# favorite productive tadpole food



## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

I use a mix of foods depending on the tads.A good quality color enhancing fish food,Spirulina (depending on tads),Frozen blood worms,Glass worms,and fruit flies dusted when their front legs start to pop.I haven't read of anyone using glass worms (mosquito larvae) which I would think would be a natural food source for them.They really seem to like them and I have had good success with them.
So what works for you?
Lou


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## earthfrog (May 18, 2008)

I use P-Pel spirulina-enriched sinking pellets, ground into powder, available from brineshrimpdirect.com. These likely have less ash and are more nutritionally complete than other tadpole bites available. I also supplement with spirulina powder at each feeding.

Some frozen bloodworms can carry parasites, so maybe heat or dry them as a precaution, or use a brand that does not have those.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Cyclop-eez in the form of tetra brand micro crabs. Lots of success with this as my only tAd food, and a good color enhancer to boot


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## Paul G (Feb 27, 2007)

frogparty said:


> Cyclop-eez in the form of tetra brand micro crabs. Lots of success with this as my only tAd food, and a good color enhancer to boot


I was under the impression that the Tetra Micro Crabs were discontinued.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

I bought a huge container of it about a year ago from my LFS. I would be bummed to hear that it was discontinued, I love the stuff. Once mine is all gone, I don't know what I'll use. Probably spirulina and some other food containing xanthins


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

frogparty said:


> Cyclop-eez in the form of tetra brand micro crabs. Lots of success with this as my only tAd food, and a good color enhancer to boot


 I've been looking for them,but I haven't been able to find them yet.



earthfrog said:


> Some frozen bloodworms can carry parasites, so maybe heat or dry them as a precaution, or use a brand that does not have those.


 I use the same brand all the time and haven't had any problems with them so I'm sure they're fine. How would you heat them sufficiently enough to kill parasites but not make them mush?


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## earthfrog (May 18, 2008)

oddlot said:


> I use the same brand all the time and haven't had any problems with them so I'm sure they're fine. How would you heat them sufficiently enough to kill parasites but not make them mush?


Instead of doing that, get the Hikari kind. I do believe my freshwater fish got anchor worms from the off-brand worms, but I'm not entirely sure...Here's what I found out about them:



> _ feed Hikari because of their 100% safe bloodworm sterilization process. This is what it says on the Hikari frozen bloodworms: Bio-pure blood worms are excellent for all types of tropical fish. Three-step sterilization ensures unequalled product quality - no harmful bacteria, parasites, or foul odors._


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## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

I feed New Life Spectrum Pellets (1 mm size), Frozen cyclopeeze, Frozen Blood Worms. There are also some copepods and other things in their containers which I'm sure they eat too.


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## wiedemey (Jan 23, 2010)

Frog and tadpole bites as a staple, some fish flakes, some bloodworms, daphnia as an indicator and live food (if they can catch them)


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

earthfrog said:


> Instead of doing that, get the Hikari kind. I do believe my freshwater fish got anchor worms from the off-brand worms, but I'm not entirely sure...Here's what I found out about them:


 
I'm not sure that this is a route that Lernaea can infect fish.. I don't think that they can survive being frozen. 

Ed


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## slipperheads (Oct 17, 2007)

tadpole bites, fish flakes, superpig


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

Hey Mitch,I still can't find the cyclopeeze,Where do you get yours?So far I have 2 morphlings from your little ones
Lou




Mitch said:


> I feed New Life Spectrum Pellets (1 mm size), Frozen cyclopeeze, Frozen Blood Worms. There are also some copepods and other things in their containers which I'm sure they eat too.


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## Woodsman (Jan 3, 2008)

I use human grade Spirulina for all my tads and have had no cases of sls.


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## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

oddlot said:


> Hey Mitch,I still can't find the cyclopeeze,Where do you get yours?So far I have 2 morphlings from your little ones
> Lou


Nice! I get it at the local fish store... most fish stores should have it. I think I've even seen it at PetCo.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

I use Formula One fish flakes by Ocean Nutrition. It is one of the highest quality flake foods available. Check out how most of the first ingredients listed are nutritious meats instead of cheap fillers.
Ingredients
  Salmon fillets, Euphasia pacifica plankton, squid, wheat germ, tuna eggs, Euphasia superba plankton, wheat flour, sea clams, kelp, adult brine shrimp, brine shrimp nauplii, soya-lecithin, MPAXTM (Marine Protein Amino eXtract: fish meals, select amino acids (DL-Arginine, L-Lysine, DL-Methionine, Betaïne, TL-Tryptophan)), vitamins (ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), biotin (Vitamin H), Vitamin B12, riboflavin (vitamin B2), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), panthotenic acid (Vitamin B5), menadione (Vitamin K3), folacin (Vitamin B9), cholicalciferol (Vitamin D3), niacin (Vitamin B3), retinol (Vitamin A1), pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)), minerals (potassium iodide, iron oxide, manganese sulfate, magnesium oxide, zinc sulfate), ethoxyquin, carotenoid pigments.

