# My First Eggs!!!!!!!



## purplecat001 (Jun 23, 2009)

So finally, after a year of having PDFs, I have my first eggs. They are from my imitators. Should I remove them, leave them? I am SOOOOO stoked!
Its in a viv with 2 males, 1 female, and 1 probable female. Do I need to remove the second probable pair?


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Grats to you!!


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## D3monic (Feb 8, 2010)

In my Varadero imitator tank I have two probable pairs. Both females lay eggs and both are caring for the tadpoles. Fat little buggars are getting 2-4 eggs a pop. I swear one of my tads is about half the size of the parents and he doesnt even back legs yet. My other male doesnt do any thing though. I could pull him but cant really tell him apart. I would think that unless theres egg eating or fighting I would just leave them.


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## SamsonsFrogs (Mar 4, 2009)

Awesome find Purplecat! Since they are on a brom axis and a nice brom at that, I would leave it. If its their first clutch they prob wont survive. This is common among new breeding pairs. I would just keep an eye on em and watch their development. I was stoked myself about 2 months ago when my Imi's laid their first clutch. Unfortunately they have laid 2 more times and all eggs have molded over. Good luck to ya!


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## purplecat001 (Jun 23, 2009)

Thanks everyone for the kind words. 

Even if it takes a few more tries to successfully develop living froglets, I am just soooo relieved to see eggs in any of my tanks. The male frog that normally calls all day AND throughout the night has been quiet the last few days and I was wondering why. Now I know . 
My wife and I were starting to feel bad for the little guy, seemed like he was trying sooo hard. He would sit right in front of the female and scream and she would just walk away....LOL.


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## Jarhead_2016 (Jan 7, 2010)

grats on the new eggs dude hope all goes well
-scotty


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## MichelleSG (May 1, 2010)

Dang, does that sound like high school or what? Poor dude.



purplecat001 said:


> My wife and I were starting to feel bad for the little guy, seemed like he was trying sooo hard. He would sit right in front of the female and scream and she would just walk away....LOL.


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## Jarhead_2016 (Jan 7, 2010)

hehe yea but the nice guy wins in the end
-scotty


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## purplecat001 (Jun 23, 2009)

*UPDATE:*
Soon after I posted this I found a couple more two egg clutches. I ended up removing the first 2 clutches and leaving the third. Then they laid another single egg clutch and I haven’t bothered that one either. Within the first clutch, only 1 egg developed. The second clutch is developing also. I cannot see the third well as it is in a horizontal embedded film canister hard to access, so I am not quite sure but it does not appear to be developing. The single egg clutch last laid seemed to have started to develop but now it is also hard to tell. I am posting pictures I took today to show everyone their growth. I think what caught me most off guard is how soon they start to wiggle as the second clutch tads are already wiggling.

*QUESTIONS:*
I have some questions for anyone who can contribute their feedback, especially thumbnail owners:
1) Once you see the tadpole wiggling a lot at the edge of the egg mass, do you pick him up, with the egg enclosure attached, and put him into the tad cup containing water? Or do you let him break free in the petri dish and then transport it to the cup? I am afraid of him drying out or suffocating. This is my first egg clutch and surprisingly so far so good but I really have no idea what I am doing, regardless of all the research I have done as everyone’s preference varies so much. 
2) Since I am asking I will also ask for other imitator owners to answer, my tad cup will contain room temp spring water in a plastic deli cup. How high should the water be? 
3) I will feed 2x a week rotating between frog & tadpole bites and sera micron (purchased from Josh's Frogs) only sucking out old food and waste with a turkey baster and only topping off water. I will also add a tiny piece of indian almond leaf allowing it to break down in the cup while the tadpole grows. 
Does this plan seem to be OK _(I REALLY don't want to run into SLS issues)_? Should I also use Blackwater extract and if so how much per gallon jug of spring water? Does tadpole tea offer the same results as the BW extract? What are the cons and pros of either?

Thank you ALL for your feedback


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## inflight (Jun 12, 2007)

1. Let the tad break free. Toward hatching time, increase the water level around the eggs slightly, the tad should slide into the water.

2. 32 oz "fruit fly" cup? Thats what I use and I fill it about 1/4 full. I also increase the water to half full after a couple weeks.

3. I also use bottled spring water with almond leaves, sometimes oak or sea grape. I find that blackwater extract is not necessary if using leaves. Your feeding schedule sounds good. Don't feed the first like 3-5 days, they don't eat anyway. I also use freeze dried bloodworms to feed tads. If you want to use blackwater, I was told 10x what it says on the label, so I think that is 10ml per gallon.

Hope this helps ease any worries..

Cheers~


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## RobP (Aug 16, 2008)

Congrats!! 
1. In my limited experience, once the tad looks ready to come out, I put a little more water in the dish and tilt it so that the water pools to one end and the egg is at the edge of the water. When the tad hatches, it just slides into the water.


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## purplecat001 (Jun 23, 2009)

Thanks for the tips everyone. I will update when there is a change. 

Inflight -> How many almond leaves do you place in a 1 gallon jug of spring water? I assume you either boil it or let it soak, what is your method? Thank you.


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## purplecat001 (Jun 23, 2009)

Ugh, so last night I go to look at the eggs and on the 2nd clutch, one seems to have broken out of the egg too early and died throughout the night. This morning I go to look at the first tad from the 1st clutch and it is not moving anymore. I wonder if he stayed in his egg too long. I really don't know. Any ideas?

Now, I am left with 1 tadpole in its egg from the 2nd clutch. He moves alot. I am unsure at what stage they should hatch and what they looks like.

I haven't pulled anything after the 2nd clutch and I see they laid another last night. I'm sure they will do better than I can at this point. The one egg clutch on the brom appears to be developing. We will soon see.

Thanks for all of the help.


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## FoxHound (Oct 7, 2011)

Sometimes tads can "play dead" just after getting out of the egg at least mine did for a while. (maybe 2 days) If you watched them for a long time you could see them swim every once in a while but if you went up and looked at it you would swear it was dead. Just some food for thought.


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## Nath514 (Jul 8, 2012)

I have thought that several of my tads were dead numerous times. They are quite good at looking lifeless and floating at weird angles.


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

Do you guys realize your replying to a 2-1/2 year odl thread?


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## FoxHound (Oct 7, 2011)

Lol nope not even sure how I ended up here. O well live and learn I suppose...


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## John1451 (Jun 6, 2011)

Leave the tad alone that you think is dead...I've had several do this...also a little less water on the lids (in my opinion) you don't wanna flood them or have bacteria/fungal issues. I put them in a plastic shoebox with closing lid and just mist the deli cup lids. Also about 1/4 to 1/2 in of water for them to float on.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## FrogBoyMike (Aug 25, 2012)

LMAO!! I just was reading though the thread getting all into seeing the outcome and then saw this! lol 
Kinda funny. I hope the tads made it in the end lol



pdfCrazy said:


> Do you guys realize your replying to a 2-1/2 year odl thread?


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