Too many tadpoles (1 Viewer)

I have a very small pond and the water is black with hundreds of tadpoles ! I am feeding them daily with fish food (flakes) so they do not think about eating each other.However,my wife is concerned that when they turn into frogs,there will be a) hundreds of them,everywhere.
b) the garden eco system will fall down.
c) the dog will have to be watched for ages !


Any realistic suggestions please ?

Thanks,Mervyn.

Its sounds harsh - but don't feed them - the population will stabilise at what the pond can handle. My population is kept in check by Blackbirds which are skilled at catching them!

I have had a garden pond for many years and only once have a had huge numbers of frogs. I would agree with Jane - don't feed them.

We have fish in our pond who love the "live food", but some still survive.

headington7 said:

I have a very small pond and the water is black with hundreds of tadpoles ! I am feeding them daily with fish food (flakes) so they do not think about eating each other.However,my wife is concerned that when they turn into frogs,there will be a) hundreds of them,everywhere.
b) the garden eco system will fall down.
c) the dog will have to be watched for ages !


Any realistic suggestions please ?

Thanks,Mervyn.

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Try introducing a few Dragonfly nymphs especially of the larger Aeshna species. They will help to control the excess numbers of tadpoles and add to the interest of your pond.

Only a very few of your tadpoles will ever reach maturity, nature takes care of that. After all they are part of the food chain and many birds feed on them. Imagine what the world would be like without mortality in many species.

Someone once calculated that if a pair of greenfly were permitted to breed for one year and all their progeny were also allowed to breed unhindered by mortality, predation etc. Then at the end of one year, the whole planet would be covered to a depth of 3/4 mile, with greenfly. Now thats a thought for you rose growers. lol.

Harry Eales.

I dont think anyones made this point yet:-:
You can never really have too many - i think something like 1 in 2000 actually make it into an adult frog anyway?

harry eales said:

Someone once calculated that if a pair of greenfly were permitted to breed for one year and all their progeny were also allowed to breed unhindered by mortality, predation etc. Then at the end of one year, the whole planet would be covered to a depth of 3/4 mile, with greenfly. Now thats a thought for you rose growers. lol.

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Priceless! :clap:

Tadpoles

Thanks for the advice everyone...diet time for tadpoles !
Mervyn.

Hi everyone!!

I have the same issue - tons of tadpoles in my pond - but I have a slight twist I think. I bought a new home with the koi pond already created inside my lanai - ie not outside - but rather in a corner of my screened in pool patio. I turned off the pump and was simply going to fill it in with dirt and additional plants but have not done that yet. The pond had not been taken care of and had tons of algae in it. It is the rainy season in Florida and the pond itself continues to get water in it.

Anyway - my question is.... I went out this am and noticed the hundres of tadpoles in the pond. They currently are eating all the algae off the rocks and sides of the walls - that is how I noticed them since I could see the rocks!! I can't take the advice of not feeding them since their food source is in the pond itself.

So - any suggestions? I also don't want frogs inside the lanai and getting into the pool and/or house. Or - should I not worry about it and just be grateful they are cleaning out the pond for me? If they do a good enough job I may finish cleaning it and start using it again.

Thanks for all your help!!

Kim

headington7 said:

I have a very small pond and the water is black with hundreds of tadpoles ! I am feeding them daily with fish food (flakes) so they do not think about eating each other.However,my wife is concerned that when they turn into frogs,there will be a) hundreds of them,everywhere.
b) the garden eco system will fall down.
c) the dog will have to be watched for ages !


Any realistic suggestions please ?

Thanks,Mervyn.

Click to expand...