[Guest]

Hi all, I'm wondering if someone can help me at all.

I'm the owner of a mating paire of dendrobated tinctorious 'powder blue'. The frogs started mating about 4 monthes ago now, and I have colected nearly 50 eggs from them in that time. However, the problem is that shortly after the eggs have been layed, they die!

The eggs ARE fertilised, I can tell because they start to develop, untill I can see tiny tadpole in the eggs. Then one day, for no apparent reason the whole clutch will go moldy.

I have tried removing the eggs, leaving them where they are, leaving them there for a while and then removing them. All with no success.

Can anyone please shed any light on what the problem could be?

I've just come to check on the eggs that were developing well last night, to find them all dead, and a brand new clutch of 10 eggs next to the old clutch.


Any help would be very much appreciated,

thanks, steve

 

[bbrock]

Sounds like you need some anti-fungal for the eggs. The old school way was to add a little methylene blue to the egg water but the newer, and better way is to make some tadpole tea. Tad tea is just making an extract rich in tannic acid which is a naturally anti-fungal. You can make it by soaking something like oak or almond leaves, alder catkins, or even just peat moss in water until the water turns a weak tea color. You use this water to wet the eggs and most of you molding problems should be over.

 

[dmartin72]

Would magnolia leaves work?

 

[Guest]

Would magnolia leaves work?

Yup and tropical almond leaves work great too!

 

[Darks!de]

What about green water or aquarium driftwood (african, mulawa)?

Luke

 

[Guest]

Hello again people, after hunting around for some of the natural remedies you sugested, I realised that I didn't have any, and it might be a good idea to get some methylene blue from the pet shop to do the job 'till I could get something better. (probably the weekend)

However, the stuff seems to have turned my water to toilet duck I gues it must be harmless to the eggs if you can use it in fish tanks with the fish still in, it just looks really odd. Anyway thanks for the help, and lets hope this clutch does a bit better than the last.

 

[bbrock]

Hello again people, after hunting around for some of the natural remedies you sugested, I realised that I didn't have any, and it might be a good idea to get some methylene blue from the pet shop to do the job 'till I could get something better. (probably the weekend)

There is also a commercial product called blackwater extract that can be used to make tad tea. I prefer to use free stuff to make it.

Someone asked about driftwood. I think that would depend on the species of wood and how long it had been adrift. If it can turn the water a weak tea color, then you are probably in business. I read that avocado leaves are also high in tannin so I'm going to grow one as a house plant.

 

[Guest]

OK guys thanks for the help. I now have several developing eggs 2 of which look about ready to hatch.

just a quick question... when they do hatch do I put them in the tad tea to develop? or do I just keep them in normal water? I know it sounds like a silly question but I want to be sure... Thanks again.

 

[benmz]

Many people use the tad tea to start their tadpoles once they hatch. The first week or so is when they are most susceptible to moth rot fungus. I probably would not use the meth. blue at this stage and either stick to the leaves or the blackwater extract for the tea. After the tads have put some size on, I use tap water that's sat around for a while to top off and do water changes. But that is just me and will depend on the quality of your tapwater. Good luck with your tadpoles. It's a fun process to watch. Soon you won't have room for all the tads and will wish they stopped laying.

-Ben

 

[siples]

Steve,
You could also try a product called Black water extract, I used to use it in my discus tanks to make the water softer and add tanic acid it should be available at your local pet shop. I hope that may help.
Kieth

 

[bgexotics]

I made up a spray bottle of tadpole water that I use to spray the eggs with and it has been working well for me. It is spring water, blackwater extract and acriflavin (another anti-fungal drug). I haven't had any mold since I started using it and so far all of the tads are hatching and growing with no problems. Acriflavin is commonly used on fish eggs as an anti-fungal and my vet said it should be safe to use in very small doses. (I use 1 tiny drop per a spray bottle.)

 

[Guest]

Hello again people.

I've just had a look at my eggs, and they look a bit odd to me. The tads are still there with quite a large yolk sack attactched to it, however, they seem to be at the edge of the eggs and the tails are def outside of it. And the egg sack itself seems to be slowely sort of dissolving..

Is it time to put them in water or not? Does anyone know whats going on?

thanks again for any help.

 

[Darks!de]

How long have since they have been laid? Sounds like the tads are hatching.

Luke

 

[dmartin72]

For people using blackwater extract, what dosage are you using?

 

[Arklier]

For blackwater extract, half the normal dose on the back of the bottle.

 

[dmartin72]

Thanks!

 

[Guest]

It's been about a week and a half. the tads arnt moving much now, though they do twitch every now and again.

What should I do? If I pt them in some water will they sudenly know that they should start to swim?

any help much appreciated.

 

[Guest]

please? anyone? both tads are now out of the eggs. If I put them in water will they swim, or drown?

 

[Guest]

They will swim. Put them in water ASAP!

 

[Guest]

OK here is a pic of them in water. Neither of them is swiming, they are both just sunk at the bottom. Is this normal? They each both have fairly large yolk sacks still.
Edit: I can't get the pic to work. But Its as a described anyway.