# Leuc tad water questions...



## jbherpin (Oct 16, 2009)

Hi, my mom's tad water surface for her leucs has what she describes as spit looking slime. Like nasty stagnent bubbles on the surface of the water. What is causing this? Is it bad? How can she avoid this happening and correct it? She is using tad tea, has some bulbs from walmart(the ones you buy as dried bulbs of the shelf), and a stone. She is feeding pieces of algae waffers and tad bites as needed(she is experienced and does not over feed), and has an overhead light used both to keep plants alive, but also as a means to keep temps correct. I have never had this problem, but I have only raised 1 group of tinc tads thus far. I hope the community can help me help her! LOL! Thanks!!!

JBear


----------



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

It's algae from the intense lighting....

No biggie.....just skim the top of the water with you finger, hand or paper towel to remove the algae slime.

or you can just start with new, smaller @ 16 oz plastic deli cups with some of that aged water.

In any case....I'd move the tadpoles away from the extra lighting. It's just not nessa....


----------



## jbherpin (Oct 16, 2009)

I appreciate the feedback! I wonder if aquarium heaters will be a better option. The tads are in the basement, and temps stay lower than the rest of the house. That was the main reason for the lighting. She was using it as a source of heat. The tank is a 2.5 gal, I think, are there suitable heaters for this size enclosure? The tads are growing fast and appear very happy and healthy, just to add that...

JBear


----------



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

jbherpin said:


> I appreciate the feedback! I wonder if aquarium heaters will be a better option. The tads are in the basement, and temps stay lower than the rest of the house. That was the main reason for the lighting. She was using it as a source of heat. The tank is a 2.5 gal, I think, are there suitable heaters for this size enclosure? The tads are growing fast and appear very happy and healthy, just to add that...
> 
> JBear


 
yeah...fish tank heaters can be placed inside jars of water and then in turn, inside the small fish tank.

Try to keep _steady_ temps @ 75F.


----------



## jbherpin (Oct 16, 2009)

Thanks for the tip! Putting the heater in a contained area within the enclosure is a great idea! Thanks a lot! Are temps of 75F to be held through the night, or are dips to 68-70F good at night? Again, thanks!

Nevermind, I now see you specifically said _steady_...

JBear


----------



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

a couple degree swings either way - up or down, is ok.....you just don't want things like a night time temperature drop of like 12 degrees ect.

Going from 78F day to 64F each night would be bad, for example.

Steady temps allow for me even / normal growth rate of the tad, I believe.


----------



## jbherpin (Oct 16, 2009)

She says the water smells bad, and has a lot of debris throughout the water column... Any advice on this? What should she do? Thanks!

JBear


----------



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

jbherpin said:


> She says the water smells bad, and has a lot of debris throughout the water column... Any advice on this? What should she do? Thanks!
> 
> JBear


Yep...again, that's the algae. No biggie as well. You CAN siphon out 1/2 of the water and replace with grocery store spring water or aged tap water.

Just don't use reverse osmosis or distilled water. No need for those.


----------



## jbherpin (Oct 16, 2009)

Philsuma said:


> Yep...again, that's the algae. No biggie as well. You CAN siphon out 1/2 of the water and replace with grocery store spring water or aged tap water.
> 
> Just don't use reverse osmosis or distilled water. No need for those.


I thank you for your continued advice, and patience! I think that should solve her problems, well done!

JBear


----------



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

jbherpin said:


> I thank you for your continued advice, and patience! I think that should solve her problems, well done!
> 
> JBear


my pleasure....if it wasn't me, someone else here would have been just as quick to help you. Lotsa good peeps with great info here.

Good luck and keep us posted on the tads.


----------



## jbherpin (Oct 16, 2009)

Philsuma said:


> Good luck and keep us posted on the tads.


They are my mom's tads, and I will post pics when available, and updates too. Her leucs are her favs of what she keeps, so she really wants to get it right! You've been a great help. Thanks, again!

JBear


----------



## jbherpin (Oct 16, 2009)

Here is an update pic:

JBear


----------



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

jbherpin said:


> Here is an update pic:
> 
> JBear


Nice ! He looks big and smug.


----------



## jbherpin (Oct 16, 2009)

Philsuma said:


> Nice ! He looks big and smug.


Thanks! Is that the nubbins of rear legs I see, or is it fecal? It looks like the very begginings of rear legs to me, but wanted to ask for a majority opinion!

Thanks!

JBear


----------



## jbherpin (Oct 16, 2009)

Here is 1 as an update:

JBear


----------



## jbherpin (Oct 16, 2009)

Here are some update pics! How long before they leave the water? I thought 1-2 weeks tops... Thanks!

JBear


----------



## nurse3766 (Apr 8, 2010)

be sure they have land to climb out on or they will drown.
do that today. 1 looks rdy to leave the water.

GL with the new babies


----------



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

When they pop front legs...make sure to get them into a sloped container with Shallow water.

They can easily drown with deep water and no slope to climb out onto.

Make sure there is a lid on top of the container as well...they will test their legs and try to climb.


----------



## jbherpin (Oct 16, 2009)

I appreciate the feedback! She has lowered the water to about 2 inches, and put a large sloped rock and a pothos cutting in for them to emerge on. The lid is tight. The pothos is draped over the part of the rock that is out of the water in an effort to provide shelter and security. As soon as they are discovered out of the water she intends to remove them and put them into her grow-out. She checks on them probably 3-4(or more, lol) times daily to make sure she is there when needed. She has Springs and they are seeded in the grow-out, as well as being cultured outside the tank. Any thing else that is a potential concern?

Thanks again for the continued help!

JBear


----------



## Woodsman (Jan 3, 2008)

Once the front legs emerge, they only need to be in water deep enough to cover them (about 1/2 inch). So, 2 inches sounds like a little bit of water, but metamorphs can drown in even this amout of water.

Good luck with them, Richard.



jbherpin said:


> I appreciate the feedback! She has lowered the water to about 2 inches, and put a large sloped rock and a pothos cutting in for them to emerge on. The lid is tight. The pothos is draped over the part of the rock that is out of the water in an effort to provide shelter and security. As soon as they are discovered out of the water she intends to remove them and put them into her grow-out. She checks on them probably 3-4(or more, lol) times daily to make sure she is there when needed. She has Springs and they are seeded in the grow-out, as well as being cultured outside the tank. Any thing else that is a potential concern?
> 
> Thanks again for the continued help!
> 
> JBear


----------



## jbherpin (Oct 16, 2009)

Woodsman said:


> Once the front legs emerge, they only need to be in water deep enough to cover them (about 1/2 inch). So, 2 inches sounds like a little bit of water, but metamorphs can drown in even this amout of water.
> 
> Good luck with them, Richard.


This is what it looks like, Should this be ok?

Thanks for the heads up!

JBear


----------



## Woodsman (Jan 3, 2008)

Hi Jbear,

I haven't used any rocks as the substrate for the froglets to crawl up on (I use long Sphagnum moss for this), but I think this set-up should work. I would just make sure that the rock stays wet on top, as I don't think the froglet would crawl out onto a dry rock.

Good luck, Richard.


----------

