Tadpoles

[Arshis]

Just a random tadpole question for a friend of mine.
Shes had 2 tadpoles for like 6 months now for a while one of them started growing legs then they just kinda slowly disappeared. And now they are both still tadpoles. is it possible for tadpoles to miss their growth spurt and forever remain tadpoles?

[Arshis]

Just a bit more added info about the tadpoles she orignaly bought 6 early last summer 3 she kept indoors for her grandaughter while the other 3 were outdoor in a pond. The 3 outdoor turned into frogs before the end of summer. While the 2 indoors still tads. (one died reasons unkown)

The 3 indoor tadpoles lived in a 5 gallon tank with a single apple snail.

[rippin17]

as far as i kno a tadpole will never stay a tadpole forever.

i had a tadpole once that remained a tadpole for almost a year. i became concerned but they eventually grew their legs and became frogs. I dont kno exactly what to tell ya here. I guess just give it time...

sorry imnot much help here, my knowledge is limited on the subject but i figured id at least tell ya my past experience

good luck!

[Joey17]

Bullfrogs tadpoles can stay at the tadpole stage for about a year or so.

[Japola44]

I just googled tadpoles and from what I read this is all i can come up with. One site mentioned that they will only go through with metamorphisis when it is warmer outside...so maybe warming the tank up a little bit would help. Also make sure that there is some sort of land area in the tank. This way when they do develop there front legs they can have dry land to live on. One of the articles said that many young frogs die of exhaustion from not being able to swim onto land. [acronym:f26892fa50="Hope this helps (or) Happy to help"]HTH[/acronym:f26892fa50]

[Toirtis]

Temperature and nutrition requirements could have caused absorption of the legs....warmer temps, lots of food (especially protein/calcium rich foods) and land area could make for proper metamorphosis in this case.

[Puriti]

It's called neonaty (staying as a tadpole) if Im not mistaken, we're learning that in my Lab Animal Skills class because Tiger Salamanders can stay tadpoles the rest of their lives. So, yeah, just try doing what everyone else told ya they should come around and if they don't and keep on living I wouldn't worry too much about it ... Good luck with your tadpoles ^^ what kinda tadpoles?

[Toirtis]

Originally Posted by Puriti

It's called neonaty (staying as a tadpole) if Im not mistaken,

Only somewhat ...it is "neoteny", actually.

we're learning that in my Lab Animal Skills class because Tiger Salamanders can stay tadpoles the rest of their lives.

Yes and no...some Ambystoma tigrinum ssp. can remain larval indefinitely, others cannot.

if they don't and keep on living I wouldn't worry too much about it

Likely they will, or will perish...neoteny in frogs is quite uncommon.

[Puriti]

Originally Posted by Toirtis

Only somewhat ...it is "neoteny", actually.

Yes and no...some Ambystoma tigrinum ssp. can remain larval indefinitely, others cannot.

Likely they will, or will perish...neoteny in frogs is quite uncommon.

Hmmm...I looked at my notes and it said neonaty unless I copied it wrong lol... It was random animals used in research and that was the one that they used to study or somethin like that (I know not all of them do that but isn't it because of environmental conditions that it usually happens? like if there isn't enough of something they'll stay like that til they get it?)but yeah I don't think you see tadpole frogs that're old very often

[Japola44]

thats so weird, but really interesting. I want to set up a teranium(sp?) I jsut love having all these little critters around. I love to watch em. I suppose thats why my horse is the ultimate pet for me cuz i get to watch her and take care of her, and heck i can ride her lol!

good luck with the tad pole!