Why Are My Tadpoles Dying?

Food

• Tadpoles may not get the nutrition they need in captivity because of a lack of variety in food sources. In the wild, they eat aquatic weeds and algae. As they grow, they become carnivorous and can die if not fed enough protein.

Sensitivity

• Other than a lack of proper food, tadpoles can die because of changes, even tiny ones, to the water in which they live. This can include sudden shock from being taken from a pond and put into a container of tap water, temperature changes, introduction of chemicals and changes in acidity.

Deformities

• When tadpoles become introduced to some external factors, like pesticides, they may not die. Instead, they may grow extra limbs or even change gender. It is difficult to determine gender changes without genetic testing, but extra limbs are a sign that the tadpoles may have come from polluted water. These tadpoles may go on to live full lives as adult frogs, just with an extra limb or two.

Fun Fact

• In 2008, scientists in Australia discovered that if one cane toad tadpole in a pond is squished and killed, it releases a chemical into the water that tells all of the other tadpoles to scatter because danger is near. These tadpoles were also found to turn into toads prematurely, and be weak as adults.

Warning

• Catching tadpoles from the wild may be illegal where you live. Keep in mind that if it is legal, it can harm wild amphibian populations even if only a few individuals are removed from the wild.

  Tadpoles that have been raised in captivity should never be released back into the wild, because they may have picked up some pathogens that can harm the ecosystem or other tadpoles.