Also, any way to keep the frozen food from sinking so quickly? The tads seem interested but so far I haven't seen one actually ingest a piece.
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spawning video
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 critterguy.antfarm |
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Posts: 34 (04/09/08 20:31:16) |
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todley |
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Posts: 25145 (04/09/08 20:34:49) Administrator
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I used an air stone to keep frozen foods moving in the water column longer. You have to find the right amount of air movement to keep the food moving and the
tads able to hunt it without being tossed around. I had a cheap little plastic regulator on the air lines to be able to turn it up and down.
todley |
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critterguy.antfarm |
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Posts: 35 (04/09/08 20:56:33) |
Also, I read in some old threads of using vinegar eels/microworms. What were the end results? i'm guessing vinegar eels worked better for young tads as
they would stay near the surface.
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todley |
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Posts: 25146 (04/09/08 21:06:21) Administrator
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They worked very well for first foods but after a couple of weeks they preferred the live bbs. I actually raised one group on live bbs and another on the
frozen and didn't see any difference to their growth rate!
todley |
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critterguy.antfarm |
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Posts: 36 (04/09/08 21:39:14) |
Hummm...I may have to pick up some frozen brine shrimp!
Would putting the tads in a breeder net floated in the sweaterbox be advisable if I opted for feeding frozen? You could put an airbubbler nearby and keep the food in suspension. After tads have had fill, siphon off remainder. |
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todley |
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Posts: 25147 (04/09/08 22:22:10) Administrator
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You could try that. I didn't have much frozen left over. I fed every 3 hours just enough at a time for them to clean up most of it. Then as I mentioned
previously I'd siphon up the bottom before next feeding. Tads just never seem to have their fill. They're little bellies should be fill and round and
don't seem to be able to overeat. Hunt, eat and poo is what they do.
todley |
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critterguy.antfarm |
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Posts: 37 (04/10/08 19:58:10) |
Has anyone here tried newly hatched mosquito larvae?(as in, set out some funky water outside, and spoon out the egg rafts laid by adults). It seems like this
would be a likely food source in the wild. Actually, even larger sizes of mozzie larvae would be bomb for older tads. Just make sure you don't actually
increase the number of mozzies in your hood in the process.
The tads seem to be tracking the frozen Cyclops, but its hard to tell if they've been eating it. I've observed them "eating" apparently invisible stuff in the water and very close observation reveals some tiny worms that move in a gliding motion which probably came from the "infusoria" culture. Certainly not enough to feed all of them. Spawning the adults now is almost like flicking a switch. Stuff them with blackworms and do a water change and 2 days later they will spawn. Oddly enough I've never had them spawn the night immediately following a water change. |
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critterguy.antfarm |
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Posts: 38 (04/10/08 20:01:46) |
Also, does the tad in the last photo look like its had anything to eat at all to you?
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critterguy.antfarm |
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Posts: 39 (04/11/08 18:42:49) |
Some tads are now eating the frozen cyclops...but I don't think I'll be able to have them thrive on it. A good number of them have starved.
I'm getting some vinegar eels/Walter worms in for future batches. |
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todley |
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Posts: 25157 (04/11/08 21:01:28) Administrator
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It doesn't look like that little tad has eaten much. Their little bellies are usually distended like a big balloon when they're eating right. You can
also crush up some of the Frog and Tadpole Bites really, really, really, fine and sprinkle on the surface of the water. I know they'll eat some of it but
not all parts so some of it gathers on the bottom for clean-up later but at least they're getting something into them.
If you can get some vinegar eels or worms for future clutches, that would be great but you're still going to need more solid foods within a couple of weeks or so. The bbs is the best I've found for youngsters to grow on. todley
Last Edited By: todley
04/11/08 21:03:43.
Edited 1 times.
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todley |
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Posts: 25161 (04/11/08 22:08:51) Administrator
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critterguy.antfarm |
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Posts: 40 (04/12/08 06:39:50) |
Ok, terrific hatch rate from the stored eggs. Unfortunately, most of the batch has perished by now but this is good news for future batches. Lesson
learned...do not be cheap with the BS eggs!
That dish is ingenious! |
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todley |
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Posts: 25162 (04/12/08 11:04:48) Administrator
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I think so too. Way easier than fussing with air stones and the like however, most of these are very inexpensive DIY set ups put together with things you have
already but this isn't terribly expensive at all IMHO and way better than those hang on the tank hatcheries that only give you very few at a time.
todley |
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critterguy.antfarm |
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Posts: 42 (04/12/08 14:43:26) |
Their is probably a way to DIY that hatchery dish...but I am still not 100% sure on the workings of it based on the photos. It looks like it excludes the
shells with a ring at the water level but I think theirs more to it.
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critterguy.antfarm |
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Posts: 43 (04/13/08 13:45:21) |
I am down to 3-4 tadpoles of the last batch...which may just be the ones that hatched the latest. They seem to be very poor hunters compared to fish fry of
comparable size. The BBS needs to get right in front of them and even then no guarantee. I think 2-3 of the 4 hav plump bellies though. How much BBS do you
guys put in? I guess they need a very high concentration in order to feed/grow well.
More eggs last night, and this week I should be getting worms and a BS net. Hoping for a better survival rate! |
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critterguy.antfarm |
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Posts: 44 (04/13/08 13:48:50) |
Has anyone here tried raising the tadpoles in a shallow tray kind of tank? That might help keep the food near the surface where they could hunt at their
leisure. Even though they are less hyper than fish fry it seems they starve to death quicker.
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todley |
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Posts: 25170 (04/14/08 14:28:14) Administrator
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I never tried that and didn't have any problem with any of them being at or near the surface for feeding in 10" water or so. I used a 5 g tank for
them. The more water, the better off as some of them apparently are able to emit a chemical in the water which will kill off some weaker siblings. If
they're getting enough to eat from day one they'll be strong enough to hunt for their dinners. They really do need to be eating almost continually
throughout the day. I fed every 3 hours from around 7 am to 9 or 10 at night.
todley |
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critterguy.antfarm |
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Posts: 45 (04/14/08 16:34:37) |
Interesting. I guess being starved at first just pushed them over the edge.
Left with two, but they seem like they will be here for the long run. |
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todley |
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Posts: 25175 (04/15/08 10:17:06) Administrator
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I sure hope they do alright for you. I lost a few batches myself in all my efforts and it's sad to see them get to a certain stage and then leave us.
All we can do is try to learn from our mistakes and continue to try to improve things for them.
todley |
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critterguy.antfarm |
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Posts: 46 (04/15/08 11:28:02) |
Would you say the beginning is the hardest part?
I am getting in some vinegar eels and Walter worms(similar to microworms) this week. Would it be ok to start the newest batch on solely these for a time? |
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- Welcome!
- F'n'F Shop
- Emergency Room
- The Waiting Room
- African Dwarf Frogs
- African Clawed Frogs
- Freshwater
- Brackish & Oddities
- Saltwater Lovers
- Underwater Garden
- Bettas
- Catfish
- Cichlids
- Goldfish
- The Delivery Room
- In Memoriam
- The Water Cooler
- The Adventures of Smoochy
- Library
- Do-It-Yourself Workshop
- The Garage Sale
- General Information & Registration Help
