# Tadpole Bubble? What to do?



## frogsanddogs (Jun 21, 2008)

I'm hoping someone can help... I saw a post on here a while back about someone getting a bubble under the tadpoles skin causing them to float funny. Several people posted great answers about what to do to "relieve" this bubble which is apparently very successfully "treatable" (unfortunately I can't remember what those answers were as I had never had a tad with the problem at the time I read the post). 
Anyway, we now have one tad that always floats sideways "funny"... when you come over and he sees you, and he is a very strong swimmer getting around his water bowl trying to find a place to hide or going for food but when he stops trying to swim, he goes back to floating on his side, so I am thinking it is probably one of these air bubbles. He eats well, has normal water changes and none of this has "cured" the problem but I believe I read that it needs to be relieved before he morphs for him to survive. So if someone could please post their solution or perhaps if they know the thread I saw before they could post a link... I would greatly appreciate any help in either regard.
Thanks,
Marissa


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## UmbraSprite (Mar 2, 2007)

I have great luck by changing the water and not feeding until the bubble goes away. It has 100% success in my experience although someone recently did have a case to which that treatment didn't remedy.

I would give it a try first though since it is so easy to do...

Chris


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## frogsanddogs (Jun 21, 2008)

Thanks Chris- I am giving this a try- changed his water again yesterday but no food this time. How long does this usually take and how long is safe to wait before feeding him? He is pretty fat (don't know if any of this has to do with the bubble) and has hind legs but no sign of front legs yet.
THanks,
Marissa


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## KevinS (Sep 23, 2008)

I was just reading an article today where tadpoles developed internal gas bubbles that caused them to float. The author mentioned good success in separating those individuals to quarantine tanks that were treated with an aquarium antibiotic. Unfortunately it didn't get more specific than that, but in their case apparently bacterial infection caused the bubbles.


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## frogsanddogs (Jun 21, 2008)

Thank you for this information... does anyone else on here know what they might be treating with? methylene blue perhaps? 
I tried the route of clean water with no food and it took several days but he finally started floating right side up again... but then I fed him only a bit and by the next morning he was upside down again... i am afraid to leave him without food for extended periods of time just to keep him prone as he is a very strong swimmer when he is actively swimming and I don't want to weaken him, but it does seem as though something is wrong. He is luckily isolated as are all of my young tadpoles each in their own water bowl. If someone can tell me what this might be to treat with, I would be happy to give that a try as well and thank you for your information!


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## UmbraSprite (Mar 2, 2007)

I always stopped feeding until the bubble was gone. This never took more than a week.


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## KevinS (Sep 23, 2008)

I just double-checked my article but they only mention an "antibacterial fish medication." Based on the wording, it's my assumption that they didn't get anything special-probably just a run of the mill antibacterial medication from any pet store. Personally, I'd probably ask someone knowledgeable about aquariums what the options are as far as that type of medication and go from there. Good luck.


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## frogsanddogs (Jun 21, 2008)

Just wanted to post an update in case anyone is researching the same thing... was afraid to put methylene blue in in case it wasn't the right medication, so just followed Chris's suggestion and put clean water with no food... every time I did that he righted himself... everytime I fed again after a few days, he ended up upside down again when floating but still a VERY strong swimmer whenever a shadow or other light changed near him...
So I was guessing he might have some long term problems or not morph but figured I'd keep him separate and at least give him a chance... he has since morphed into a healthy looking froglet... he is too young to get fecaled yet as he is less than a month out of the water, so just keeping him isolated for now in his own grow container, but he is feeding on dusted ffs and springs now and seems fine so far... so if anyone reads this post that knows... is there something that causes these bubbles most of the time... is it normally gas, or could it be some sort of infection? I will probably have him fecaled when he gets a bit older to make sure, but was wondering if anyone knows if it is just gas, maybe I could place him with another froglet or two?


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