[APD] re: tadpoles

["Stephan Mifsud" <valerandi at nextgen_net.mt>]

> Message: 7
> Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2003 19:54:23 +0930
> From: "Gail Bowker" <bowks at bigfoot_com.au>
> Subject: [APD] Re: Tadpoles
> To: <aquatic-plants at actwin_com>
>
> Has anyone on this list used tadpoles for algae control?

If you do a search in the archives for "tadpoles" you will get 257 hits.
Guess someone else thought of it before :)

Tadpoles of some species are excellent algae eaters. The ones I find here are very good for Brown algae (diatoms), green algae that can be scraped off and BGA, but they're not good for filamentous types.

It really depends on the species. Some types are carnivorous and may attack fish or other tadpoles.

That might be one of the reasons they are not usually suggested here I think. The other problem is that they are not usually found in shops or all year round. And they have to be replaced. And some fish have a craving for their wriggling tails. Black tetras are particularly nasty, you can tell
that they are relatives of piranhas. even Cardinals can learn to attack the tip of their tails. Then there are conservation issues.

But as you have just discovered they are still excellent for blitz treatment, much better than Otos for Diatoms .

regards

Stephan
Malta

>
> I had a problem with my 55g tank a couple of weeks ago - a complete melt
> down.  While waiting for a chiller to arrive I had switched off the lights
> to keep the heat down in the tank, and someone in the house, removed the
> plug of my filter.  With no lights I didn't notice 'till everything was
> dead.  Shrimps, fish and even 90% of the plants.  Then, in cleaning up the
> tank I obviously released a lot of iron (laterite) into the water
resulting
> in the most amazing, but disheartening algae growth.  Long brown thread
> algae, green fluffy algae, mulm all over the bottom of the tank, green
> surface water, brown patches on the sides of the tank.   Everything was
> brown and the new plants looked very unhealthy.
>
> After a couple of water changes I had a bright idea of throwing in about
20
> med sized tadpoles.  Within 2 days the green surface ater had gone,  much
of
> the thread algae had disappeared, 2 days later I was beginning to see
> patches of white sand.  1 week later no brown algae, even the fluffy green
> stuff on the logs is thinning out, and everything is crystal clear.  Plus
> the tadpoles are loving it.  As soon as they grow their 4 legs and lose
> their tails I'll transfer them into the pond out the back.  Maybe I won't
> even have to wait that long.   I'm surprised.  I use CO2, traces, and
ferts
> too, but they are very healthy.
>
> Gail
 




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