# The mysterious skinny-tadpole problem



## ETwomey (Jul 22, 2004)

Let me run down the case: 5 galactonotus tadpoles of approximately the same size were living in a 2 gallon aquarium. At one point I noticed that some tadpoles were getting picked on, and the water was getting a little fuzzy, so I separated all the tadpoles out into mason jars. Two of the tadpoles still look normally plump, but three of them are fattest at the head, and their body tapers skinnier until their tail base. They are still active and don't float at the surface. I have been feeding them regular amounts, but the water seems to become unusually stinky, so I have had to change almost half of it every other day (with spring water). Any thoughts on what is wrong here? Thanks!

Evan


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## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

Hmmm... not sure.

But I know someone warned you to raise them separately!

I had noticed predation going on in them also.

s


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## Dunner97074 (Sep 19, 2004)

As far a tadpoles are concerned I'm no expert but in my aquaculture class at URI we reared salmon. Similar situation occured. I would venture it's a bacteria problem. Chances are if the tads aren't showing ill affects yet they will unless treated. With what? I don't recall. But the smell is either the bacteria, or too much waste most likely both. Again I'm trying to bridge my experience from salmonid aquaculture to frogs so I may be waaaay off, but it's a start.


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## Shockfrog (Apr 14, 2004)

I used to have a similar problem with my tads, not just of one species but all the species I breed (epipedobates). I've been trying to find out what could be wrong with the water, measured just about everything I could measure but never found anything that could be wrong. (so maybe bacteria were the problem)
When I finally put all the tadpoles on RO-water all the problems where over in a matter of days. Not sure my tads that where allready skinny survived as I keep them with hundreds in tanks, but the skinny tads never appeared again.
Survival rate from 10% had gone up to 90% just by switching to RO-water

I probably lost about 4 or 500 tads before I solved this problem.  

Greetings Remco


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## steelcube (Mar 17, 2004)

Not an expert, but I'd move the tadpoles to new containers filled with new water and continue doing so when the smell re-occurs... 

If they were mine, I'd experiment with fish medications/water additives that have worked wonder when I used to breed fish.


_edited for grammar and readability (is that a word?)  _


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## andersonii85 (Feb 8, 2004)

Evan,

I would greatly advise you on keeping your tads separate. Most tads release growth inhibitors into the water, which stunts the growth of the siblings. Try switching over to either RO water, or even try a tadpole tea mix. When i switched my water over to the tea it inhibited a lot of the bacterial growth. 

Justin


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## Guest (Oct 3, 2004)

Justin,

A short time ago i remember looking at a site about this guy in japan or some far eastern country, who reared his tads in the same enclosures and allowed them to set up their own territories. How did this work, woth growth inhibitors in the water?


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## Guest (Oct 3, 2004)

I keep my P. bicolor, E.tricolor and P. vittatus tads in one tank. 
I know from the dendrobates, that most tads most be keeped in separately tanks. I really don't know anyone here in europe that don't do this.

Can anyone explain wat the meaning of RO water? (osmose water?)

greetings
Thorsten


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## Arklier (Mar 1, 2004)

Reverse Osmosis. It's a method of purifying the water. 

Here's a link that explains the process:

http://science.howstuffworks.com/question29.htm

People also used distilled water, and there's kind of a raging debate going on over which is better that fires up now and then. Distilled water is water that's been boiled and then recondensed as steam. It gets rid of all the salts, bacteria, and heavy metals, but not other stuff.


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## Guest (Oct 3, 2004)

ok, thats what I'm using.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

*inhibitors*

Release of inhibitors by tadpoles has not been proven in all species of anuran studied (as far as I know) but it is a wide spread phenomena. The amount of effect that the inhibitors create is dependent on the density of the tadpoles (more tads means a higher concentration of inhibitor).
Skinny tads are not usually a sign of inhibitors, small and late maturing tads would make me suspect the release of inhibitors more. 

One of the items that has been debated in a couple of papers is the effect of Prototheca (Anurofeca) in tadpoles inhibiting the ability of the tadpole to absorb nutrients. Most of the reports have indicated that this is more of a problem in tads reared in captive conditions. 

Some thoughts

Ed


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