[Markw]

Hi all. I just got in a bunch of tads. 6 Santa isabel and 5 Auratus. Well, the Santa Isabel were all being raised communally in a 16oz container, and the auratus were kept in their own 16oz containers, one each. Well..I've since placed each SI tad in it's own container. Ive noticed since I've got them that the water in the auratus tads wasn't a rusty brown like all of my other tad containers. The water in these cups was a clear/green color. I figured this was because of spirulina in the water, so I threw in a bit of almond leaf and called it a day. Well, now almost a week has passed and the water has become cloudy and is smelling pretty awful. The tads are all alive and lively. I don't know what the deal is. All of the Santa Isabel tads' water is fine, normal tad tea. The auratus tads (no changing of the water) water all look just like stated above. So, would it be acceptable to change their water 100%? I did this with the SI tads without thinking to ask first, and they're all fine. But I'm really worried that the auratus water is going bad.

Sooooooo, would it be okay to just scoop them out and place them into prepared tadpole cups?

Mark

 

[JimO]

Sometimes when you put too much spirulina powder in the water it will begin to decay. I usually do a complete water change when it gets cloudy or there is a build up of fecal matter. I average water changes about every two weeks or so. Since I started doing this, my survival rate has increased noticeably.

Just make sure the new water has some humic acid in it (tadpole tea) and that it is the same temp as the old water.

 

[Markw]

Ahh. That must be what it is then. I didn't add any since I've had them because it already looked so green already. Good thing I didn't add any more then. So they'll get new water tomorrow.

Thanks alot.
Mark

PS.
Ive been doing 50% water changes and syphoning out poo and detritus about every 10 or so days, and all of my tads are doing great thus far.

 

[Ed]

There are many schools of thought on this but as Jim noted it is fine. I've reared tadpoles where we changed 100% of the water daily.

Ed

 

[Pumilo]

Many years ago I also used to change 100% of the water every day and had excellent results. I did make sure the water was the same temp.

 

[tclipse]

For those obsessed with their tadpole water
A good read, take a look.

Personally (not that it means much ), I'd change out most of the water in the nasty cup and be more careful about feeding.

I don't do water changes on my tad cups (when the water is clean) and haven't lost a tad in the ~1.5yrs I've been rearing them (still plenty of time left for that to happen, I assume it will eventually)... there are definitely multiple ways to do tad cups but that is what has worked well for me.

 

[Markw]

Since ive had them, I've only given the auratus one tad bite total. All of the others that I've kept have never done this. So, I will change out the water and continue keeping like I do the rest, and I'm assuming all will be well.

Thanks for the link
Mark