Raising Green Tree Frog Tadpoles
Continued from Breeding Green Tree Frogs
Day 6: There has been little change in the tadpoles. It is now just a matter of feeding , keeping the temperature at or about 30C and monitoring water quality.
Above: This picture is to try to give you an idea of the green tree frog tadpole size at day 6. Only about 12 mm long – and they are hard to measure as they are continually on the move.
Day 7: The green tree frog tadpoles have their first water change.
The change in water was not so much because of rising ammonia but more to do with keeping clarity. Adding green algae for the tadpoles to eat tends to cloud the water. We are also mindful that tadpoles also excrete a substance that is not measured but can inhibit the growth of other tadpoles. If we don’t do partial water changes we observe different growth rates and deterioration in the health of some tadpoles.
Day 14: Growth rate variations.
Two different sized green tree frog tadpoles about to eat floating fish food.
Tadpole size comparison to five cent piece
Temperature is not the only factor that affects the green tree frog tadpole growth. We have conducted a little experiment to show you. Keeping temperature (30C), water changes, water quality and food constant, we have produced a wide range of tadpole growth rates: all by modifying the tadpole to water volume ratio!
The largest tadpoles are now 35 x 7 mm in size (length x width).
The smallest, just 20 x 4 mm.
How? The more tadpoles, the more they are cramped for space, the slower the growth, smaller they stay. Give them lots of room and they have a surprisingly fast rate of growth.
Day 21: The first limbs are observed.
Green tree frog tadpole with hindlegs visible. Observed at day 20-21.
The tiny tadpole leg
Within the last twenty-four hours, the larger green tree frog tadpoles have undergone another stage of metamorphosis. The limbs in the tadpole develop simultaneously. The hind limbs develop outside the body and hence are the first to be observed. The forelimbs however develop inside the gill area and emerge when the tadpole is ready to absorb its tail and develop into a froglet. The tadpoles are now about 50mm long and 12-16mm at their widest body.
Day 26: The first forearm is observed.
Day 26 green tree frog tadpole. Both legs have now grown in shape, muscle and form. The first arm has emerged.
One of the tadpoles arms has emerged from under the skin. Note that the skin now has a tinge of green and the eyes are now enlarging and are more prominent on the top of the head. The tadpoles look a little thinner as they start loosing or absorbing their “baby” fat and the head takes on a more defined structure. If one looks carefully at the photograph, one can also start to see the little black line between nose to eye. This line disappears from the froglet after about a week or so on land. In this photo and video, the second arm has developed but not yet emerged – NEWS Flash! -as this page is published the second arm emerges!
When the green tree frog tadpoles reach this stage we transfer them to a holding tub that contains water graduated from 2-3 cm deep to zero together with a couple of rocks. This makes it easier for the froglets to climb out onto land.
Day 27: The green tree frog tadpoles are absorbing their tails
Green tree froglet at day 27. Note the green body colour contrasting to the still brown tadpole tail. The tail is being absorbed and will shrink down to nothing.
The tadpoles or froglets as we call them are now taking on an obvious frog form. They now have arms and legs, their lungs are nearly developed and their final stage of metamorphosis – absorbing their tail is underway. The froglet above is still living happily under water, but shortly that will all change.
Day 28: The tadpole/froglet is nearly a baby frog
Green Tree Froglet still with some tail. The froglet has now climbed out of the water and is nearly a frog. The remai
ns of it’s tail is just visible.
The froglet has now emerged from the water. The tail is nearly all absorbed and it’s lungs are now well deveopled. It’s tiny, not nuch bigger than a five cent piece. Within the next day or so we will introduce them to very small live roaches. Once all sign of the tail has gone, we call them a
Day 60: The baby frogs are now just adult minature versions
60 Day old frog is now the size of a 50 cent piece60 day old green tree frog. A juvenile.
The frogs are eating a diet of small roaches and flies and growing and putng on weight. They have grown to about 32-35mm (the size of an Australian 50 cent piece).
