# 73 day old azureus tadpoles.



## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

I have 3 that are 73 days old, ( from eggs ) and I have 1 that is 53 days old. The older ones have rear legs, and no front legs. No color change, and I cant really see eyes that well, yet. Any idea how long usually until I should worry about making a temporary set up for them to emerge from the water? How fast do the front legs emerge? 


I did some reading, but I'm hoping you can give me some personal experience. 


Thanks a ton!


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## mtolypetsupply (Dec 18, 2008)

Now, I'm pretty much a noob, but here's my experience. 

I got 5 auratus tads with back legs in December, '09. The breeder estimated I had a few weeks at least, possible 6-8 weeks, until they morphed out. The first one came out of the water in about a week and a half, and the last was out of the water before the end of December. When I got them, the ones out first, they had bulges where the front legs would be, however, the last one out didn't have any bulges.

I did water changes every time it got "poopy" in their deli cup, flushing it with spring water. Just fed them some food the breeder gave me with them, apparently a spirulina blend. 

I moved them into small shoeboxes with wet sphagnum, tilted on an angle, after they started coloring up and looking a little more frog-like than tad like. I kept them in their individual boxes of wet sphagnum until they were all morphed and ready to go in the viv, and put them all in at once. I now have 5 auratus, definitely 4.1, visually probably 3.2, and at 8 mos. old, they've just produced a second clutch of eggs. Again, I'm not sure if I have more than one female, as it could be just one in there. I know I have one, because I have eggs. I guess I have males as well, because the eggs at least begin to develop. (unfertilized eggs won't start to develop, right?)

Like I said, I'm a noob, so what I did/do might garner criticism from the more experienced keepers here. Listen to them, not me, but at least take my experience as proof that one can "Forrest Gump" their way through and do okay, sometimes. 

It can't hurt to be prepared early for your tads to morph. 

Best of luck with them!!!!


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## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

Thanks a ton, any other personal experience would be great!


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## jubjub47 (Sep 9, 2008)

Typically you'll see the tads color up after the back legs pop. Are the back legs fully developed? You should see the bumps for the front legs at some point. Typically you'll get a leg pop in a week of so after that. You have plenty of time to get morphing containers ready. Just watch for the front leg bumps. Usually the tad will be mostly colored up by the time the front legs pop.


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## The_Greg (Sep 10, 2007)

mtolypetsupply said:


> Now, I'm pretty much a noob, but here's my experience.
> 
> I got 5 auratus tads with back legs in December, '09....


December '09 hasnt happened yet


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## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

I held the container to the light today and there's a dark dark blue hue so I'm assuming they're moving along fine. I just have to let them be and we'll see how it goes from there. I'll post some pictures tomorrow.


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## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

How much for that froglet Nick?


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## mtolypetsupply (Dec 18, 2008)

The_Greg said:


> December '09 hasnt happened yet


Sorry, been a rough couple of days, 

December '08...


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## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

Front legs just popped out on 1, still waiting for the other 2. I'm assuming I should get them into the half land / half water tank now? The colors are coming in great now, also.  How long until they emerge from the water once they get front legs, usually?


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## stingfrog (Apr 1, 2007)

Once their front legs pop move them to their "morphing tub" - half land half water with spaghnum. At that point quit feeding them as they will live off of the nutrients they obsorbe from their tail. When they have lost their tail move them to their land environment with springtails as first food. Generally when they have obsorbed their tails and are ready to be moved they will be climbing up the sides of their morphing tub literally.


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## shockingelk (May 14, 2008)

I've had good fortune with leuc tads just keeping them in 16 oz cups until their front legs are developed. I've also put them in a shallow 15G tank and took them out once they started clinging to the side. I moved offspring from the most recent clutch to the tank before the hind legs came out - and I believe they cannibalized each other as I put three in and only one came out. In the future, I won't move species prone to cannibalism into a communal territory until their hind legs are well developed.


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