Frogs Only Please.....

[CountryEscape]

Really? Well that's a new one on me! I had no idea. As I said, I've never seen that type of formation on a tadpole around here. You have some unique ones on your side of the "pond".

 

[addy1]

Here are what a few of my ponds look like with toad eggs and there are more

.

 

[j.w]

Holy toad eggs at first I was trying to look through all those what looked like long roots but then I see those are all long lines of the eggs, WOW! Do the fish eat them? Something must eat them cuz you would have zillions of toads if they all survive.

 

[addy1]

lol we get tons of eggs, never are overrun with toads. Always a lot of tads then they just poof away. Esp the toads. The frogs over winter as tads, the green frogs that is.

 

[j.w]

I saw tadpoles one year in my tub pond but never saw any in the main pond. Fish prolly eat them all or frogs are smart not to lay them in there w/all those hungry buzzards.

 

[CountryEscape]

I had tons of toad eggs first year I had my goldfish pond, and then tons of tiny black taddies. Then one day, as you said, poof ... they were gone. Never did see a baby toad. Heard toads last night, so they are beginning to mate. Goldfish were chasing this morning, so they are thinking about spawning, too. Not sure what the water temp is, but it is probably around 50 or 55 I would guess. Too cool for spawning, I would guess.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

The surviving Bullfrog has been hanging out in the bog the past couple of nights.

 

[CountryEscape]

This bullfrog is between 5-6" long from nose to butt. Can you see her underwater? The pot she's next to is a 4" pot, as a comparison to size. I could have grabbed her and taken a pic in my hand,but I don't want to scare her away. Hoping she will lay eggs that actually hatch this year. Only tadpoles I've seen in my pond were 3 years ago, when I was taking the bog apart in search for a hole. Tossed the tadpoles into the pond, having no idea the koi may have them for a snack. Never saw them again, so have no idea if they made it or not.

 

[j.w]

That is one big sucker of a frog CE!

 

[CountryEscape]

There is one particularly large one that is usually on the edge, and doesn't jump readily. Wondering if it's this big gal (assuming the females are the biggest ones). The smaller ones duck under or jump in easier than the large ones. Maybe it's because the large ones know the routine, another reason why I didn't want to grab her and scare her.

 

[Figgy]

I checked in on the tadpoles early this morning. It looks like they've grown a little and I've noticed that the external gills have shrunk or even disappeared on some of them:

The majority of them are still swarming around where they hatched:

However, some have ventured further afield in such for algae:

 

[Figgy]

Maternal or looking for a juicy tadpole snack?

 

[j.w]

Wow @Figgy those babies are living dangerously!

 

[CountryEscape]

I'd say that frog is maternal! Never seen so many tadpoles around a full grown frog before. They must feel safe around her, who knows! Great pics.

 

[Figgy]

Checked in on the tadpoles today, their external gills have disappeared now: