Breeding Xenopus laevis

[berksmike]

I had a group of 3 male albino african clawed frogs and a while back got 2 more males and a female off a member of another forum.

They soon settled in as a group and started breeding. Thought I'd share how they developed:

Mating:

Laying:

Spawn:

Newly hatched tadpole:

Tadpoles developing:

Froglet still with tail:

Froglet nearly absorbed tail:

These are filter feeders and have been feeding on a mixture of ground up reptomin and spirulina powder

 

[Otterwoman]

That is a really cool succession of pictures! Educational, too. Thanks!

 

[FredLikesNewts]

Cool I think my first pet was a clawed frog, although I find their tadpoles very creepy.

 

[keechoo]

Great pictures! Maybe you can help me. Mine have laid on many different occasions. Sometimes I kept the eggs in and sometimes I took the eggs out but no matter what there were no tadpoles. The eggs would either disappear in the tank (assuming parents ate them) or they would develop a fungus in the other tank. My only thinking was that the duo were too young to have fertilized eggs. Can you please tell me what you did? I recently found eggs among the live plants but don't know hoe long they have been in there. I also don't think they were fertilized because they didn't have dark centers like the previous ones did. Any tips would be appreciated!

 

[berksmike]

Hi there

Well once they have laid its best to get the eggs out I have found as the frogs seem to hoover them up pretty quickly.
I transfer them with a plastic turkey baster ( an essential tool for keeping my frogs I have found!)to a small clean aquarium with fresh water (dechlorinated if tap water), an airstone and some elodea.
If you prepare this ready you can use a heater (always give the heater time to work before so you don't end up with boiled tads) - i didnt but if you do I believe the tadpoles grow faster.
If you have albino frogs then you will never see a black dot and they develop as in the pictures above.

The first couple of clutches laid by my frogs didnt take but they soon get the hang of it!

Hope this helps

 

[keechoo]

Thank you. My male is albino and the female is the typical grey color. I'll rermember what you've said for the next batch. Thanks a lot!

 

[Jennewt]

Fascinating pictures. The tadpoles are incredibly fish-like.

 

[berksmike]

Managed to get a pic of one of the first of the fully morphed froglets (for scale he is about 2cm long now):

Very funny watching him gobbling down bloodworm!

 

[SUZY]

I thoroughly enjoyed this expedition. You are amazing at taking pic's. I have 4 females, never been able to find a male, or never tried hard enough. But, I love it.
They are so cute !!!!