# Tadpole isnt swimming and tail is curling



## GiggleDoge (May 17, 2021)

So I got 2 leopard frog tadpoles almost a month ago , and they were doing really good and growing perfectly. They're in a nice 10 gallon tank that they love to dart back and forth in and hide under the drift wood. Well 2 days ago I noticed the smaller one of the two has started to just stay near the surface of the water on the side of the tank, I didnt really think anything of it because it did that the first day I had it too, but it started being super active the second day. This morning I woke up to it with a super curled tail and it will barely swim. My bigger one is doing just fine and is darting around the tank right now. I have the little one in a quarantine tank right now but I dont know what's wrong with it or what can cause its tail to curl or less activity. They have a good setup, enough light(even have an app for it to have it set up to day cycles like sunrise, day time, sunset, and night time), the water is between 69 and 73 degrees. I've heard of the tails starting to get crooked from growth and absorbing the tail too fast but they dont even have legs yet or are even close to getting legs yet.


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## Chris S (Apr 12, 2016)

Food/filtration, what are these things like?


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## GiggleDoge (May 17, 2021)

Chris S said:


> Food/filtration, what are these things like?


They've been getting tadpole pellets every other day, I've been cleaning out the leftover so it doesnt mold, I have a reptiflow filter tucked behind a screen to reduce the water movement and to make sure they cant get sucked up in it. They've been doing perfectly fine and the bigger one is still doing great.


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Can you take and post pictures of both of them?


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## Kmc (Jul 26, 2019)

Ammonia and oxygen levels are important to ranid tads.


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## GiggleDoge (May 17, 2021)

This was them a few days ago


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## GiggleDoge (May 17, 2021)

This is today. I'm trying to get a picture of the bigger one but it wont hold still. This is the smaller one in the quarantine tank right now


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## GiggleDoge (May 17, 2021)

This is the bigger one just chilling on the drift wood right now. The smaller ones tail is curling to the right and the tail just doesnt look as nice as it did 2 days ago. They were almost the same size but today it looks 3x smaller than it did 2 days ago.


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## Chris S (Apr 12, 2016)

His body looks malformed. Not sure what to tell you though. If water quality is ok, and they are eating (I'd say your food is so-so quality level, but likely not the case), maybe he just wasn't meant to be.


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## Chris S (Apr 12, 2016)

Sorry for the double post:

The setup looks a bit sterile though, I'd suggesting maybe adding some plants and ensuring they have lots of places to hide and get out of the light if they want. They will bask sometimes, as they do in the wild, but they also need places to rest and hide where they feel safe. Perhaps the larger is being aggressive to the smaller, or it is otherwise stressed.


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## GiggleDoge (May 17, 2021)

Chris S said:


> His body looks malformed. Not sure what to tell you though. If water quality is ok, and they are eating (I'd say your food is so-so quality level, but likely not the case), maybe he just wasn't meant to be.


That's what I was afraid of 😭 poor thing.


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## GiggleDoge (May 17, 2021)

Chris S said:


> Sorry for the double post:
> 
> The setup looks a bit sterile though, I'd suggesting maybe adding some plants and ensuring they have lots of places to hide and get out of the light if they want. They will bask sometimes, as they do in the wild, but they also need places to rest and hide where they feel safe. Perhaps the larger is being aggressive to the smaller, or it is otherwise stressed.


I ordered plants the delivery was delayed and the tadpoles got here a lot sooner than planned. I was hoping to have the plants in before the tadpoles arrived. But it is what it is. Im just waiting on them to be delivered.


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## GiggleDoge (May 17, 2021)

Heres a better picture of the tail on the little one


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## Kmc (Jul 26, 2019)

He is thin and should be put in a shallow water level ( not Small but wide, shallow) with emphasis on env security and eating. Suck out uneaten food. Siphon 25 to 50% water changes refilling from a reservoir bucket with replacement water of same character and temp. Easy enough to do by declorinating the water properly and keeping the bucket in the same site. An airpump with a valve on the airline to impart a small stream of bubbles breaking the surface can have beneficial impact but not without the other factors in place.

This is supportive care. Not diagnosing your tad.


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## GiggleDoge (May 17, 2021)

Update: sadly, my little guy didnt make it through the night.


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## Kmc (Jul 26, 2019)

Sorry to hear that.


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## GiggleDoge (May 17, 2021)

Kmc said:


> Sorry to hear that.


Thank you. Sadly not every tafpole is meant to live but that's life for you. On a good note My big guy is still going strong and I believe I saw a tiny nub of a foot starting to peek through this morning while he was eating


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## Kmc (Jul 26, 2019)

Yeah tads are one of natures candies. 

I dont suggest moving the tank or changing as things are going good for the big tad. But, I always wince a little when i see tads without algae.

I usually try to foster that and also find hornwort and java to be important environmental nursemaids for tads of all kinds.


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