
'My' tadpoles were living in stagnant water...oxygen wasn't a problem
for them. Why 'your tadpoles' died is a mystery to me. Tell me that it was a
lack of oxygen!
Gary
Fort Langley BC
Canada

ned wrote in message
...

"Tumbleweed" wrote in message
. ..

"anne" wrote in message
...
I know a lot of you have garden ponds, so wondered if you could
answer
this
question. Yesterday I discovered approximately 80% of the tadpoles
in my
pond had died - they were all floating just under the surface. It
was
strange they had all died at once I thought. The pond is new and
has few
plants in it, but is reasonably clear. It has lots of those tiny
floating
green leaves on the surface and one bunch of goldfish weed dropped
in. It
was definitely over populated with the tads and I think there
would have
been a lack of food. We have had very heavy downpours over the
last few
days, could this have contributed - hammering down on the surface?
As far
as
I know, there is no chance the pond could have had chemicals
washed into
it
from the land.

Thanks.


Did you fertilise the lawn with some sort of weed & feed recently
(as a
source of chemicals?). I agree it seems strange they all died at
once, but
at this stage I suppose they will still be vegetarian so eating each
other
wouldnt be an option if there was no natural food, so if its a brand
new
pond with no algae and no other natural food, they might have
starved to
death. And as they all were 'born' at the same time I suppose they
might all
die at the same time as well.

The thing I find strange is that the frogs chose to lay eggs in a pond
with no (or little) vegetation.
'Just don't seem natural. Predators, like moorhens or water shrews
would have scoffed the bodies.
Heavy rain should just have encouraged them to swim deeper.
How about lack of oxygen? If there were no (or not enough) oxygenating
plants and no flowing water, the pond would have been virtually
stagnant and the taddies would quickly have used up whatever residual
oxygen there originally was.

Whatever the cause, scoop out as many of the bodies as possible,
before they decompose and add to the problem.

--
ned

Thanks all for the theories. No, I haven't used any chemicals or feed at
all, so it must be a food/oxygen problem. I was surprised to find them
spawning in the pond, because at that time there was nothing in it at all,
except the water of course. The green floating leaves were taken from an old
leaky water tank and are multiplying like crazy. I was hoping this was
helping create oxygen and a better balance, but what do I know. I think the
frogs are a bit dumb around here as they spawned in the tank aswell - the
froglets won't have much chance of getting out. I've put a plank of wood in
there but the gradient looks too steep. Anyway, as for the pond, I've
scooped out a lot of the bodies and will be adding some more plants this
weekend. There's still a few tads swimming around ok.

In article ,
says...
I know a lot of you have garden ponds, so wondered if you could answer this
question. Yesterday I discovered approximately 80% of the tadpoles in my
pond had died - they were all floating just under the surface. It was
strange they had all died at once I thought. The pond is new and has few
plants in it, but is reasonably clear. It has lots of those tiny floating
green leaves on the surface and one bunch of goldfish weed dropped in. It
was definitely over populated with the tads and I think there would have
been a lack of food. We have had very heavy downpours over the last few
days, could this have contributed - hammering down on the surface? As far as
I know, there is no chance the pond could have had chemicals washed into it
from the land.

Thanks.

Fish often die in a garden pond in a thundestorm, so maybe the same
applies to tadpoles. If 80% are dead and 20% are not only alive but
perfectly well and happy, then you can't really blame oxygen, food, or
poisons. It had to be something sudden. Or maybe it's a genetic defect
that didn't do anything until the say they tried to grow a leg bud or
something. If you can stretch to saying it was 75% instead of 80% then
that could tie in with various genetic statistics.

anne1/5/04 1:51
snipThe green floating leaves were taken from an old
leaky water tank and are multiplying like crazy. I was hoping this was
helping create oxygen and a better balance, but what do I know. I think the
frogs are a bit dumb around here as they spawned in the tank aswell - the
froglets won't have much chance of getting out. I've put a plank of wood in
there but the gradient looks too steep. Anyway, as for the pond, I've
scooped out a lot of the bodies and will be adding some more plants this
weekend. There's still a few tads swimming around ok.

My chemistry/biology is nil but wouldn't the leaves be causing an imbalance
in the oxygenation of the pond? If it's any help to you, we have a little
island built out from one corner of our pond in which boggy plants grow. At
spawning time, it's always got some water in the lower corner of it and
toads spawn there very happily.

--

Sacha
(remove the weeds to email me)