Two weeks ago I took the kids to Valley View Farms to get tadpoles and snails for our garden pond. Colson and Bella both thought it would be a great idea to also have tadpoles and snails as pets. I couldn't have agreed more. What's better than a science lesson right in the house?
So, we brought the tadpoles home and went about setting up a nice home for them. The sole survivor of our winter hermit crab experiment was living in a spacious 10-gallon tank. Needless to say he got evicted and sent to live in a 2 and 1/2 gallon pirate-themed tank (left over from Bella's fish Shelby - God rest her soul). His view is better but he's certainly more cramped. I'll probably wind up getting him a 5-gallon one. I get a little claustrophobic just looking at him in there.
Back to the tadpoles - We lined the bottom of the tank with pebbles and filled it with treated water and released them. Then we cleared the corner of the counter and placed the tank there so as to be able to keep an eye on them and to ensure we wouldn't forget to feed them.
A few days ago Frank took the kids to the creek to go crayfishing. This is something we do quite often. They returned with two very large crayfish. (Prior to that we had put one small crayfish in the tank who seemed to get along just fine with the tadpoles). Frank and the kids thought it might be a good idea to put the new crustaceans in the tadpoles' home. I did not agree, but I let it happen.
I hate to say," I told you so." but....I noticed one of the tadpoles had a small tear in his tail. He seemed to be swimming along fine though, so I did nothing. The next morning I came to the kitchen and checked on them first thing. Alas, the other tadpole was struggling along with no tail. The damn crayfish ate the poor baby frog's tail! I don't really know what this means for his development. We will have to wait and see.
The crayfish were in big trouble. I immediately put them in time-out in a bucket on the deck out back. There was no way I was going to allow the tadpoles to endure further torture at the hands (claws?) of these beasts. After making sure the tadpoles were going to be all right, I fed them some yummy frozen brine shrimp (their favorite snack) and turned my attention to disciplining the naughty crayfish. It was back to the creek for them. The kids and I walked over to the rain-swollen creek and unceremoniously dumped them into the murky water. They didn't not quickly scurry or rejoice at being back in the creek. They lay where they landed for a moment or two. Perhaps they were regretting their recent behavior. Maybe they were even ready to repent. I'm not sure, but I do know I will ever be able to trust a crayfish again. So, quickly we turned our backs on them and returned home before we had a change of heart.
I guess the kids can learn a valuable lesson from this - leave nature in nature. No good can come from trying to tame a wild animal, or fish or crustacean. I'm happy to report the tadpoles seem to be recovering from their injuries. They were recently swimming vigorously as I feed them some blood worms. Hopefully they will still grow their back legs without defect. Only time will tell.
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I put a crayfish in my 50-gallon that I had at Cavan drive and that thing ate whatever fish it could grab. Plus, like you said, when you put a wild thing in a tank full of tame things, the wild thing is just out of place. Like every time I'd put wild fish in a fish tank they'd commit suicide by jumping out. But crayfish eat everything. They are good for feeding oscars though, who love to eat them. Had to leave the 50 gallon in Johnstown, no room to move it...need to get a small plexiglass one for Jaden, who loves fish. I didn't know Valley View sold that stuff...that place was my first job ever. I miss Towson.
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