# [tadpoles] Please help, I am not sure if I am doing this correctly



## applepi (11 mo ago)

I recently brought home a tank of 8 tadpoles (from the school's pond) for a school project, and I really want them to grow up well. Currently they share a 25cm by 14.5cm plastic tank with a guppy, and the water level is about 7cm high so that the rock I put inside isn't fully submerged.

As of now, they seem to be growing their hind legs. I also believe they will grow into toads, because their bodies are pitch black and I live in a tropical region (within Southeast Asia, so the temperature averages around 28-30 deg Celsius). They have a rock (artificial) to hide under or perch on, and I change the water (I keep some of the water and replace the rest with rainwater/boiled water) twice a week or when it smells particularly stinky. I try to feed them before I leave the house around 6 in the morning and when I get home around 7 in the evening.

They seem to be darting around a lot. Is the tank is too small for them?
They don't seem to be eating the boiled lettuce or algae wafers I got for them, and they'd much rather stick themselves to the side of the container. I cleared the rotting plants from the tank before I knew their worth, so I'm worried that they don't have enough to eat. Is this normal??
Am I supposed to separate them once their front legs emerge? (especially since they are all growing at different rates)

I would really like for them to grow up healthy, so any advice would be appreciated. Thank you very much!!!
(I have read this document)


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## bulbophyllum (Feb 6, 2012)

They are probably eating biofilm that is growing on the side of the tank. They know what they want to eat. You can get a good guess as to what species you are dealing with by their appearance and where you found them. What frogs are around that pond? From there research that species of tadpole. 

Sorry I don't have a lot of advice for you. Raising tadpoles in general is not that hard. You will figure it out.


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

Removing the guppy would certainly be a good idea.


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## applepi (11 mo ago)

bulbophyllum said:


> They are probably eating biofilm that is growing on the side of the tank. They know what they want to eat. You can get a good guess as to what species you are dealing with by their appearance and where you found them. What frogs are around that pond? From there research that species of tadpole.
> 
> Sorry I don't have a lot of advice for you. Raising tadpoles in general is not that hard. You will figure it out.


Thanks for the reassurance! From what I've seen, they seem to be Asian common toads? There aren't many pictures of toadlets online though.... here's a picture of one that underwent metamorphosis overnight!!!!!


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## applepi (11 mo ago)

Socratic Monologue said:


> Removing the guppy would certainly be a good idea.


Yup, I've relocated it into a separate container


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Not all tadpoles will take lettuce or other greens as the tadpoles may require more protein in their diet. If you have Duttaphrynus melanostictus then these do require more animal protein see for example Mahapatra, Susmita, Sushil K. Dutta, and Gunanidhi Sahoo. "Opportunistic predatory behaviour in Duttaphrynus melanostictus (Schneider, 1799) tadpoles." _Current Science_ (2017): 1755-1759. 

I would suggest using a high quality fish flake food or sinking pellets made for fish requiring more protein. 

some comments 

Ed


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