# Raising Galactonotus tads



## UmbraSprite (Mar 2, 2007)

Looking for some experience on galacts. 

I have morphed out regular orange and blacks with no problem but my yellow and blacks have been laying and I am having trouble with the tads. 

I am keeping them just like all my others, individually, no water changes (unless it gets nasty but not usually a problem), feeding algal fish flake supplemented with spirulina and chlorella. 

Both of the first two clutches have grown into large, healthy tads and then turned up all dead on the same day. There are other tads in the same locations so I can't seem to isolate a reason. 

Has anyone noticed that these guys require cleaner water than other species?

Chris


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## tclipse (Sep 19, 2009)

I've read in several places that galacs need a more complex, higher protein diet. Might want to give decapsulated brine shrimp eggs a try.. crushed omega one shrimp pellets, cyclopeeze or hikari crab cuisine should help too. I'm not sure what proportion is supposed to be meaty, just that they need more of it. 

Indirectly through that, they might need more water changed than the typical tad, just because the carnivore/omnivore foods tend to be worse for water quality.. not sure about that one though, I haven't raised any yet.


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## slipperheads (Oct 17, 2007)

The algae-based diet doesn't seem to be working. My Imitators require high protein diets, and I feed them sera micron, tadpole bites, and superpig mixes.


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## jeffr (May 15, 2009)

My Yellow Galacts had their 1st clutch in December. I have to let them transport because they lay in a spot I cannot get to and they avoid the coco hut totally. I had all 4 morph out. But 3 of them came out really small and never grew. I didn't do water changes but I did do cleanings with turkey baster. I fed them tad bites and various flake food, used spring water and kept them at room temperature.

Funny my Yellows just started breeding again too. 6 months later. I have 3 tads in cups still in the viv


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## Jarhead_2016 (Jan 7, 2010)

IMO towards the whole extra protein thing i agree whole heartedly, but i know from working at petsmart we carry white mosquite larvae this seems to work great for my tads not trying to encourage buying from petsmart or anything, but reccomending something that works imo
-scotty


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## EricM (Feb 15, 2004)

algae based diets will not work with galacts very well, you will see weak and poor quality tads that probably won't morph out. 

The best bet is to use a high protein fish flake food and freeze dried bloodworms.

Other factors that must be considered is the age of the frogs, normally with many darts the first season or two of breeding is not great, especially if you breed your frogs too soon. This is applicable to galacts.

I've had much better egg quality and production by not breeding galacts until they were at least 2 years old. 

Also the nutritional intake of the frogs before the breeding season is crucial for good egg production throughout the season. If you don't feed them heavily all year expect low numbers of offspring and weaker froglets.

Many times the first and last clutches of the season will not be good quality and this may be shown in tadpoles that never develop limbs, tads that ballon out like flying saucers, or very weak froglets that morph out very small.

Hope this helps,
Eric


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## UmbraSprite (Mar 2, 2007)

Thanks all....I will try a modified diet first.


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## Kudaria (Dec 24, 2013)

I don't suppose anyone tried Repashy's spawn and grow or meatpie for these tadpoles? Especially if your feeding them flakes and bloodworms.


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## Otis (Apr 16, 2006)

Cyclop-eeze has 60% min protein. It doesn't cloud the water much either.


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## Kudaria (Dec 24, 2013)

Are you using the freeze dried or frozen? I might find the frozen at care-a-lot or petco not sure.


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## carola1155 (Sep 10, 2007)

I use freeze dried for tadpoles. A good local fish store should carry it or be able to order it, though I find it is usually cheaper online.

It is a bit pricey either way, and if you don't have a ton of tads you may not go through all of it before it goes bad... but the good news is that isopods love it no matter how old it is. I sprinkle the old stuff in my cultures.


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## Kudaria (Dec 24, 2013)

I was thinking of mixing it in with Repashy Spawn and Grow and then cutting it up into tiny cubes.

Do tadpoles eat at bits of food like fry will? I know they aren't fish but alot of things seem to be very similar including the foods and medications used.


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## carola1155 (Sep 10, 2007)

I would think size of the "cube" would be the biggest concern... most tadpoles are raised individually so you have to make sure you don't put in more than what that one tadpole can eat or else it'll spoil in there. 

Ever seen any of the commercially available tadpole bites? I would think that's the ideal size for them.


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## Kudaria (Dec 24, 2013)

I'm planning on looking at the DHL food that seems to be recommended and deciding on whether or not it's practical to make my own so to speak.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

I know that petsmart has a cyclopseeze gel for saltwater fish. I've used that with good success for azureus tads


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