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Tadpole care

15K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  SolaceTiger 
#1 ·
I set up a 10 gallon terrarium for my 4 year old son. We plan to raise a Tadpole so that my son can watch it evolve into a frog. Any experience in this are?

10 gallon aquarium; 4 gallons of water; Rock and driftwood for dry land; 1/2 shaded, 1/2 light; 9watt 10,000 k and 9w actinic bulbs; sponge filter with air pump.

Random thoughts? Experience? Advice?
 
#2 ·
Pasfur said:
I set up a 10 gallon terrarium for my 4 year old son. We plan to raise a Tadpole so that my son can watch it evolve into a frog. Any experience in this are?

10 gallon aquarium; 4 gallons of water; Rock and driftwood for dry land; 1/2 shaded, 1/2 light; 9watt 10,000 k and 9w actinic bulbs; sponge filter with air pump.

Random thoughts? Experience? Advice?
While in the tadpole stage of life, the tank should be full of water. Tadpoles are coldwater, so no heater... Watch for the legs to begin to sprout and then decrease the water level when all 4 legs/feet are visible.
Food is algae... so algae wafers are the most practical food to offer them, but decorations like rock and driftwood will also grow algae that tadpoles will eat.

Most important, keep it very very clean. Tadpoles are waste factories, and their water gets polluted quickly. Dirty water causes burning of the skin, open sores, and bacterial & fungal infections to set in quick.

They're pretty easy and basic if you can meet those needs... you should be good. (oh, and make sure there is a secure cover on the tank before you see legs... they do and will jump out of a tank and it doesn't take but the tiniest of holes for them to escape)
 
#5 ·
If you want to term it that way, call it palidarium growing into terrarium... As tadpoles they are fully aqauatic, also be sure to get a filter and/or air stone in there for it... as adults they are part land part aquatic, depending on the species.
If you post pictures when you get it, maybe we can ID the species so you'll know what to expect. Some stay very small, others grow absolutely huge, and lfs's aren't usally aware of what species the supplier sends them... they are just labeled "tadpoles". Quite often we'd get 2 - 3 species mixed together in one shipment... Knowing what it turns into is important early on, so you can properly provide for it.

Also, don't forget, some frogs are quite vocal... so be prepared for the noise once it's an adult. The last ones I raised with my kids used to keep me up all hours of the night with their chirping and bellowing, and even from the basement, in my 2nd story bedroom it was like a megaphone to my ear! I was happy when we released them in the pond garden.

You should do fine if you remember the basics... clean water, plenty of healthy food, and properly enclosed tank. Tadpoles need to eat almost constant... so water changes will get to be a pain in the butt. To feed them enough it pollutes the water quick, even with a good filter. Green water is a place they would thrive!
 
#6 ·
bettababy said:
If you want to term it that way, call it palidarium growing into terrarium... As tadpoles they are fully aqauatic, also be sure to get a filter and/or air stone in there for it... as adults they are part land part aquatic, depending on the species.
If you post pictures when you get it, maybe we can ID the species so you'll know what to expect. Some stay very small, others grow absolutely huge, and lfs's aren't usally aware of what species the supplier sends them... they are just labeled "tadpoles". Quite often we'd get 2 - 3 species mixed together in one shipment... Knowing what it turns into is important early on, so you can properly provide for it.

Also, don't forget, some frogs are quite vocal... so be prepared for the noise once it's an adult. The last ones I raised with my kids used to keep me up all hours of the night with their chirping and bellowing, and even from the basement, in my 2nd story bedroom it was like a megaphone to my ear! I was happy when we released them in the pond garden.

You should do fine if you remember the basics... clean water, plenty of healthy food, and properly enclosed tank. Tadpoles need to eat almost constant... so water changes will get to be a pain in the butt. To feed them enough it pollutes the water quick, even with a good filter. Green water is a place they would thrive!
i have two and their light tan on top....umm with some spots...welll alot of small spots more like freckles xD and they have a white underbelly its about 3-4inches long xD and 2inches wide xD i feed it everything algea,fish foods xD alot
 
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