Topic: Missing Tadpoles (presumed..?)

[redimp]

As you all know, I recently put a (contraband) pond up on my lottie.  On Monday, I put in about 150 very healthy tadpoles.  The water was a similar temperature to the pond, the pond has about three or four different oxygenators that have spread well, has a good covering of duckweed and some mares tails.  I also put in some marsh forgetmenots in one of the marshy areas.  However, I returned to the pond today and spent over 5 mins peering through a hole in the weed.  I saw a lot of life but only one tadpole.  Is this usual - are they good hiders?  The only tadpoles I have seen have been in jars inside or in my parents' frog infested pond which is absolutely stuffed each year.  Is is just that they each have a lot of personal space or does it look like they are missing presumed dead?

[aquilegia]

I've noticed they are more visible when it's hot. I think they come to the surface to bask in the heat. When it's colder, they go deeper, where it remains warm.

Also I can hardly see anything in my pond at the moment as the surface is so well covered. And I can't see very deep as it's so shady down there (hopefully keep the algae away!)

[redimp]

Thanks - it may be sunny up there but it is a bit cold so I will presume for now they are keeping themselves as warm as possible and that they will reappear over the weekend.  I have to confess, I get very attached to all living things (6 pets down from 8) and get very worried for them if anything seems amiss.

[Margaret]

Hiya.I would put a little extra food in for them in the way of flake fish food.Perhaps the pond has not had time to mature and provide the insect life they need to feed on,so i hope they have not perished.They will also eat each other.I do hope some are still around!!

[redimp]

There does seem to be a ramarkable amount of life in the pond considering it is new.  All sorts of aquatic insects appear to have moved in (I do not know where they have come from) in addition to the expected midge and mozzie larvae there are red wiggly wormy things and lots of swimming beetle and flea type things.  I am hoping aquilegia is right and there a bit cold at the moment.  I will have another look tomorrow afternoon.

[redimp]

Update - nice warm day - quite a few tadpoles seen - looking very healthy but I think they are still vegetarian - can't wait for them to get to work on the midgie larvae.

[kitty]

glad the taddies are ok clanger!
we bought 5 fishies for our bath pond-and they must be the shyest goldfish on record-they are still there-cos i can see their tails waving but they wont come out from behind the plants!
do you think iots too cold for them yet?

[maz]

Kitty do you feed them? That usually brings mine up or out from wherever they are.

[kitty]

yes...i do...
i think they have a complex....... :'(


or they just dont like me. :(

[maz]

 :'(

Maybe its cos you are a kitty. Now if you were human..............  ;D

[kitty]

 ;D ;D ;D