Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I purchased a group of captive bred Mantella expectata earlier this week from a breeder who was getting rid of his collection. Along with the 4 mantella frogs I recieved 9 tadpoles as well. The breeder says they are Mantella tadpoles but I'm positive that they aren't. Compared to the M. crocea and M. aurantiaca tadpoles that I raise these new arrivals have a larger body, a different type of mouth and their eyes are positioned on the sides of their head. They also behave differently. The first thing I noticed when I recieved them was that the tips of their tails are constantly moving. I'd estimate that the largest tadpole's body is a little over half an inch in length, with a tail the tadpole might be roughly an inch and a half. So what are they? Additional pictures can be viewed at:

http://www.amphibiancare.com/online_images/august2004/tadpole01.jpg
http://www.amphibiancare.com/online_images/august2004/tadpole02.jpg
http://www.amphibiancare.com/online_images/august2004/tadpole03.jpg

A photograph of a Mantella crocea tadpole can be viewed at http://www.amphibiancare.com/online_images/june_2004/crocea_tadpole01.jpg for comparison. Thanks in advance,

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Devin Edmonds
devin@amphibiancare.com
www.amphibiancare.com

it reminds me of those clawed frog tadpoles

That looks exactly like one of those grow a frog tadpoles you get thru the mail. I had one for awhile, and the behavior with the flicking of the tail sounds just like it.

thats what it was, grow a frog..i couldn't remember what it was called

Except xenopus larva have a "whisker" on each side of the mouth.

Ed

Agreed. They have 2 barbels like a catfish and from what I have read (I have not had them since I was very young), they are transparent.
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Andy Maddox
AIM: thekingofproduct
MSN: Poloboy32486@hotmail.com
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Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

"A yellow ribbon instead of a swastika. Nothin' proper about ya propaganda. Fools follow rules when the set commands ya. Said it was blue when ya blood was red. That's how ya got a bullet blasted through ya head"- Rage Against the Machine

Someone suggested on another forum that they could be tomato frog tadpoles. The breeder was known to have a large number of Dyscophus tadpoles at the time she was getting rid of her collection which makes me wonder if that's what they are. The tadpole's bodies have become much more round in shape rather than the peanut shape in the photograph. They are not Xenopus tadpoles although when I first saw them that is what I was reminded of but as others have pointed out, they don't have wiskers. I've also noticed that they seem to only feed at the surface of the water and ignore food that floats to the bottom. Thanks for the input, any other suggestions are welcome.
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Devin Edmonds
devin@amphibiancare.com
www.amphibiancare.com