# Tinctorius F1 Sipaliwini eggs not hatching



## Imperialterrib (Sep 3, 2013)

Hi Everybody,

My Tinctorius F1 Sipaliwini dart frogs are laying eggs every week, the only problem is the eggs never hatch. I've only gotten 4 tadpoles altogether with 2 already developing into juveniles. The eggs develop into tadpoles and then the tadpoles can't escape the gel to hatch so is this problem occurring possibly due to a vitamin A deficiency?; even though I dust the parents flies once a week. The Vitamin A might be old though so I might need to order a new bottle.


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## CAPTAIN RON (Mar 29, 2010)

Once the tadpoles body has straightened out-no longer c shaped,but still has gel around tad,i carefully cut gel away with a ridgid thin pc.of plastic and take a pc. of paper towell and dab up the get.Once gel is removed ,spray a bit of water on tads.I shine a light under petri dish and look down on tads to see if i got all of gel from them.If ok i fill the petri dish with enough water so tads are submerged,then make up individual 16 oz cups to distribute them to.Good luck!
Ron


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## Imperialterrib (Sep 3, 2013)

Thanks Ron, I am thinking about just sucking them out of the gel with a turkey baster in the future when I know they are old enough to be moved to a 16 Oz container


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## joneill809 (Feb 25, 2012)

I would consider factors like you are doing with supplementation before cutting open eggs. Here's one post from Ed on the subject:
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/br...reak-out-their-gel-when-ready.html#post771965



> I would suggest not cutting out tadpoles since if they can't hatch on thier own, it indicates some issues with the tadpole. Hatching is accomplished by the secretion of enzymes from a specialized gland that dissolve the egg wall allowing the tadpole to free itself. If a tadpole cannot free itself, then there is probably something wrong with the enzymes, or the gland... This is a potential source of frogs that cannot reproduce on thier own in captivity...
> 
> some comments
> 
> Ed


It's worth considering how genetically limited the captive stock may be (eg true sips, whether they are NAIB or 2012 animals). I would want to introduce the most viable offspring for those lines that I can. Just a thought. Good luck!


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## Imperialterrib (Sep 3, 2013)

I figured out the problem, the parent werent getting enough vitamin A so problem is solved, the eggs are hatching now.


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

Imperialterrib said:


> I figured out the problem, the parent werent getting enough vitamin A so problem is solved, the eggs are hatching now.


It might be helpful to future members/searchers if can you tell us what you did to resolve the problem in a bit more detail. I'm pretty curious too...


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## MasterT (Jun 7, 2016)

Also now following for science. GOod job fixing it though!!


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## Imperialterrib (Sep 3, 2013)

I used to dust the fruit flies in a regiment of once every 2 weeks with vitamin A, now it is done more frequently. Once every 2 weeks dusting didn't work. Still there is a high mortality rate of eggs that don't make it to tadpole stage.


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## Imperialterrib (Sep 3, 2013)

Because of the high mortality rate, I will try Ron's idea as well


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Imperialterrib said:


> I used to dust the fruit flies in a regiment of once every 2 weeks with vitamin A, now it is done more frequently. Once every 2 weeks dusting didn't work. Still there is a high mortality rate of eggs that don't make it to tadpole stage.


Could still easily be due to nutritional issues. 

Some comments 

Ed


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

the farm where I live has well water...and I found it difficult to culture ffs...and wonder whether you might want to try RO water or as I do--distilled water...and perhaps Ed or someone more qualified than I (still a noob as far as frog health issues...) could suggest black water, or something else to perhaps increase your chances of a good clutch....keep us posted!

my suggestion is really from desperation I guess....


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## Imperialterrib (Sep 3, 2013)

Hi Judy,

I use distilled water with blackwater extract mixed in. I think another problem I had with the eggs not morphing out was I wasn't pulling the infertile eggs and I wasn't seperating them from the fertile eggs.


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

when you read some of the older posts...there is debate about whether you have to remove the infertile eggs or not....I'm with the "remove" movement....


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Imperialterrib said:


> Hi Judy,
> 
> I use distilled water with blackwater extract mixed in. I think another problem I had with the eggs not morphing out was I wasn't pulling the infertile eggs and I wasn't seperating them from the fertile eggs.


If the eggs are healthy there shouldn't be any issues due to the infertile eggs in the clutch. One of the risks with pulling bad eggs is that you can actually stimulate early hatching in the tadpoles. As a trial I was able to induce early hatching (3-4 days) in tinctorius and auratus by simply spraying the eggs heavily with a hand held plant spray bottle. The tadpoles would emerge before they absorbed the blood vessels that allow for enahanced respiration in the egg. Of course this significantly increased mortality post emergence. 

I would still suggest considering nutritional issues as it can take a number of months for nutritional reserves to meet demands. 

some comments 

Ed


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