# Air bubbles in tads belly



## themann42 (Apr 12, 2005)

i noticed one of my tads has two little air bubbles in his belly. anybody ever see this before? he seems like he's having a hard time staying right side up and he slowly rises to the surface. he's prolly 3 weeks old.


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## rozdaboff (Feb 27, 2005)

It happens occasionally. There are a number of threads regarding this condition - but the general outcome is poor. Sometimes the bubbles will go away and the tad will be fine - but most of the time, the tads don't do well and end up dying. I had a Std Lamasi tad that remained in this condition for 7 months with very little growth before it finally died.

There is evidence for nematode infections causing this condition, and bacterial infection is possible as well. But - it seems to happen with some regularity - so I wouldn't be too concerned.


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## UmbraSprite (Mar 2, 2007)

Put the tad in clean water and do not feed until the bubble is gone. 

Using this method the gas bubble has gone away for me 100% of the time.

Chris


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## Quaz (Nov 13, 2005)

I had this happen with azureus tads with no success. It reminds me of pop-eye with fish where it's bacterial infection and often goes away. I've had success with fish drawing out the gas with a suringe, not so much luck with the same procedure on tads. The condition happened on a few of the new tads the pair produced but non since those two or three. 

Good luck


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## a Vertigo Guy (Aug 17, 2006)

I had this gas bubble happen with two of my cobalt tads. One died and the other morphed but its health is far from its unafflicted siblings. Its other two siblings are almost twice the size with plump bellies while the afflicted froglet is thin and doesnt seem to eat much. Im not holding my breath on its long term survival.


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## themann42 (Apr 12, 2005)

thanks for the suggestion umbra. i put him in brand new ro water, and two days later they appear to be gone. hopefully they stay away and i'll start feeding again.


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## sports_doc (Nov 15, 2004)

UmbraSprite said:


> Put the tad in clean water and do not feed until the bubble is gone.
> 
> Using this method the gas bubble has gone away for me 100% of the time.
> 
> Chris


interesting

I've not heard of nor tried this method of yours b/f but I think it is worthy of giving it a try...especially since I've not been overly successful with 'bubble tads' myself before.

What does one have to lose right?

S


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## lilruthie102 (Aug 2, 2006)

I had a tad with the same thing. I pulled him from the viv ( where his brothers and sisters are in the pond) and put him in a cup with water and moss. I didn't feed him until the bubble went away ( only about 3 days) and he is now growing and learning to use his new back legs.


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## UmbraSprite (Mar 2, 2007)

Well I had alot of problems with this when I first started keeping frogs 15 or so years ago. I thought the problem might be the water getting dirtied by the leftover food (probably was over-feeding to begin with....the black Aquarian Flake was still around) and so tried not feeding...sure enough....bubbles gone within 48 hours. Been using that method ever since.

I see this question asked alot....maybe we should add it to a list...or stick it or something.


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## jbherpin (Oct 16, 2009)

I realize this is old as dirt... Thank you search function. Didn't need to post a question and waste anyone's time! I have no darts afflicted with this, but several tads are showing signs of gas bubble... Tads= Pseudacris crucifer, and 1 unknown, presumably H. versicolor. Any other suggestions beyond what has been said?

JBear


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

I pulled a Green Lamasi tad with an air bubble last week. I put him into a bigger cup (i.e. water change) and he was fine 2 days later. Putting 2 and 2 together, must have been the fresh water change.


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## BOOSHIFIED (Jun 23, 2009)

If you see any signs of an air bubble stop feeding. Even if the bubble isn't fully affecting the tad it may get worse. 

I have had good success with this simple step so far.


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## JJhuang (Feb 5, 2010)

What about if the tad develops a air bubble before breaking out of the egg jelly? What can be done about that?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

JJhuang said:


> What about if the tad develops a air bubble before breaking out of the egg jelly? What can be done about that?


That is probably not a true airbubble but a failure to properly develop a pronephros resulting in increased fluid retention which causes deformation of the abdominal cavity in which gas can then accumulate. 

Ed


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## JJhuang (Feb 5, 2010)

That's interesting is that due to lack of supplementation? It seems to only happen to my new pairs that have just started to breed. Could it be how usually the first few eggs from a pair are bad?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

it is due to too little vitamin A, I can't speak to the new pairs part... 

Ed


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