Use Filters for Bullfrog Tadpoles with Caution

[Ichthyostega]

This morning, I found my bullfrog tadpole stuck to the filter of his tank. At first, I thought he was dead. But his mouth was still moving. I unplugged the filter and he came off. He didn't move, but when I nudged him a bit with my net, he swam away. Quite luckily, he is still alive.

So I am here to remind you guys that filters could pose a risk for bullfrog tadpoles. You can still use filters, but be careful. If you are protective of your tadpoles, then you are going to have to scoop them out and dump the water manually and fill it back up, followed with a drop of bio-boost for naturalizing the water. But then again, small fish get stuck to filters from time to time, even though they are widely used...

Though slightly unrelated, my tadpole seems thin. Well, not that thin, but he isn't pudgy like many other tadpoles I see. Am I not feeding him right, or is he just fine and I'm mistaken? He has fully grown his posterior limbs by the way, and his anterior limbs are just beginning to grow (they are tiny bumps right now).

 

[Hardwarehank]

I don't have any experience rearing tadpoles but I would like to suggest a sponge filter for filtration. They provide mechanical and biological filtration without the heat and excessive suction/flow of electric-driven filters.

 

[vincent]

Hi I found this method woked for me when raising big tadpoles ,an undergravel filter with a power head attached, big tadpoles make big mess, once they got their front legs starting to show put in a seperate tank with shallow water and an air stone and a piece of sponge cut so it slopes and your frogs get out. Sadly we can't get bull frog tadpoles in England any more

 

[Ichthyostega]

Sponge filters eh? What do they look like, and where can you get them?

 

[Hardwarehank]

They come in all sorts of varieties(very DIY), basically it's a sponge with a rigid tube in the middle of it. The tube has holes drilled into it along the length to allow water to flow through. An airhose is placed into the tube. As the air is pumped into the tube it forces the water up the tube creating a vacuum which draws water into the sponge causing suction.

 

[Jennewt]

Sponge filters eh? What do they look like, and where can you get them?

http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/filters.shtml
There are many other types besides the one pictured.
I also recommend box filters.

 

[clintosaur]

Odd. I have a repti clear 250 filter with my tadpoles, and they do get sucked up, but easily swim out. In fact, they always just lounge there. My filter also has adjustable flow, and its on low, so if you got an adjustable flow, I don't think it would be a problem, if they are at least 3 inches from snout to tail tip.

 

[FRANCOIS]

This morning, I found my bullfrog tadpole stuck to the filter of his tank. At first, I thought he was dead. But his mouth was still moving. I unplugged the filter and he came off. He didn't move, but when I nudged him a bit with my net, he swam away. Quite luckily, he is still alive.

So I am here to remind you guys that filters could pose a risk for bullfrog tadpoles. You can still use filters, but be careful. If you are protective of your tadpoles, then you are going to have to scoop them out and dump the water manually and fill it back up, followed with a drop of bio-boost for naturalizing the water. But then again, small fish get stuck to filters from time to time, even though they are widely used...

Though slightly unrelated, my tadpole seems thin. Well, not that thin, but he isn't pudgy like many other tadpoles I see. Am I not feeding him right, or is he just fine and I'm mistaken? He has fully grown his posterior limbs by the way, and his anterior limbs are just beginning to grow (they are tiny bumps right now).

Hello, I have raised tadpoles before all the way to morphing into frogs. Some morph smaller than others, I would not worry too much about the fact some are smaller than others. Add some clean lettuce to the tank if you are not already doing so and they will spend their time eating it!

 

[Emily1]

I agree with the sponge filter if you are concerned about the tadpoles getting stuck.
I myself have raised bullfrog tadpoles with success. some are always smaller than others.
When they started getting legs I offered a small amount of bloodworms (like the frozen cubes are fine) as well as blanched vegetables and algae wafers.

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