# bubble in leuc tad pole killing my tads



## Basketbreaker (Sep 30, 2005)

I have recently lost a couple leuc tadpoles to strange bubbles th at have formed in them. These bubbles seem to be just under the skin but make it very hard to the tads to rest correctly on the bottom. I have also had some tads with the bubble where the bubble has gone away and been none the worse for ware. Does anyone know what is going on or how to fix this?


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## thong_monster (May 6, 2006)

I am used to having fish so my first thoughts would be water parameters. What is the ph like, temps, ammonia lvls, nitrates, nitrites? Maybe water quality is something you might want to take a look at.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

I have seen something similar to this in Smilesca phaeota tadpoles that were due nematode infections. 

Ed


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## defaced (May 23, 2005)

This has been discussed a few different times. I don't remember what the consensus was, but finding those threads would be a good bit of help. 

I've lost several Tinc tads for the same reason. On some the bubble goes away, on others it doesn't.


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## vet_boy77 (Feb 10, 2005)

Water parameter matter to some degree, including the things thong_monster mentioned, especiall dissolved gasses (O2, CO2 N2). Are your tads in a tankl with any type of water circulation system. How do you keep them? Where do you get your tad water

Parasites can also cause this.


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## sports_doc (Nov 15, 2004)

I would like to know if the whole ...parasites cause this, and water parameters thing ....is based in fact or educated guess?

I ask b/c I communally raise many tads and sometimes 1 out of 20 will have a bubble....would be hard to imagine under communal rearing that water or parasites could affect only one tad. 

my 'uneducated' guess is a bowel issue in the particular animal as a spontaneous mutation...weak animal = perished because of an intrinsic health problem.

We as a community often search for extrinsic causes of disease or death, but honestly many things are specific to the individual like an uncle with cancer, diabetes, asthma, whatever...

While we desire to find something 'fixable' that may not be the case...

S


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

We had confirmed cause due to nematodes at work based on necropsy results in Smilesca phaeota. 

Ed


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## vet_boy77 (Feb 10, 2005)

"Gas Bubble Disease" is a real problem in adult and tadpoles. It usually happens in larger facilities where the water get supersaturated with oxygen due to over-aeration, over zealous waterfalls, poor filtration, or rapid, turbulent water changes. There are a lot of ways to super saturate the water. 
Parasites are another possibility but you usually need a strong index of suspecion or a histopathologic diagnosis. Write and Whitaker's book on amphibian medicine has a good picture on p 217.
Bacterial and other infections can also cause it, by creating gas byproducts. Even commensal organisms that overgrow due to a variety of causes can be the culprit. 
I'm sure there are some random causes too. It's hard to pin it down when it happens to one tadpole without doing histopathology. 
John


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