# Tadpoles dying?



## LaTorre (Aug 6, 2021)

I've had 4 consecutive Leucomelas tadpoles get to the point of popping out their front legs then wind up upside down and lifeless. I feed them Josh's Frogs tadpole pellets mostly with goldfish flakes sprinkled in occassionally. The tads seem healthy and then just go lifeless all of the sudden.

I've even tried keeping the cup tilted just in case but that hasn't helped either.

What am I doing wrong?


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## Roscoe09 (Dec 30, 2017)

If you describe how you care for tadpoles in depth then an answer likely can be found.


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## LaTorre (Aug 6, 2021)

Roscoe09 said:


> If you describe how you care for tadpoles in depth than an answer likely can be found.


After they hatch I put them in individual cups filled with bottled spring water, an almond leaf piece and sprig of java moss.

I do about a 50% water change twice a week or as needed and feed them every other day.


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## Chris S (Apr 12, 2016)

I think you can raise these communally without any issues - and a sponge filter may help your problems.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

turkey baster....be sure to get a lot of the bottom of the cup water. Every 2-3 days max. Not longer


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## lork-the-mighty (May 11, 2021)

Chris S said:


> I think you can raise these communally without any issues - and a sponge filter may help your problems.


Are leuc tads not cannibalistic?


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

lork-the-mighty said:


> Are leuc tads not cannibalistic?


I put 2 leuc tads in a 16 oz cup once, and found that in those circumstances they are.


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## JasonE (Feb 7, 2011)

Even tads that can be raised communally will prey on each other. I actually liked it. One, I wasn't overrun with auratus and terribilis froglets. And two, the tads who made it came out of the water larger than a comparable froglet that had to be raised individually.


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## mikestra (Oct 16, 2008)

It may just be the photo, but to me the java moss appears to be brown and possibly decomposing. If that's the case, it could produce an ammonia spike that can quickly kill the tad, depending on the volume of water. What are the temps like, how much and how often are you feeding, and approx what volume of water are you keeping them in?


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

yeah...water is looking unclean


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## Chris S (Apr 12, 2016)

lork-the-mighty said:


> Are leuc tads not cannibalistic?


I think they are all cannibalistic when there isn't enough protein available.


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## hansgruber7 (Mar 23, 2020)

I've had a few cases where the tadpole was floating upside down like that and I thought it was dead, but I did a water change and they recovered. Sometimes they seem to act like that when the front legs come in I've found. Are you certain the tadpole was dead? Your water also doesn't look great, so that may be your problem.


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## Ravage (Feb 5, 2016)

Something I've seen missing in these answers is the question of the parents. What supplements do they receive, and how often? Vitamin A supplementation of the parents is necessary for tad development. Deficiencies can lead to Spindly Leg Syndrome, as well as sudden mortality or just plain failure to thrive. Let me begin by saying I like the josh's frog guys, but I wouldn't feed my larvae their food exclusively (at all, actually, but that's because I vary feeding so widely). Try a high variety diet. I find Repashy Soylent green is great for tads. It's also a bit of a pain to make the tad sized pellets, but the nutrition is worth it. Also, don't just feed them that. I also like to throw in some high end Marine fish pellets occasionally. 
Tadpoles are detritivores- meaning they eat about anything their scrapy mouths can find. I have seen people raising them in blackwater that smells like a New York City alleyway. So don't get too hung up on water changes. Yes, keep it reasonable, but a small spike in ammonia is not going to affect them like it would Discus fry. A tadpole can mature in the vase of a bromeliad with only the water exchange of the rains and be just fine. I almost never do a water change, just replace evaporation with RO water. I do a change when the water becomes cloudy or there is so much mulm on the bottom that I can't see the tad even when it's moving.


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