# Should we pull eggs/tadpoles



## Chris Miller (Apr 20, 2009)

This is more of a philosophical question:

Should we be pulling eggs and tadpoles from the facultative egg feeders(vanzolinii genetic group)?

I stopped with all except highland lamasi, just because we need as many fertile eggs as possible. It seemed odd to keep pulling just to force them to breed. 

Just wondering where other people are on this.


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## Azurel (Aug 5, 2010)

I was with my R. varadero and R. Sirensis 'orange', but the pace they were keeping was to much and I have since stopped just to slow them down and let them do it as much as they want or don't want. I am not getting the numbers I was before with pulling the eggs and tads which is fine with me.


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## DaysAndDarts (Jan 24, 2012)

I'm leaving it to the parents, I too feel it doesn't seem quite right to snatch the eggs and tads to get the parents to produce more. I've also heard that tads raised into froglets by the parents tend to be bigger.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

I've got the highland lamasi set up to pull all eggs. The vanzos I let do their own thing. Quality not quantity!!!! I don't need my frogs to breed non stop, I'd rather keep my breeders healthy


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## Azurel (Aug 5, 2010)

DaysAndDarts said:


> I'm leaving it to the parents, I too feel it doesn't seem quite right to snatch the eggs and tads to get the parents to produce more. I've also heard that tads raised into froglets by the parents tend to be bigger.


I have had it both ways....Some bigger some smaller....


After the first few months of excitement of having frogs breeding for me I decided it wasn't important to have "production" but let nature take it's course and let them regulate the quantity.....My varadero have begun to hide them in broms I cannot get to anyway so I guess they told me to butt out anyway....


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## gary1218 (Dec 31, 2005)

I like having the parents raise the tads. Less work for me and they do a better job of it. Plus I like hearing that little different call from the male when he's telling the female "HEY........get over here and feed these babies" 

The only thing I don't like is trying to catch a little froglet jumping all over the tank that just morphed. So, I kind of compromise. My tanks are set up with 2 large broms for the frogs to lay eggs on and raise the tads in. Every 2 months or so I pull the broms out of the tank and empty them out. I occaisionally get some small tads but mostly I get tads with the back legs already popped. From here I raise the tads myself.


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## ethin (Mar 26, 2009)

gary1218 said:


> My tanks are set up with 2 large broms for the frogs to lay eggs on and raise the tads in. Every 2 months or so I pull the broms out of the tank and empty them out. I occaisionally get some small tads but mostly I get tads with the back legs already popped. From here I raise the tads myself.


I do the same thing Gary. Although I find that the tads are larger than the one i initially pulled out.


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

I pull eggs and tads of frogs that are rarer, otherwise I leave them alone. I don't want to flood the market or decrease the value of any frogs. Look at Varaderos, everybody over bred them (myself included) and the price dropped like crazy in year.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Yeah the price dropped by half in a year!


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

frogparty said:


> Yeah the price dropped by half in a year!


Ya and the same thing happened with vanzolinii. It's going to happen eventually with most easy breeding species/populations, but a slower rate will be better. Atleast if it's slower there is a better chance the frogs won't fall out of "style" and suddenly disappear for the most part. It's amazing how quick this happens, I've seen it a couple times and I've only been around 4 years.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

True. Any of the imitator group is bound to be pretty cheap pretty fast the way most people breed them. Vanzos and varadero are pretty distinctive though, I doubt either will fall out of popularity


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

frogparty said:


> True. Any of the imitator group is bound to be pretty cheap pretty fast the way most people breed them. Vanzos and varadero are pretty distinctive though, I doubt either will fall out of popularity


One could hope but some pretty amazing looking frogs have disappeared over the years.


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## Lukeomelas (Mar 15, 2005)

I let my vanzos do all the work. I really like finding the new froglets when they decide to come out. They do a great job tending to their young, plus it's fun to watch. Oh, and it beats hand raising a bunch of tads!


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## Lukeomelas (Mar 15, 2005)

I forgot to mention that I'm not sure the frogs care either way. They are driven to reproduce whether they are successful or not. I do think there is no reason to burn them out though.


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## SmackoftheGods (Jan 28, 2009)

I've encouraged leaving imitator type frogs in viv for a while now. The new frogs seem healthier to me....


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

SmackoftheGods said:


> I've encouraged leaving imitator type frogs in viv for a while now. The new frogs seem healthier to me....


How long are you leaving them in? I try for 3 months. Nothing like 5-6 months like with pumilio but I agree it still seems to help.


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## SmackoftheGods (Jan 28, 2009)

thedude said:


> How long are you leaving them in? I try for 3 months. Nothing like 5-6 months like with pumilio but I agree it still seems to help.


Depends.... Sometimes I'll pull them just before they absorb their tails, other times I'll leave them in for three or so months. The big thing for me is making sure a parent takes care of them during the crucial larval and metamorphosis stages.... Oophaga are a totally different beast.


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## Chris Miller (Apr 20, 2009)

yeah, I've done the same thing. I'll leave them for a month after I notice them unless they are maniacal breeders like panguana lamasi and then they get pulled when I see them.

I also let all my other frogs transport their tads now. I haven't noticed a decline in production/tadpole survival when I let them do this. I don't keep a lot of water holding bromeliads in the vivs of non-egg feeders though.


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

Chris Miller said:


> yeah, I've done the same thing. I'll leave them for a month after I notice them unless they are maniacal breeders like panguana lamasi and then they get pulled when I see them.
> 
> I also let all my other frogs transport their tads now. I haven't noticed a decline in production/tadpole survival when I let them do this. I don't keep a lot of water holding bromeliads in the vivs of non-egg feeders though.


Do you mean the non-egg feeding Ranitomeya as well? I've been letting my fants and summersi transport everything to cups in the tank instead of pulling eggs.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Seems like a good idea Adam, Beats caring for eggs AND tads


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

frogparty said:


> Seems like a good idea Adam, Beats caring for eggs AND tads


Ya they also seem to slow down just a tad  sorry horrible pun!


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

*rimshot* lol


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