I also use Cyclop Eeze in the freeze dried form. The wafers are another good choice. And of course the frozen like Mitch mentioned but that's just a bit too much hassle for me. CYCLOP-EEZE®: Product Info Make sure you get the Cyclop Eeze and not the knock off, "Cyclops", by San Francisco Bay. It is NOT the same thing at all! Here is a good place to get it online. Liquid Life Cyclop-eeze Whole Freeze-Dried 30 Gram

I also use some good old fashioned Spirulina and Chlorella in the mix.


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## earthfrog (May 18, 2008)

Ed said:


> I'm not sure that this is a route that Lernaea can infect fish.. I don't think that they can survive being frozen.
> 
> Ed


Even though they can't survive freezing temps, there are other parasites that can...what would those be? 

Pond Life - Anchor Worm (Lernaea) - Sturgeon and Koi Parasites - Fish Health


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Where does that link show the can survive being frozen? Or that a temperature is listed? 

Ed


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## earthfrog (May 18, 2008)

Ed said:


> Where does that link show the can survive being frozen? Or that a temperature is listed?
> 
> Ed


Here's another link. It seems they can't survive down to freezing after all.



> They cannot survive harsh winters and will die if the temperature drops below 15°C (59°F)


Wish there were more citations.

Lernaea - The Free Freshwater and Saltwater Aquarium Encyclopedia Anyone Can Edit - The Aquarium Wiki


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

Yea !! I went to the pet trade show in Atlantic city today and snagged myself some cyclopeeze and mysis shrimp.I will be adding these to my tad feedings.
Lou


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## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

oddlot said:


> Yea !! I went to the pet trade show in Atlantic city today and snagged myself some cyclopeeze and mysis shrimp.I will be adding these to my tad feedings.
> Lou


Nice! I haven't tried mysis yet for tads. I hear it is best to rinse them once they're thawed because the water they're in isn't very good to mix with your tad water (it contains his nitrates or something along those lines).


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## BBoyette (Mar 9, 2009)

Mitch said:


> Nice! I haven't tried mysis yet for tads. I hear it is best to rinse them once they're thawed because the water they're in isn't very good to mix with your tad water (it contains his nitrates or something along those lines).


Yes, I've heard the same. I think the frozen cubes are high in sodium also since they are raised in salt water.

I use New life spectrum cichlid formula, along with indian almond leaves and tad bites occasionally. Has worked good for me.


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## froggymike (Jan 11, 2010)

I have used the smallest new life spectrum sinking cichlid pellets, angel flake, frozen blood & glass worms, live black worms. I believe variety is a key to a better life.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Be careful with the frozen meats, guys. Yes they are very nutritious, but a little too much can foul out a tiny little cup like that in a hurry. One of my friends here told me how he just killed one of his tads with too much food fouling out the cup.


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## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

Pumilo said:


> Be careful with the frozen meats, guys. Yes they are very nutritious, but a little too much can foul out a tiny little cup like that in a hurry. One of my friends here told me how he just killed one of his tads with too much food fouling out the cup.


Yup, always better to underfeed then to overfeed. Well, unless you are doing enough water changes that the water quality stays optimal and plentiful food is available. That's when tad growth has been fastest for me.


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## earthfrog (May 18, 2008)

Pumilo said:


> Be careful with the frozen meats, guys. Yes they are very nutritious, but a little too much can foul out a tiny little cup like that in a hurry. One of my friends here told me how he just killed one of his tads with too much food fouling out the cup.


Removing uneaten frozen bugs/meat with a turkey baster a couple hours after feeding will prevent this. 
Anyone thought of dropping in the occasional live fruit fly? My tarapoto tads tear at a mob of struggling flies like sharks eating a ball of frozen fish bait.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

earthfrog said:


> Removing uneaten frozen bugs/meat with a turkey baster a couple hours after feeding will prevent this.
> Anyone thought of dropping in the occasional live fruit fly? My tarapoto tads tear at a mob of struggling flies like sharks eating a ball of frozen fish bait.


I throw a couple of flies in from time to time.


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## tachikoma (Apr 16, 2009)

I tank raise my tads and never feed them anything so they just eat organic matter from the underwater leaf litter, java moss, and fruit flies that fall into the water (many fall into the water). I have not had a case of sls yet so seems they are getting enough nutrition from whatever is in the water.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Just a point here... with the new information, it appears SLS is primarily a problem from insufficiently supplemented adults, not tadpole nutrition. 


Ed


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

Hi Brandon,Mysis shrimp are fresh water shrimp.I haven't used them yet but i would only use a small piece here and there.
Lou




MaxB22 said:


> Yes, I've heard the same. I think the frozen cubes are high in sodium also since they are raised in salt water.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Actually Mysis shrimp are very diverse and can be found in freshwater, saltwater, and brackish water.


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

Although they are found in fresh and salt the packaging states that they are from fresh water.
Lou


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

oddlot said:


> Although they are found in fresh and salt the packaging states that they are from fresh water.
> Lou


Sorry Lou, I missed that you were talking about a specific brand. I see now you were referring to the package you bought. I know trout love em! I tie a mysis shrimp fly pattern for tailwaters.


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## Dizzle21 (Aug 11, 2009)

Im using tetracolor granules w/ cyclopeeze and 100% organic spirulina I got at Sprouts "healthfood store" there compacted pills but can be cut into little bits with a razor blade easily.


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