11 replies to this topic

[centrarchid]

I have been having a difficult time getting my eight Pirate Perch to put on weight.  Scud culture is not ramping up and mosquitos are not "fatty" enough.  Even feeding to excess with water fleas is not doing it.  A few days ago I starting placing Grey Tree Frog tadpoles in and something really changed.  The Pirate Perch are putting on real nice bellies even though water temperature is higher than I like.

[Matt DeLaVega]

PP are funky feeders. There is a secret to unlock somewhere there. I have had several become gaunt while seemingly feeding well.

[Redfin]

I've found tadpoles to be one of the best baits for smaller species of fish.

[mattknepley]

My Mud Sunfish had a weird reaction to tads as a feeder, which I tried after seeing this thread. He eventually ate any that I put in the tank, but he definitely preferred ones that were closer to being froglets than tadpoles. More leg equals more flavor? More sustenance?

[centrarchid]

Species of tadpole may be important.  Bullfrog tadpole toxicity may drop during metamorphosis.  I used to watch Largemouth Bass in pond with lots of Bullfrog tadpoles.  They would consume tadpoles but seem much more interested in the froglets and those with all four legs.  The bass would swim up on bank like killers whales after seals, passing up the tadpoles.

[mattknepley]

Makes sense. Would love to see those "Killer Bass" in action!

[centrarchid]

I have not had time to see such since.  Working with bass in a big way now so will certainly see some cool stuff.  Currently dealing with cannibalism on Spotted Bass during feed training.  Fish doing it are spares that are being repurposed so do not want to loose them.

[Chasmodes]

Very interesting...

[gerald]

Just guessing but I'd suspect treefrog tadpoles, which often breed in smaller and more isolated water bodies than Rana frogs, may have less fish-deterrent chemicals in their skin.  Did not know that the deterrent chemicals subside during metamorphosis, but the predator behaviors described seem like pretty strong evidence.  How about a taste-test survey at our next convention; 2 x 3 matrix: 0-legs, 2-legs, and 4-legs; Rana catesbiana vs Hyla chrysoscelis.  I'm sure Martin will be happy to coordinate this.

[centrarchid]

Looks like eight Pirate Perch will totally decimate the Gray Tree Frog broods before they can complete metamorphosis.  The Pirate Perch are showing the highest condition factor I have ever seen in that species during the summer.

[Irate Mormon]

Gerald. I'll be glad to coordinate the frog buffet

[centrarchid]

Something of interest.  Way back on early June my boy collected a couple tadpoles from the first brood of 2018.  Tadpoles not touched became froglets in late June.  Those he collected were kept in a plastic bottle in algae in his bedroom window.  They are alive, still tadpoles and do not even have start of legs.  Gray tree frogs, to my knowledge, do not overwinter as tadpoles.  We will be caring for them overwinter in same regimen until May.  If they make it we will put them in a tank by barn to see if they resume development.

 

We see considerable variation between tanks in terms of time required to become froglets, but this is well beyond that.  > 4 months.