>>Now that we have identified my tadpole, Clyde, as a tree frog - most likely a grey or green tree frog (Thank you batrachos) - is there anything I need to do, or watch out for as he grows?>>

The main thing about keeping tadpoles is to keep them in clean, warm water. Warm water helps digestion and clean water keeps them healthy. Keep water temperature about 75-80 degrees but not above that. If it gets too hot, throw some ice cubes in the water to help cool things down.

>>He just started with his back legs, and I haven't noticed any front legs growing yet. He is in a small fish aquarium with an aquatic plant and rocks to climb on when he gets his legs. I am currently feeding him lettuce and bottom feeder fish food. I have also noticed he is eating algae of the plants. (he must be eating a good bit, because he poops a lot!)>>

Tadpoles eat almost constantly. Give it leafy vegetatables and an occasional piece of raw beef. Tadpoles can and do benefit from the protein in meat. Boil the vegetables to soften them. Remove uneaten food daily as they tend to spoil. Lettuce is poor in nutritional value. Green leafy vegetables are more nutritious. Algae is good too because that is what tadpoles often eat in nature.

>>My goal is to let him go once he gets to the proper stage, but I'm not sure when that would be - and I'm tempted to keep him as a pet. I love tree frogs. (That decision really is questionable - I want him to have the best possible chance at life and I don't want to screw it up).>>

Either let him go now, or let him go after he transforms into a little froglet. At that point, feed him a couple of times and then let him go. Start culturing fruit flies. You can leave a piece of banana out in the open, and soon enough fruite flies will find it. Take the banana and put it inside a jar with a cloth cover. Soon fly maggots will appear and they will develop into flies. Fruit flies are the right size for small frogs, and they cost nothing except some bananas to keep the colony going.

>>So please help me and give me some specific pointers on keeping him growing. When do I need to start changing his diet? and to what? Should I add things (tall plants) for him to climb on when he starts developing his front legs? When is it appropriate to let him go?
>>
>>I also happen to have a tankful of tadpoles that were rescued from the same 'kiddie' pool that Clyde came from - but they are only a few weeks old and still to little to determine what they are - that's a problem in another thread (I think under frogs in general).
>>
>>Thanks in advance for any advice -- this place is a great help for newbies like myself.
>>
>>Frognut

You can either let the other tadpoles go or feed them the same way as the treefrog tadpole. Practically all tadpoles are vegetarian. They have the long guts that are characteristic of plant eaters.

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