# Tads trying to leave the water...



## chrism (Apr 11, 2007)

Bit of a confusing one tonight.
I was just doing a feed of my million mantella tads, and in one tub saw something that confused me.
All the tads- no matter what size / age, where in the shallows, almost like they were trying to leave the water.
Could this be due to water quality? I change each tub every 2 weeks (big tubs so hadnt seen need to do more often), and syphon the bottom to remove general crud. For no reason, this tub has the most tads in it.

Chris


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

tads seem to like the shallow even in nature that is why they are found by the shore in bodies fo water.


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## chrism (Apr 11, 2007)

The 'deep end' is only 1.5 inches deep. Both my other tubs have tads all over. Is just this one like this- and only doing it today, never before.


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

maybe they are running from the light, well as long as they are all healthy i would not worry much about it.


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## Marc (Feb 3, 2008)

I think your instincts are correct on this one and that the tadpoles are trying to get out of the water. Are you using any water plants in the water to remove nitrites/ammonia? I have had killifish try to leave the water when the water started going bad (jumping up and clinging to the sides of the container). I would do a water change and thin out your tadpoles into other containers. I feed lightly and have a almond leaf in each of my containers for darts. (one frog per container). There is another website link from this one that can give you more information on Mantella's. How many tadpoles to how much water? How much and how often do you feed? I'm not asking how big the container is in size, just actual water in the container. Do you have a ammonia and nitrite kit made for aquarium fish? If not get one, but do this soon, as the tads won't last for long if this is the problem. Best thing to do is do a water change with de-chlorinated same temp water and thin this brood out into other containers. I know mantellas can produce lots of babies. 

Good luck.


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## chrism (Apr 11, 2007)

Will try thining out. Approx 50 tads in 8-10 litres of water- big tubs!
Havent got a test kit- will get one tomo.
Will do a water change when misses gets home, as hard to do on your own with tubs this big!
Have also just added an air stone. Will throw in some pothos as well.


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## chrism (Apr 11, 2007)

Well, suspisions were right- did a big water change, prob 65%, and now all the tads are all over the tub again!

Thanks for responses guys.


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

how often do you change your water?


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## chrism (Apr 11, 2007)

Normally every 2 weeks, sometime more often if it looks grubby. I also syphon the bottom every few days.


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

you might want to add some live plants in there to help balance off some of the nitrates and ammonia


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## TDK (Oct 6, 2007)

CHRISM--what kind of Mantellas did you breed? Any photos of your setup/tank and tads? If so please post. Any pointers on what triggered breeding, where they laid eggs, misting, temps., etc.? I'm working with 6 species of Mantella now and am hoping for some sucess eventually. TDK


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## ccc (Nov 22, 2006)

What kind of Mantellas? Can we get pictures?

Chris


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## markbudde (Jan 4, 2008)

It sounds like the water ran out of oxygen. When that is the case they will go to the shallowest area, which has the most oxygen.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

markbudde said:


> It sounds like the water ran out of oxygen. When that is the case they will go to the shallowest area, which has the most oxygen.


+1

Thats the reason we can have so much more success in CB husbandry. It is much more intensive and hard work, but raising tads individually is optimal.

Include more water plants and pare down the number of tads per container.


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## chrism (Apr 11, 2007)

Just aurantiaca at the moment. Want others, but not very common in the UK.

Mine is a planted setup, with a small pool in the corner, but there is a guy I know over here who breed LOADS! His setups are large fish tanks, with deep coco bark, and a few huts- thats it!

To stimulate breeding- no idea really, just happened! I do cycle all my vivs over the winter- less food and fewer mistings.

No pics atm as sold my main mantella tank last week. Collecting 10 new tanks this weekend! Wohoo!

With regards to raising indervidually- sadly dont have the room atm, as have 200+ tads!


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

200 + tads?...wow....three words.....plastic kiddie pool. Easy to insert a drain into.

Glad to know you are having that kind of success with Mantellas. I like them a lot and lord knows, Madagascar could use the help....with all their animals.

where are you located? Youv'e heard of Devon Edmunds right?


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## markbudde (Jan 4, 2008)

It might not be a bad idea to put an airstone in there. (I've never raised mantella tads, so if this causes a problem, someone speak up). 

Here is a list of oxygen diffusion times in water, assuming no water movement. There are caveats, but in a perfect world with perfectly still water...

1 micrometer =  0.25 ms
10 micrometers = 25 ms
100 micrometers = 2.5 s
1 millimeter = 4.2 min
1 centimeter = 6.9 hours
10 centimeter = 29 days
1 meter = 7.9 years

So you can that even your "shallow" area can run out of oxygen if there is not much water movement, but in the very shallow area they will get enough.
-mark


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## chrism (Apr 11, 2007)

Located near London- UK. Not heard of him...


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Here's Devon' web site.

Amphibiancare.com >> Golden Mantella Frog (Mantella aurantiaca) Care

I met him a few years ago and he impressed me with a great deal of knowledge not only with captive breeding and husbandry of almost all Mantella species, but with info about Madagascar through his trips there.

He used to post a bit on this board and a few others but I haven't seen too many posts from him in a while.

Cheers,

Phil


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