What happened to my frogs--Chapter 2

[Jerry J]

About a month ago I posted a question about a recent lack of frogs in an established pond after replacing the liner and lilies. Here I report about the return of frogs and speculate on possible explanations.

I finally checked my water chemistry and discovered the PH was above 8.6 (it was above the upper limit of my test kit). I drained and then refilled the pond and the PH dropped to 7.4. I don't know if that step helped the frogs but I do know that my recurring problem of string algae and cloudy water stopped immediately! Does anyone know if that was due to cause and effect or was it just a coincidence?

Over the last four months I had found a few adult-size frog dead in the pond. Also, several times I found adult-sized frogs struggling to exit the pond but they seemed to be too weak to jump out. I think they were on the verge of drowning. To exit the pond the frogs have to jump high enough to clear the rock edge which is about 5 inches high. That distance is unchanged from what it was years ago, when frog were numerous and happy. The only difference is that then the pond was covered with large, healthy lily pads whereas now there were only a few, scrawny pads. So I re-potted the lilies and they quickly responded by growing many new and larger pads. And my frog population has increased dramatically! I can identify at least three and maybe four different generations and they seem to be healthy and happy.

I believe my lack of frogs was due to a lack of lily pads they could use as a launching pad for jumping out of the water. I don't know whether correcting the water PH had anything to do with the vitality of the lilies but I do think it helped keep algae under control.

Jerry Jackson
San Antonio

 

[addy1]

Mine come and go to the point I don't really pay attention, they are there or they are not. They do need a way to get out of the water, my rocks are low enough they can even climb out if they wish.

I put a landing ramp in my 1000 stock tank pond, straight sides, harder to get out of. I did it for the turtles (land) so they would not drown if they fell in. I see the frogs using it as a landing pad, jump off place.

 

[Tula]

Welcome back to your froggies

 

[j.w]

Frogs do seem to love lily pads! Glad they came back to you

 

[Lisak1]

I've seen frogs leap a foot and a half into the air, out of the pond, across the pond, etc, so I really wonder if this is the case. And we only rarely see frogs actually get on the lily pads even though we have lots. Like @addy1, we have times when we are hard pressed to walk around the pond without someone leaping out of the way and other times when we are lucky if we can spot one or two. I think it's just the natural ebb and flow of nature myself. We also occasionally find a dead frog or two... again - nature.

 

[mgmine]

Frogs seem to leave for no reason at all. I'm not sure where they come from or where they go. Apparently, there is some mysterious place that I have yet to find.

 

[SEKCOBRA]

Frogs need to get out of the water to warm themselves and to absorb vitamin D from sunlight. If there were no launching areas to use to get out of the water and no areas to basically climb out they would weaken over time. Also I would consider water temps in the pond if its small and in direct sun without the pads for shade. It would be like putting them in a swimming pool with low water. The water temps would be high and they would have no way of regulating their body temps and no way to escape. I have frogs in my pond and my ph is always 8.8 to 9.6. so Im thinking the ph was probably not the problem. But put everything together and you could have some issues. Just a theory.

 

[SEKCOBRA]

Frogs are cold blooded like snakes, lizards, turtles and Koi.