# Help! Bloated Pumilio Tad!



## plant_geek (Apr 10, 2009)

So I was checking on my basti tank- they have at least 2 tad in broms for around a month. I looked in to find what I thought was a dead tad because it was bloated/floating in the bromeliad. I fished it out with a spoon-and was surprised to find it filled with air and still wiggling!! I took a picture quickly before putting him back but am worried about what to do if anything- they're pumilios so mom's doing all the work. I read a little bit about other people with this problem, and someone suggested stopping feeding but I obviously can't. I'm going to the store to get some spring water because I ran out day before yesterday. Could this be a water quality issue? Tad already has back legs so I will be upset if he dies....any help/advise will be appreciated. I will post a pic in a minute.


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## plant_geek (Apr 10, 2009)

Here's a picture....


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

I've had 4 different size "bubble" tads develop just fine - but those were all Tinc and Tinc types, not pums. One or 2 bubbles were at least that big if not bigger and they morphed out fine.

That said.....your particular tad looks very odd. It's developement looks....wrong.

There nothing you can do. I would put it back in the exact same brom and hope for the best. If it is a weak tadpole and doesn't make it, then that's what nature intended. I would not try to "do things" to try to help it. It will almost surely die if you try to do too much.

I do not think that water had anything to do with it's condition.


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## earthfrog (May 18, 2008)

Phil's got a good point, too. 

I lost several tads to the gas bubble disease before I put blackwater extract in their water. Only advice I can give you is to put a drop of blackwater extract in each of the brom axils---there may be waste in there that's causing excess bacterial growth. 

He may recover, or just burst. Sometimes they recover from the addition of blackwater. 

I had ONE tad that held upside down, pushed his tummy very gently towards his rectum (using water to moisten his skin continuously) and somehow the gas ejected from his rectum and he survived--but he was a lucky one and many times they will simply die from trying such a procedure. I don't recommend trying that unless nothing else will work. He wasn't responding to other things if I remember right.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

What supplements have you been using for the adults? 

Ed


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## plant_geek (Apr 10, 2009)

I have been using 'tetrafauna' Reptocal and zoo med 'Reptovite' every feeding. I have been feeding every day or every other day. I also just ordered Repashy supplements- but they won't be here yet for a day or so. I am using 'SpringWater' from the grocery store. I am not familiar with blackwater- what is that and where can I get it?


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Tetra blackwater extract. Used to help create Amazon-biotope environments in aquariums. Many of us use it to add a drop or so to tad water to color it the color of iced tea. Not for the color but for the tannins. Joshs frogs has it.
Doug


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## Jarhead_2016 (Jan 7, 2010)

Or you can make your own but to that i say use the search function i hope everything turns out well with the tad 
-scotty


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

plant_geek said:


> I have been using 'tetrafauna' Reptocal and zoo med 'Reptovite' every feeding. I have been feeding every day or every other day. I also just ordered Repashy supplements- but they won't be here yet for a day or so. I am using 'SpringWater' from the grocery store. I am not familiar with blackwater- what is that and where can I get it?


 
There are a lot of potential causes of ascites (fluid retention) in tadpoles as well as adults... infections, poor water quality, liver and/or kidney failure to name some but not all possible causes. 

One of the ones that should be considered when seeing bloated tadpoles (particularly if you can rule out poor water quality and infection) is that an insufficiency of vitamin A may have caused problems with development.. 

Ed


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## plant_geek (Apr 10, 2009)

Ed- there doesn't seem to be a problem with 'fluid retention'. The tad appears to be literally full of air. Is this the same diagnosis?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

plant_geek said:


> Ed- there doesn't seem to be a problem with 'fluid retention'. The tad appears to be literally full of air. Is this the same diagnosis?


Sorry I was looking at the picture and it looked more fluid filled than air filled. There are a number of potential causes for air retention.. and those include infections (both microbial and parasite), as well as developmental abnormalities. 

Ed


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