Tadpole heads in the pond

Scubapauly · #1 (**permalink**) 10-06-2009, 07:35 AM

I have a small wildlife pond that I started this year. There are 4 native plants (water lilly, yellow iris, marsh marigold and water mint) giving cover, all are growing well. I was given some tadpoles which have been doing really well. I supplemented their diet with some tadpole food (flakes). Soem are now starting to show back legs, but, I've started to see a few tadpole heads floating in the pond. I'm guessing its because they are changing over to their carniverous state. Should I be putting any other food in the pond or just leave them to it? There is loads of mosi larvae in there already.

nightshade · #2 (**permalink**) 10-06-2009, 07:52 AM

I feed my fish and watch the stray floating sticks for signs of Taddies they seem to enjoy grazing as the sticks soften. I don't deliberately supplement their diet, as you say there is plenty of natural food (if there weren't I would feed them)

Bullseye · #3 (**permalink**) 14-06-2009, 09:53 PM

If they get desperate the bigger ones will eat the smaller ones,don't worry,plenty of food they'll be fine.

Scubapauly · #4 (**permalink**) 16-06-2009, 09:54 AM

Hmmm, well I've continued with some supplementary feeding and still finding more heads. The war of the pond has begun lol

fairy frogmother · #5 (**permalink**) 16-06-2009, 11:59 AM

I have found a few heads in my pond but I also have quite a few live tadpoles that are swimming around with very short tails. I think these are war wounds from close encouters and escapes from the resident newt population. Despite being clumsier at swimming than the rest they seem quite happy and are still growing.

One thing I have noticed is that there are one or two that seem to be mishapen. They have a bulge on the side of their head which is very noticeable. Interestingly the ones that have this deformity seem to have the bulges in exactly the same place. I wondered if it could be a genetic thing but the rest of their spawn mates appear to be perfectly normal and are developing legs etc ok. I did read that if the land surrounding the pond is fertilized that this can lead to deformity such as extra or wrongly positioned legs, but I have been careful not to use anything like this in my garden at all.

I have been trying to get a decent photo to post here but they are very shy at the moment and only seem to come up to the surface for any length of time at night. Nevertheless I will persevere and if I get one I will post it.

Has anyone else noticed anything similar or have any info on this?