# Success Rate Eggs to Frogs?



## FrogTim (Oct 1, 2015)

Well I'm a bit bummed. My first clutch from my R. variabilis southerns is down from 11 original tadpoles to only 5 remaining.

What is the success rate from eggs to tadpoles?

Eggs were laid 12/8 and started hatching 12/22. 5 hatched right away. The remaining eggs hatched 1-2 weeks later. I seem to only have the first 5 tapdoles left while the other "younger'' tadpoles have perished.

I'm worried I'm doing something wrong as I've seen to had 2 seperate "die-offs'' where 2-3 tadpoles died within 24 hours of each other. 

Here is their current set up. There are small holes in the cups so I can change the water by lifting the cups or pouring new water in. The filter and heater are both OFF the heater is just for really cold nights. Each cup has a strip of almond leaf and java moss. Tadpoles are being fed Genesis Exotics Tadpole food. The 5 remaining are believed to be the first ones to have hatched. Water level is at about 2'' going to raise it in the next day or so.


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## A._Hts_Dart (Aug 8, 2014)

I could be wrong, but I believe you're problem is that the thumbnail species do not need the tannins produced from the almond leaf. I just put in a little java moss and nothing else. These tadpoles in the wild would normally be deposited in bromeliads and not on the forest floor. I hope this will help you in the future. Best of luck!


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## FrogTim (Oct 1, 2015)

Would the tannins bel toxic? I was hoping it would provide some antI fungal properties at the least


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## CAPTAIN RON (Mar 29, 2010)

I would still use the almond leaves,broms in the wild have small pieces of debris/sticks/twigs/leaves fall into them and break down and more than likely help soften the water also. If this was the first clutch from your breeders,expect future clutches to be smaller with better eggs/tads.Good luck!


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

Eggs produced early in a pair's lifetime can frequently be infertile, or show an ultimately lower survival rate. How often are you running the pump/changing out the water? Younger tads seem to have a lower tolerance to rapid water quality/temp/pH changes.


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## FrogTim (Oct 1, 2015)

I haven't ran the pump at all. The temperatures did drop pretty significantly and then the heater brought them a bit too high.

I have only 'changed' the water twice by lifting the cups and letting a good amount drain out before it is re filled.

The parents have already laid a 2nd and possibly 3rd clutch with only 6 or 7 eggs. Hopefully these will be more successful


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

FrogTim said:


> I haven't ran the pump at all. The temperatures did drop pretty significantly and then the heater brought them a bit too high.
> 
> I have only 'changed' the water twice by lifting the cups and letting a good amount drain out before it is re filled.
> 
> The parents have already laid a 2nd and possibly 3rd clutch with only 6 or 7 eggs. Hopefully these will be more successful


I would put the likely blame on the temperature fluctuation, but it sounds like you will have lots more larvae in the near future to tweak things. If there is a place in your collection space that has a more stable ambient temperature range, you might be better off moving your tads there, and relying less on the submerged heater/heating pad.


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## FrogTim (Oct 1, 2015)

Dane said:


> I would put the likely blame on the temperature fluctuation, but it sounds like you will have lots more larvae in the near future to tweak things. If there is a place in your collection space that has a more stable ambient temperature range, you might be better off moving your tads there, and relying less on the submerged heater/heating pad.


It's just weird since the temperature fluctuation was last week. The heater hasn't been run since. This location is the only spot I currently have for them and the temperature has remained more stable lately. I live by the beach in Southern California with single pane windows and poor insulation for when it gets cold. We ran the heater for the first time in almost 2 years since it had been so cold.

Hopefully the new clutches will turn out. I don't need to be swimming in a sea of froglets, but it would be nice to raise at least one generation of froglets from my frogs. 

In the future I'm just going do use single cups. The communal tank was a great idea when I had 11 tadpoles but now it just uses a lot of water for only 5...


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## wlrodman (Nov 3, 2015)

I solved a lot of temperature issues by putting all my vivariums in one room and buying a small electrical heater that has a digital temperature control. I set it for 71 degrees, and, so, keep the minimum night time temperature to that level. Daytime lights bring the vivarium temperatures to a maximum of 78 degrees. So, no longer need individual equipment to maintain temperature. 

My tad diet is "tad pole bites" (source at Josh's Frogs), coated with Sera Micron (also Josh's Frogs). I suck out the rancid pellets every 3-4 days and replace with fresh. 

I've also have a small amount of Java Moss in the cup.

Water changes occur only when the pellet is causing rancid water, about once per week. I suck out the feces, which I understand is not necessary, and replace about 1/2 the water with "black water", i.e., tea with tannins in it.

Hope that helps...

Bill


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## CAPTAIN RON (Mar 29, 2010)

Doing water changes before the water becomes rancid will be better for optimal tadpole health.I usually feed every other day and water change 3/4 of tads water twice per week.If you are getting rancid water,you might be over feeding,and try to give tads a variety of foods(flake foods,bloodworms,fish food pellets,etc.) in addition to tad bites.


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## FrogTim (Oct 1, 2015)

wlrodman said:


> I solved a lot of temperature issues by putting all my vivariums in one room and buying a small electrical heater that has a digital temperature control. I set it for 71 degrees, and, so, keep the minimum night time temperature to that level. Daytime lights bring the vivarium temperatures to a maximum of 78 degrees. So, no longer need individual equipment to maintain temperature.
> 
> My tad diet is "tad pole bites" (source at Josh's Frogs), coated with Sera Micron (also Josh's Frogs). I suck out the rancid pellets every 3-4 days and replace with fresh.
> 
> ...


Thanks I have the room heated now and haven't had temp issues since. I just need to get a turkey baster so I can ditch my current set up and move the tadpoles into cups without the holes in them.


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## wlrodman (Nov 3, 2015)

Thanks for suggesting the alternate foods...


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