Is it early this year?

[Cobra]

Seems to be here going on past years.
My pond frogs started calling about 3 days ago, today there is a large clump of spawn.
IIRC, the first doesn't usually appear until around late march.

 

[Dale.]

Tons of it at Kirroughtree Reserve last week,

I thought the same as you Chris, it's early. Nothing in my pond as of yet.

Provokes the thought of how or if frost can affect it.

 

[Cobra]

Provokes the thought of how or if frost can affect it.

I usually end up with 3 or 4 clumps, then get a late frost, and mostly it ends up as mush
This happens most years.
One year I bought a handful inside, I got exactly 100 tadpoles, ( yes I know, sad git counted them) and released 98 froglets back to the pond.
Obviously I've no idea how many survived after that. But it was fun doing at the time.

 

[Nod]

I got exactly 100 tadpoles and released 98 froglets back to the pond.

Dare I ask how the other 2 tasted?

 

[Nod]

No pond here but I reckon the Camelia is late this year. Only just started.

 

[Sangoma]

Pictures of spawn in a pond at the allotments last week, got no idea if it is late or early

 

[davholla]

I usually end up with 3 or 4 clumps, then get a late frost, and mostly it ends up as mush
This happens most years.
One year I bought a handful inside, I got exactly 100 tadpoles, ( yes I know, sad git counted them) and released 98 froglets back to the pond.
Obviously I've no idea how many survived after that. But it was fun doing at the time.

I have always wanted to do that - how did you bring them up?

 

[Cobra]

I have always wanted to do that - how did you bring them up?

I started with a cheap clear plastic box from the likes of B&M. Maybe 18 x 12 inches, filled that with approx 6 inches of pond water.
I kept that inside the house.
The spawn was placed in there along with a good hand full of floating plants from the pond.
Being inside and warmer than the pond, they started to hatch in 2-3 weeks, rather than 3-4 weeks.

They lived off the "jelly" and their built in food source, for the first couple or so days ( 3 I think it was)
Once the jelly had gone, I microwaved small pieces of the plant leaves, in pond water, in a jar, until it was completely broken down,.
I stirred that and let it cool, ending up with slightly green water, to mimic the algae they would eat.
Be careful not to put too much in at a time. Sorry, I can't remember the quantities, but it become obvious if you are over feeding.
Coupled with this, I did water changes approx 50% every couple of days, or so. I kept a container of pond water inside,
to warm enough to match the tadpole "tank" water temp.

I kept this up until their legs started to show, not fully, but I watched for the buds.
Then I switched to buying frozen brine shrimp & blood worms from the local pet shop.
And continued to feed these, along with the algae water.
I reduced the water level a little and added a couple of small rocks that slightly broke the surface.
This can be anything, tree branch small log etc.

When their legs formed, due to it being a cold spring ( I had intended to release them all once that happened) I kept them inside, a bit longer.
I emptied some of the water, tilted the container so there was still a few inches of water, in about half, and added some moss ( garden centers or reptile shops, the latter being cheaper) just a small handful. not covering the entire dry end. at the dry end, keeping that moist, and leaving a small rock etc in the wet end just breaking the surface.

I continued to feed the brine brine shrimps & blood worms, ( but dropping the algae substitute) the latter in greater quantities.
These were always left to thaw in a jar, in pond water, from inside, and added to the wet end.

Once the outside temperatures warmed up for a couple of days, and no frosts predicted I released them back into the shallow end of the pond,
( I have a gradient at one end, covered in small pebbles, zero depth but moist, to slowly sloping into the pond.)
And don't forget to water change as the water will go stagnant, pretty quickly, being inside at room temperature.


I think that is everything, it was a few years ago now, but if I remember anything else, I'll update.

 

[Cobra]

Although it was snowing last night, Spawn batch #2 has arrived.
( I normally get 3 or 4 clumps)

 

[Cobra]

Clumps 3 & 4 have now arrived,
Smaller this time, not much bigger than a handful.
Clumps 1&2 still intact, despite a couple of overnight frosts.

 

[Cobra]

2 small clumps arrived over night making it 6 now.

I think I'm gonna need a bigger pond

 

[LCPete]

If anything our were late this year first spawn on Monday, was getting a bit concerned but all ok now lots of frogspawn

 

[Cobra]

Almost 3 weeks on from the first clump, they are starting to sink slightly into the floating plants,
Its looking like it won't belong before the first lot hatches.

The frogs are still calling late into the night, but nothing further has been laid.

 

[Gav.]

Almost 3 weeks on from the first clump, they are starting to sink slightly into the floating plants,
Its looking like it won't belong before the first lot hatches.

The frogs are still calling late into the night, but nothing further has been laid.

You'll be feeding more than just fish again then

 

[Cobra]

You'll be feeding more than just fish again then

The fish have been feeding for a few days now.
There is plenty of algae around the sides of the pond for the tadpoles, They are on their own as far as that goes,
They have 2 chances

 

[Gav.]

The fish have been feeding for a few days now.
There is plenty of algae around the sides of the pond for the tadpoles, They are on their own as far as that goes,
They have 2 chances

Nature knows best