# I got some dartfrog tadpoles!



## ...Jay... (Nov 2, 2006)

Im so freakin happy to finally have some I cant stop looking at them. I got 5 cobalt tinc tadpoles for $50 today







. Its gonna be about 2 months before they morph into froglets, but I'll take pictures as they get bigger.


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## Fordfanatic (Feb 2, 2006)

Whats involved in caring for them at this age? diet, housing,etc??


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## ...Jay... (Nov 2, 2006)

they are each in there own 44oz cup with some java moss. Some kinds of tads will bite/eat each other, so I'm gonna keep them seperate until they morph. Some people raise them together though. As for food, I got some tadpole bites(look like little fish food), and some algea mix(bag of green powder). Feed them twice a week, and theres not much more to it. Once there legs come out they will be put together in a morphing container, where there will be water on one side and slope up to land on the other.

I'll take some pictures later today, although there isn't much to see. The cups aren't perfectly clear, but more of a fogged clear, so I dont know how well pics will work. I was thinking about getting some clear ones so I can see them better.


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

How big are the tadpoles? Because I know dartfrogs are fairly tiny creatures.


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## cueball (May 24, 2005)

how did you score tatpoles in the first place ,, its not every day pet shops get tadpoles in


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## ...Jay... (Nov 2, 2006)

Mettle said:


> how did you score tatpoles in the first place ,, its not every day pet shops get tadpoles in


I'm a member on a dartfrog site, and people in michigan had a meet. Basically people get together and sell frogs/tads/plants to each other, and talk about frogs. Getting them from a person is better anyway because things are cheaper, and you know where it came from.

I couldn't get any decient pictures in these cups. I have to go get some deli cups for fruit fly cultures from somewhere(dont know I'm gonna buy them) hopefully tomorrow, or I'm gonna have to order them. So if they have some clearer large cups I'm gonna move the tads into them, so they are easier to see.


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## rocker (Aug 12, 2005)

That so cool. I did a quick search and found this http://www.rfadventures.com/metamorphasis.htm

Cant wait to see them as they grow.


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## bmpower007 (Feb 11, 2005)

Nice pickup...can't wait for some pics


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## ...Jay... (Nov 2, 2006)

Sorry I haven't updated sooner. I've been having a camera problem, and ended up just borrowing my aunts hunk of junk. Then had her email me a few pics. So the quality sucks.

One of the tadpoles is almost a month older than the rest, and should be poping front legs within a week(or any day). The back legs grow slowly, but the front ones grow inside the skin and pop all the sudden one day. You can tell this one is getting close because the bumps on the sides are the elbows(usually means they are close) and those have been visible for a while now. In the right light you can see little fingers under the skin. Its really interesting watching them develope.

The 2nd picture is the 55g that will be a vivarium soon. I collected that driftwood this spring. The 3rd picture is what the big peace of drift looked like before it met my chainsaw. I was sad I couldn't keep more of it, but it wouldn't fit. I made the coconut huts on top, and the little powerhead hanging there will supply water for the waterfall/stream.

anyway, enough yacking, heres the pictures.


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

That piece of wood is awesome! I wish I had an area near by where I could collect nice specimens like that. But alas, I don't think I do.









Keep us updated - even if you don't have pics. It's cool to hear about the progress.


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## ...Jay... (Nov 2, 2006)

thanx mettle









I think this piece of driftwood is really something. I like the roots, and hated to chop it down so small. I wish I had a couple hundred gallon tank so I could have kept it more intact. Pretty much any big river is good for finding gems like that. I live right by the Grand River, that comes from lake michigan. Thats where it came from.

My camera problems are half camera, half usb plugs that can handle a high speed camera. I think I'm gonna have to suck it up and buy a external usb device so pictures wont be a problem anymore. If I dont figure that out, I'll at least borrow the junk one once in a while to get some progress reports.

The other 4 tadpoles are further behind, and there back legs are just starting to get some size to them. This bigger one uses his legs more than his tail to swim now. Once his front legs pop he will go into a morphing box for about a week. During that time they dont eat, but absorb nutrients from there tail as it shrinks away. Then I'll have a froglet, I cant wait!!


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## ...Jay... (Nov 2, 2006)

I just went to check on the biggest one sense I hadn't done that today yet and one of his front arms popped out!!!!























will definentily get some froglet pictures. He should be out of the water and looking like a frog in a week or a little more


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

Very cool! The entire process of arms 'popping' out seems painful to me.

What does the morph box consist of? Just curious.


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## ...Jay... (Nov 2, 2006)

pretty much anything that has water on one side sloping to land will work. I'm gonna put together a 10g with gravel on one side and some moss and leaf litter on top of that. Thats my big job for the day today hehehe

Some people just put a big cup on its side inside the vivarium, so they can just hop out when they want to. That doesn't leave much water for them to move around in though. Plus my vivarium isn't ready yet.


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## ...Jay... (Nov 2, 2006)

well now that my aunts camera is broken I'm screwed for pictures. I have to use my ex's and have her email me shots. Less than desirable situation, but I'm gonna try to do that soon regardless.

everyone is coming along good. That biggest one, is now a little froglet, which looks AWSOME! and then I have 3 tads that have all 4 legs, so should be out of the water in a week or less. Then one that is a little behind the rest, and should be popping arms in about a week, then out of the water in 2 weeks.

Some progress on the vivarium too, but they wont go in that for 2-3 months. The thinking among frogers is that its harder to make sure they are eating, and harder for them to find fruit flies. So they're usually kept in something smaller for a while. Until they become teenagers, so to speak.

Anyway, sorry no pictures yet, I'm doing my best. These guys are awsome though, so I just wanted to let everyone know they are still coming along good, and pictures are on the way. Heres a link to google images of what my species looks like http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&...sa=N&tab=wi. real pictures coming soon.


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