Tadpoles everywhere!

[poconojoe]

It looks like the consensus has determined they are toads!

 

[poconojoe]

I call toad! If you put your feet in & sit still, you might be lucky enough to get a tadpole pedicure!
View attachment 129794

That's exactly what they look like. Without the foot of course!

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Oh, OK, they must be toads then because their singing sounds like whistling from afar. Up close it's a little more croak like. They are small and stay around and in the pond. I thought toads would just stay on the land. These guys jump in if you startle them.

You likely have both frogs and toads near your pond. Toads generally stay on land, but move to water in order to breed. Being that the tadpoles are small and black, it sounds like the tadpoles are toad, as everyone else has said. Years ago, I would raise a handful of toad tadpoles and eventually release them in the yard.

 

[poconojoe]

You likely have both frogs and toads near your pond. Toads generally stay on land, but move to water in order to breed. Being that the tadpoles are small and black, it sounds like the tadpoles are toad, as everyone else has said. Years ago, I would raise a handful of toad tadpoles and eventually release them in the yard.

Maybe I should capture some so they all don't get eaten. I already see less today. I don't know if they are just hiding somewhere else or they got eaten.

 

[LuapYllier]

Toad tadpoles put off toxins that are stressfull to your fish if you have any. I recently had a spawn of them and watched as the fish sucked them up and then spit them out. A small number of them in the water shouldn't be an issue but large numbers (i.e. thousands) in a small pond can cause problems. I scooped the bulk of mine out with a fish net and put them in a bucket of the pond water and dumped them in a local pond. I also now relocate the adult toads to minimize the possibility of more coming. Added benefit was not to hear the looong mating calls right next to our living room window at night lol.

 

[addy1]

Maybe I should capture some so they all don't get eaten. I already see less today. I don't know if they are just hiding somewhere else or they got eaten.

I just let nature do its thing, I always have tads, frogs, etc. Recently saw all the tiny toads jumping around. Not getting a lot of frog eggs this year, we have been so weird in weather hot cold pouring rain dry etc.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

Toad tadpoles put off toxins that are stressfull to your fish if you have any. I recently had a spawn of them and watched as the fish sucked them up and then spit them out. A small number of them in the water shouldn't be an issue but large numbers (i.e. thousands) in a small pond can cause problems. I scooped the bulk of mine out with a fish net and put them in a bucket of the pond water and dumped them in a local pond. I also now relocate the adult toads to minimize the possibility of more coming. Added benefit was not to hear the looong mating calls right next to our living room window at night lol.

Huh. Every Spring I have dozens - probably upwards of 100+ - of toads descend on my pond, lay countless eggs which hatch into equally countless tadpoles (which I will agree, the fish absolutely won't eat) and the only problem I've ever encountered is that, with all the activity, they stir things up which will muddy the water a bit. My pond's about 3000 - 3500 gallons, so maybe if it were smaller this would cause a problem? Otherwise, I can't even begin to think of how I would stop the process or keep the toads out.

 

[addy1]

I watch them at night via the cams, the surface of the water is covered with swimming toads, they do their thing and poof are gone. See a few adults around here and there.

The eggs are usually laid in the fishless ponds, they mate in the pond with the fish. The frogs never lay in the fish filled ponds.

Then poof all these darn cute tiny toads come out of the pond and hope away.

 

[poconojoe]

I left the tadpoles for nature to tend. I don't see any now. They are either hiding or were eaten by the fish. I don't think they matured and hopped out, there doesn't seem to have been enough time for that.

 

[IPA]

Toad tadpoles put off toxins that are stressfull to your fish if you have any. I recently had a spawn of them and watched as the fish sucked them up and then spit them out. A small number of them in the water shouldn't be an issue but large numbers (i.e. thousands) in a small pond can cause problems. I scooped the bulk of mine out with a fish net and put them in a bucket of the pond water and dumped them in a local pond. I also now relocate the adult toads to minimize the possibility of more coming. Added benefit was not to hear the looong mating calls right next to our living room window at night lol.

It’s just my opinion on the subject but I believe it is bad practice to relocate any creature from our ponds to a natural body of water. Tadpoles may not be a problem per say, but if one lived in FL how would you know they weren’t Cane toads? Or how could we ensure bacteria, fungus or parasites in our pond wasn’t introduced into nature, or a stray or errant fry. Carry on as you will but feel I need to make the statement as a caution to others reading this thread.

 

[poconojoe]

It’s just my opinion on the subject but I believe it is bad practice to relocate any creature from our ponds to a natural body of water. Tadpoles may not be a problem per say, but if one lived in FL how would you know they weren’t Cane toads? Or how could we ensure bacteria, fungus or parasites in our pond wasn’t introduced into nature, or a stray or errant fry. Carry on as you will but feel I need to make the statement as a caution to others reading this thread.

I have to agree. With all the invasive species that have contaminated our wilderness, you are spot on. I could name a few, but I don't think I need to. Plus, there are too many that come to mind.

Being a boater, there are regulations in many states that are very strict about things that may hitch a ride on your boat or its trailer. Some places restrict you from trailering your boat while the garboard drain plug is in. That plug needs to be removed at the waterway where the boat is retrieved and left off. Some require the boat and trailer be rinsed off.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

I left the tadpoles for nature to tend. I don't see any now. They are either hiding or were eaten by the fish. I don't think they matured and hopped out, there doesn't seem to have been enough time for that.

Tadpoles are good at hiding from what I've experienced. The toad ones just do their thing, unbothered by the fish, but the frog tadpoles are fair game, as I found out in a rather disturbing way! I 'rescued' a large frog tadpole while cleaning out my skimmer baskets the other day (he even had two little legs sprouted!) carried him over & plopped him back into the pond. As he swum down to the bottom he was instantly sucked up by one of my larger koi that happened to be swimming by at just that moment. Oops.

 

[LuapYllier]

It’s just my opinion on the subject but I believe it is bad practice to relocate any creature from our ponds to a natural body of water. Tadpoles may not be a problem per say, but if one lived in FL how would you know they weren’t Cane toads? Or how could we ensure bacteria, fungus or parasites in our pond wasn’t introduced into nature, or a stray or errant fry. Carry on as you will but feel I need to make the statement as a caution to others reading this thread.

That is a fair point. I actually do live in Florida and have no idea what a cane toad is or why it would be bad. My wife told me they were toads. What would you suggest to do with them in case I get any more?

 

[BKHpondcritters]

That is a fair point. I actually do live in Florida and have no idea what a cane toad is or why it would be bad. My wife told me they were toads. What would you suggest to do with them in case I get any more?

If you're in FL, you need to educate yourself on these invasive toads. I'm not a general advocate of "kill it if I don't like it" as far as wildlife is concerned, but... some species need to be eradicated. Info link:

Toadly toxic toads are invading Florida yards: Here’s how to deal with those froggers

Another invasive species has leaped into the Florida ecosystem, wreaking havoc on native creatures and this time domestic pets are at risk, too.

www.news4jax.com

.

 

[LuapYllier]

If you're in FL, you need to educate yourself on these invasive toads. I'm not a general advocate of "kill it if I don't like it" as far as wildlife is concerned, but... some species need to be eradicated. Info link:

Toadly toxic toads are invading Florida yards: Here’s how to deal with those froggers

Another invasive species has leaped into the Florida ecosystem, wreaking havoc on native creatures and this time domestic pets are at risk, too.

www.news4jax.com

.

Thanks for the info. These are not that large. Only about 2 inches max I would say. Also I live north of the reported sightings area. I will look at a different disposal method in the future.