# Azureus tadpoles are dying



## OmerFriedman (Mar 29, 2010)

Hi

So my azureus pair started laying eggs every few weeks. I had made a tad tea using some leaves from a pear tree (a local breeder gave them to me). When the 3 tads hatched (22 days after laying, I decided to cut them free), I had already ordered HBH tad food but 3 days after they hatched, the food still hadn't arrived. Since they had no food, except for some detritus from the tad tea at the bottom of their containers, I was scared they might starve so I put a dead fruit fly in one of their containers as an experiment (suggested by somebody at Easy Bay Vivarium in Berkeley, CA). The next day, the tadpole was dead (now I was down to 2 left) - I figured it was either random, because of the fly, or because of starvation. I was skeptical that it was because of the fly because I figured that in nature, these guys are living in small pools of water that must have a bunch of random things dropping in (including insects). 

Nonetheless, I decided to cover the containers so that flies wouldn't drop in. Despite this, a few days later I noticed that one of the remaining two tads had some dead flies floating at the top. I didn't want a repeat of the first tadpole's death so I decided to change it's water. I went back to my stock of tadpole tea and noticed it was moldy (confused...) so instead I took some water out of the other tadpole's container and used it for the tadpole with the flies floating at the top. The next day - BOTH of them were dead. 

I'm kind of confused as to what I'm doing wrong. I have 2 more clutches waiting to hatch and I don't want to mess it up this time. I guess, here are my questions:

1. Am I doing something wrong with the tad tea? Any suggestions on a specific recipe - types of leaves, amount of leaves/water, desired pH, etc?

2. How is my tad tea molding? I thought the whole point of the tad tea was to reduce the pH to inhibit microbial growth...

3. How much HBH tad food should I be feeding them? I was giving them 1 pellet/tadpole/day and when I cleaned out their containers, I noticed there were some uneaten ones. 

4. How did they die? If anybody can give me some tips on how to avoid this again that would be great. 


Thanks in advance for your help...


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## Woodsman (Jan 3, 2008)

Hi Omer,

D. tinctorius tadpoles are pretty fragile when they first hatch. I generally let them rest for several days (up to a week) before feeding them a TINY amount of Spirulina algae. I think some people make the mistake of overfeeding small tadpoles and keeping them in water that is too deep (no more than 1/2" to start).

You can use aged tap water for the tadpoles. I don't use any water additives ("tea" or Almond leaves) and make water changes every other week now. I've been raising Azureus and other tinctorius tads this way for 13 years and have about 500 tadpoles going at any one time.

Good luck with them, Richard.


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## OmerFriedman (Mar 29, 2010)

Thanks for the response!

I was using tad tea because my eggs kept on molding (happens less since I started using the tea). I will try using the aged tap water. What do you keep your tads in? I have these syringe containers that I was using (apparently with way too much water) - basically plastic tubes. 

Do start with the algae and then move on to other food?


Thanks again
Omer


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

If you are having problems with the eggs molding then there are a number of things to work down the list of potential issues. The first step is to look at the supplements and nutritional status of the adults. 

If your tadpoles are taking too long to develop and hatch, you should also look at incubation temperatures/conditions. If your cutting the tadpoles loose that means something isn't working correctly as the tadpoles once they are mature enough begin to secrete enzymes which digest the egg membranes allowing the tadpoles to escape the egg. 

Depending on the source of the humic acids in your tadpole tea, there may be not enough or there may be too much in the way of organics that the fungus can grow on (or it can be a different type of fungus (make a pot of strong tea and cover it over and let it sit at room temperature after about four days you will get fungal growths on the surface and microbial/fungal blobs (clear jelly like materials) on the bottom and sides of the container). Humic acids like those in tadpole tea help reduce infection by a couple of groups of fungi that are the main pathogens of eggs and tadpoles (Saprolegnia and Achyla ssp) but it doesn't stop all types of fungi. see for example http://www.bioremedies.org/pdf/Applications of Humic and fulvic acids in aquaculture.pdf 

Ed


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## jbherpin (Oct 16, 2009)

It sounds like you overfed the pellets and soured the water. If you were feeding every day 1 pellet and noticed a few left uneaten... Mistakes happen. I would go with the suggested aged tap water with an oak leaf in it to provide some cover and also an alt food source if the tad wants.

JBear


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## Taron (Sep 23, 2009)

Agreed sounds sounds like overfeeding

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## momkris (Jul 27, 2011)

I agree with Ed. I would start at the beginning. Does 22 days not sound like along time to have a tadpole still in its egg? If your pulling eggs then I would check temps of where they are being kept and then look into supplements your giving the adults. Also Ive never heard of using pear tree leaves. Not saying you cant but maybe try switching to an oak leaf or even better an almond leaf.
I boil a gallon of tap water with an almond leaf in it. Let cool and remove the leaf and its ready. I then tear the leaf up and add small pieces to 8oz containers of "tea". After I add the tadpole I wait 3-4 days before feeding. Then he gets a pinch of spirulina. After that One tad bite every 3 days and spirulina one time a week for the first 4 weeks and then I dont use it anymore. As water evaporates I add to it. I dont change the water and they do fine. Good luck to you. It all just takes practice and sometimes trial and error.


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## OmerFriedman (Mar 29, 2010)

Wow thanks for all the help! I'll try some of the tips and see how it goes!

Omer


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## OmerFriedman (Mar 29, 2010)

One more question - where is a good place to get spirulina - is it the same stuff used as a dietary supplement?

Should it be alone or a spirulina/chlorella mix?


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