Raising Tadpoles
DISCLAIMER: this is the first time I have raised tadpoles but I have gotten some good information from people on the internet.
FIRST, cycle your aquarium to get good bacteria established. This should take 7-14 days of running your filter. This good bacteria will change ammonia (given off by fish and tadpoles) to nitrites. Other bacteria will change nitrites to nitrates.
Do 10% water change every week as water will evaporate and salts will accumulate.
Use only treated fish water to house tadpoles (i.e. use chlorine and chloramine remover first). Feed them algae tabs, or boiled lettuce or spinach that has been finely chopped (boil for 10-15 minutes). Remember to refill with treated water. As the front legs grow the tadpoles will no longer eat. At this point they will reabsorb their tail as a food source and the tail will appear to shrink. CAUTION: left over food contributes to ammonia load in tank. Do not feed if there is still left over food in the tank.
As the front legs develop, provide small frogs with places to climb on like a floating log. Do not use any type of pine wood, yew, or cedar, it is poisonous to frogs and tads. When they become froglets they don't eat at all. Once the front legs show up, they live off the stored energy in the tail as it disappears so do not feed them at this time as the food will cloud the tank.
My "tailed toadlets" appear to swim quickly to the top, get some air, then fall to the bottom, sometimes on their back. It appears they have drowned, but actually they are alive and fine the next day. As they get front legs, they also develop spots or bumps on their backs and their bellies turn to cream color. I have placed these TTs on my floater pad, but they jump off within 5 minutes. It appears their lungs are not developed enough to use only air to breathe.
As they emerge onto land they can eat small insects such as flighless fruit flies, aphids, springtails, or small crickets. If you find a leaf with aphids, cut it off and place in tank. Be sure the leaf has not been sprayed with pesticides first.
CAUTIONS
My tadpoles really loved eating anacharis. Be warned, they could destroy it within days. Other people recommend Java fern to put into the tank.
I recommend 1-2 tadpoles per gallon of water. Any more and ammonia could build up to dangerous levels.
Use a bubbler stone to provide oxygen.
Feed 3 times daily. Before each feeding make sure all food is gone first. If there is still food in the tank, skip this feeding. Feed with fish flake food or break up algae tabs into small pieces.
Cover the tank completely. Tadpoles like to jump out, but only the larger ones (like bulfrog) can actually make it out.
