Spring frogs return

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JW, very neat story!
AirXSteel, I have bullfrogs in my farm pond, and they are in the overflow area that is shallow, probably only 6-10" deep. The neighbors said they have caught bullfrogs with leeches in their mouths (not sure who is eating who, though!), but I don't think they eat fish. They do, however, eat bugs and I've heard they eat algae and vegetation to an extent. I would guess your fry will have more to worry from the other fish rather than from the bullfrogs. Good luck! Keep us posted, as I plan to relocate some tadpoles next spring to my koi pond that I am just now digging. Also, for those of you toad lovers, I have a pair (I guess it's a pair, one is huge, one much smaller) that stays in my window well. I've taken them out 5 times, they are ALWAYS back in the water in it the next day. The big one (female?) goes under water if I try to catch her when there is water in the bottom. I've waited a long time for her to surface, and she always wins the waiting game. I had no idea they could go under water like that! Maybe they are frogs instead of toads, but they sure look like toads. :)
 

fishin4cars

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Bull frogs can and will eat a fish, I've seen one get a goldfish about 4" long. It's rare but it can happen, I've had them at ponds grab spinner baits and large plastic worms and lizards so if they can get it in their mouth they will try and eat it but Bull frogs don't really eat as often as some folks think. For instant a 4" fish may hold him for three to four weeks. So one is not going to clean out a pond of fish. toads have a rough dry feel to them, most frogs have a slick skin coating. oh and they can swim VERY well! Tadpoles eat algea, grown frogs are carnivouros. They eat live critters. Some very much more specialized in what they eat than others.
 
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Great info, Fishin, thanks. I do recall catching bullfrogs with a piece of paper on a fish hook hanging over their head when I was a kid. :) And they did go after the worms, too.
 
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Holy cow those guys are loud! I know I heard a frog at our neighbors a week ago, wondering if he'll find our new pond sometime this summer. Dont mind frogs...but our outsidecat is on my perverbial %@# list as he caught himself a bird today...and we put out the new feeder two days ago.
 
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Ok pond is doing great and so are the bull frog tadpoles.

Here is the only picture I could get today. He is definately spooky. I came out to fee the fish, and there one of them sits on the lillypad. Looking as natural as ever, as if that was his home all along.

Do I need to feed him or will he find food on his own? I hope he can get out of the pond to hunt or whatever they do.

;)

Frog.jpg
 
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I think others have said that tadpoles and frogs feed on algae and also bugs, so it should do just fine. I have frogs and tadpoles in my farm pond, and they do very well. I suspect you have all sorts of food stuffs in your pond for that tadpole-almost-a-frog dude! Great pic, BTW, neat to see the mid-transformation.
 

fishin4cars

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airxsteel said:
Ok pond is doing great and so are the bull frog tadpoles.

Here is the only picture I could get today. He is definately spooky. I came out to fee the fish, and there one of them sits on the lillypad. Looking as natural as ever, as if that was his home all along.

Do I need to feed him or will he find food on his own? I hope he can get out of the pond to hunt or whatever they do.

;)

Frog.jpg

leave him alone, they know what to do and when, he doesn't appear to be starving either, look at that little fat belly!
 
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I suppose I should not light citronela torches to attact more bugs then, otherwise he may not have that many bugs around.
 

fishin4cars

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I don't recommend burning citronella to close to a pond. I've never been comfortable about having that chemical too close to the pond, I burn mine about 20-30 feet away from the pond. I have a spot light that points downward into the pond, I leave it on until about 10:30 or 11 oclock at night and then turn it off, gives me a chance to view the fish at night which is my favorite time to view them and it attracts bugs to the light, the frogs line up for free food, naturally get them away from me and my frogs and I have a happy ending as far as bugs go!
 

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