Raise Tadpoles

By raising and releasing tadpoles, you not only get to witness a remarkable transformation, but you also bring more frogs into the world--frogs that'll eat pesky bugs like gnats, flies, mosquitoes and more. To keep them healthy and ensure that their metamorphosis goes smoothly, you'll need to have the right set-up and know-how.

Steps

 * 1)  Get a container of your choice, like a tin oven roast bowl or a pool. Note that you need shade about 3/4 of the time.
 * 2)  Keep the water clean. Tadpoles need clean, dechlorinated water. Bottled/distilled water is ideal, but if the water is from the tap let it sit in the sun for about 5 days.
 * 3)  Boil romaine lettuce for 10 to 15 minutes, drain and cut it in to little pieces. Feed a pinch every 2-3 days.
 * 4)  Be patient. They usually develop from egg to tadpole in 6 to 12 weeks. Keep that in mind and don't panic when it gets cold; in winter the tadpoles will grow more slowly.
 * 5)  Prepare for their metamorphosis. When your tadpoles develop legs you will need a container with dirt for them to crawl up onto, or they will drown.

Tips

 * Tadpoles can also be fed boiled spinach or normal flake fish food.
 * Put small weeds and grass with the roots attached in the water so the tadpoles can hang onto them, and they eat the roots. Make sure there has NOT been a recent application of pesticides as this will kill the tadpoles within a day.
 * Dead tadpoles appear gray (if your tadpoles are black), almost like zombies. They float at the top of the water and can be easily removed.
 * Try to only change half the water at a time to keep the pH of the water balanced. A turkey baister is good for this and disturbs the tadpoles as little as possible while making it easy to remove debris that gathers at the bottom of the container.
 * Keep about 5-10 tadpoles per litre of water. You can keep more, but they may die out faster or become carnivorous.
 * If you have tadpoles of African clawed or dwarf frogs, then a land area won't be neccesary since all stages of aquatic frogs are fully aquatic.

Warnings

 * Avoid putting the tadpoles in direct sun, but indirect sun is alright as it won't over heat the tadpoles.
 * Be careful not to get sunscreen, soap, lotion, or other things of that nature in the water as it will kill the tadpoles.
 * If you are raising your frogs outside than you might end up with a permanent frog breeding society.
 * Don't over feed them as it can lead to clouded water which can in turn suffocate the little babies.
 * If you are in an area where mosquito-borne diseases are a problem, make sure that your outdoor enclosure does not become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
 * Do not feed the tadpoles when they sprouted arms.At this time the tadpole will be using its tail as food and it will become an adult frog

Things You'll Need

 * Suitable container (Fish bowl, aquarium, large canning jars with no lids, etc)
 * Water
 * Tadpoles
 * Food for the tadpoles (Romaine lettuce, spinach, flake fish food)
 * Things for them to hang off of (Pesticide-free weeds and grass, leaves, etc.)

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Make a Frog Home in the Garden
 * How to Catch a Salamander
 * How to Care for African Clawed Frog Tadpoles
 * How to Tell if Your Tree Frog Is Male or Female
 * How to Care for Fire Belly Toads
 * How to Create Aquariums So Lizards and Fish Can Coexist

Sources and Citations

 * http://allaboutfrogs.org/info/tadpoles/