# Eggs Ahoy!



## BBJ (Feb 26, 2010)

Exciting day here

My group of Leucomelas have produced a clutch of 8 eggs! This clutch appears pretty good to me, they have produced some "goop" before, and i assume it is because they have just reached sexual maturity and need to practice a bit first 

Anyway, i have removed the eggs from the enclosure since i suspect that some of the other females are eating the eggs.

I have added a tiny bit of water to the petri dish, i used springwater with a tiny bit of rooibus tea extract following some guidelines i read somewhere on the forum here.

Then i put the dish into a plastic container with a few holes in in, some water in the bottom to keep a good humidity, and placed that on top of the vivarium to get some warmth from the lighting.

So, this being my first time dealing with eggs - does this sound right to you guys? And do you think the eggs look viable?

Pictures:


















Regards, Bjorn


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## Redhead87xc (Jan 27, 2010)

Congrats. That clutch looks great. I don't think they could be any darker, which is great that they are dark colored. Sounds like you got everything right except for adding some Methynol Blue to the water solution you put into the petri dish. It prevents mold and other bacterias from taking over the eggs. It is not a must but it will definitely help with keeping the eggs good. Just make sure the eggs are not flooded with water and not completely dry.


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## BBJ (Feb 26, 2010)

Thanks!

I added the rooibus tea extract for that very reason, since it acts as a natural mold inhibitor, hopefully i wont have any trouble with mold.

I try to avoid chemicals whenever possible.

Regards, Bjorn


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## WendySHall (Aug 31, 2010)

Congrats! They look great!

I do the same thing...I use Indian Almond leaves to make the tea. I've never heard of rooibus tea extract.

Just wanted to say be careful that the eggs don't get too warm from the viv lights. I learned that one the hard way and lost several clutches before I figured it out.  I just keep mine on the top shelf of my rack now and it seems to be working for me.


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## BBJ (Feb 26, 2010)

Thanks for the tip, i will have to check up on how warm it gets up there. It does not feel like it would be too warm.

I am just worried that room temperature would be too cold for the eggs?
That would be 66-69 degrees.

The rooibus tea is a herbal tea from South Africa, with good antimold properties.
I hear several froggers have had success with it.


Regards, Bjorn


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## JeremyHuff (Apr 22, 2008)

Rooibos is a bush from South Africa, not Tea. It is often sold in the US as African Red Bush tea. I think Starbucks might even have it.


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## BBJ (Feb 26, 2010)

*Development*

The eggs appear to be developing, i was a bit worried that they were turning bad. But now it actually seems like they are all developing.


















This is after approximately 5 days.

Very exciting to watch it unfold, i am keeping my fingers crossed 

Regards,
Bjorn


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## Tadbit (Jul 16, 2010)

Nice! 

Keep us updated with those good looking pics.


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## Colleen53 (Jan 19, 2009)

Great pics!! Please keep us updated. I have a pair that just started to bred, but the eggs are not good yet. I hear it does take a few times. Can't wait for mine to look like yours.


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## BBJ (Feb 26, 2010)

Thank you

I will be posting more pictures as they develop, hopefully into some beautiful tadpoles and later froglets, rather than yucky goo 



Colleen53 said:


> Great pics!! Please keep us updated. I have a pair that just started to bred, but the eggs are not good yet. I hear it does take a few times. Can't wait for mine to look like yours.


Good luck with it, mine actually got the hang of it pretty quickly, they did produce a bit of "egg goo" the first few times, and now this.
I was very surprised myself!
Hope yours get going soon 

Regards,
Bjorn


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## PeanutbuttER (Jan 1, 2011)

JeremyHuff said:


> Rooibos is a bush from South Africa, not Tea. It is often sold in the US as African Red Bush tea. I think Starbucks might even have it.


How is that not tea? I've had it many times in a couple different countries and that's what it has always been sold to me as. Never heard of anyone using it for tadpole tea though..


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## BBJ (Feb 26, 2010)

PeanutbuttER said:


> How is that not tea? I've had it many times in a couple different countries and that's what it has always been sold to me as. Never heard of anyone using it for tadpole tea though..


It's because Rooibus "tea" is not made from the actual teaplant Camellia sinensis or any of its subspecies, and as such is in fact not a "tea" per say.

But the term tea is most often used anyway, it is the same case with chamomile tea and all other herbal teas and so forth.

In regards to using it as a tadpole tea, it appears to be working nicely. I have often used a Rooibus extract to treat or ward against fungal/mold infections, particularly with salamanders/newts and it does work well.
There is also some mention of it on these boards if you do a search.


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## BBJ (Feb 26, 2010)

*Update*

The eggs are doing good, and developing.
Today i observed some movement in the developing tadpoles, they wiggle a bit occasionally.

*Day 6:*

















*Day 7:*

















So, all seems to be well.

Once these tadpoles hatch i will be conducting a bit of research of my own, i have been studying the various methods people use to raise their tads, and i have come to the conclusion ... that i need to draw my own conclusion 

So, upon hatching i will raise half of the tadpoles the "normal" way, at least my impression is that most people use this method. Namely the individual tadpole in a cup along with a bit of indian almond and javamoss.

The other half will be raised communally in a "swampy" tank i have set up.
It looks like so:

















I will not be doing any water changes here, while in the cups i will be doing 1-2 per week.
The water for both is springwater heated to exactly 75 degrees so i can dismiss temperature as the reason for differing growth rates.
They will be offered the same food items.

During the process i will take notes and photographs of the development in order to compare the two methods when it comes to speed of development, size when morphing along with mortality rate and the general "state" of the froglets when they come out.

I know this will not be anything definitive or even new, but it will determine how i will be raising tadpoles in the future. And who knows, perhaps it may prove to be useful information to some 

I will be starting a new thread once the little "experiment" kicks off.

Regards,
Bjorn


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## Colleen53 (Jan 19, 2009)

Good thread/research you are conducting. Always great to see the development of different ways to raise tadpoles. Let us know the "new thread" when you start it.


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## BBJ (Feb 26, 2010)

So, the eggs have hatched and i am commencing my little experiment in this thread:

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/br...l-vs-communal-tadpole-raising-experiment.html



Regards,
Bjorn


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