sinking frog spawn

[Littlesparrow]

My frogs laid four clumps of frog spawn around some water plants. However this morning I find that the frogs have knocked three clumps off with their overnight activities and they have sunk into the deep end. Is it worth trying to fish these out and putting them in a bucket? or shall I leave it and see if my frogs lay anymore tonight. I thought fishing about in the pond might upset the mating frogs.

[Kayleigh]

leave it alone it will be fine, in a week or two the frogs will be gone and spawn will begin to hatch they dont need us interfering we often make things worse when we do..
Mine has sunk too they are still breeding so I have no idea how much is in my pond the spawn is protected by the gel round the egg so unless something eats it it will be OK.
The frogs are noisy too its lovely listing to the frog chorus its just started to get warm here so the mating is in full swing.

[Littlesparrow]

I thought I would have one go at fishing the spawn out of the deep. I found the bottom of a pond feature which is like a small plastic pond and have put the three blobs in this next to the pond, two blobs look good but one has whiteish centers which doesn't look right.

My boy frogs seem to be fighting over one female frog, all the other girls have left and I think this is why they are kicking the frog spawn about.

[Kayleigh]

White blobs in the middle looks like the spawn has not been fertilised so will end up as food for the others.

[dampflippers]

Do you have any oxygenating plants? These are vital for a healthy pond.
Usually frogs will spawn on a raft of pondweed, which keeps it near the surface. It doesn't matter if it sinks. This will protect it froma frost, but it will be a bit cooler down there and take a bit longer to hatch.

[Littlesparrow]

I have a big blue water iris which is what they have been spawning around and have added two more water plants recommended by WAB members. Usually they seem to attach the spawn to the plants better, but not this year, I will sneak it back in when the pond is a bit calmer or when it hatches.

I have just been outside with the torch and the frogs are croaking and swimming about again so I think there will be more spawn in the morning.

[Dogghound]

It will be fine, I would avoid trying towill cause it to break up this makes the spawn more suceptible to damage. The white blobs as mentioned are infertile eggs which will be eaten.

[Littlesparrow]

We found three more new blobs of frog spawn in the pond this morning and less frogs leaping about in the pond, my son put the loose frog spawn back around the iris and shallow end so fingers crossed it will stay there.

I read on another forum that frog spawn does not hatch in deep water, does anyone know how deep is too deep?

[Burko]

I was of the impression that frog spawn sinks initially and will float when the tadpoles start developing.

[Dogghound]

Yes frog spawn usually sinks at first but as it takes in more water and swells it becomes more buoyant and starts to float.

I have never heard of spawn failing because it is in deep water. I guess if it was in the bottom of a deep lake the lack of light and heat might influence it somewhat but not in a garden pond.