Frogs

Frogs, along with toads and newts and salamanders, are amphibians which means they go through rather dramatic stages of development.  They morph from gilled underwater dwelling creatures to terrestrial or semi terrestrial critters that breathe air.  Frogs and toads, unlike salamanders and newts, don't just grow legs but grow hopping cool hind legs.  Frogs and toads are similar.  Two notable differences are that toads don't need to keep their skin as moist as frogs do and are less expert jumpers.  For now, we will talk only of frogs.

 

 

 

 

 Let's begin at the beginning.

 

 

 

The male frog announces his availability to the female in song, amplified by his expandable throat sac.  The sound of his song varies by frog species ranging from a deep croak to a high pitched chirp.  The female responds by allowing the male to mount her.  She then lays up to 4,000 eggs.  The lovers part.

 

 

 

So begins the four stages of development.

 

 

 

 

 

The eggs, also know as spawn, float in the pond or sit in a damp nook near the water.  Many eggs are eaten by fish, bugs, turtles and birds.  After about a week, the eggs hatch into tadpoles.

 

Tadpoles have gills, they swim clumsily, and eat underwater plants.  At roughly four weeks of age, the tadpoles develop lungs and grow little teeth that allow them to eat larger plants.  At about 9 weeks, the tadpole grows hind legs and is now a froglet.

 

The froglet grows front legs and the tail slowly vanishes as it is absorbed by the froglet's body.  At about 3 months old, the froglet with only a stub of a tail and full fledged lungs, leaves the water.  Soon the last of the tail disappears and the froglet is a frog.

 

 

 

Some Frog Facts

 

- diet:  insects, rodents, birds, other frogs and snakes.  They don't drink water but absorb it through their skin 

 

- frog eyes are situated to enable vision from the front, back, and on both sides simultaneously

 

- predators:  cats, snakes, birds, frogs, lizards, rats

 

- approximately 2,800 species 

 

- frogs have been on the Earth for about 190 million years

 

- some frogs are camouflaged to hide from predators, such as the horned frog

 

- poisonous frogs are usually brightly colored to deter predators, such as the poison dart frog  

 

 

 

In cold climates the frog must hibernate. He burrows into the mud or muck in the bottom of a pond and stays there in a state of sleep whereby his body functions slow down to a minimum to conserve energy.  When the surrounding water warms in the spring, the frog awakens and his body returns to normal.  The first thing the frog usually wants to do at this point is to eat something.

 

Soon he is singing and the cycle begins anew.

 

 

 

 

More on Goldfish

As we discussed previously, Goldfish can live in the wilds of one's backyard.  Now let's go indoors and talk about tame Goldfish keeping.

Goldfish can be kept in an aquarium equipped with a filter, light, heater, aeration, plants and decorative castle.  Check the water's ph level and add chemicals to keep it optimal. Figure one and a half inches of fish per gallon.  Trouble is, fish grow.  Like all rules of thumb, there is that pesky reality whereby reality thumbs its nose at you.

 Aquarium husbandry has it's own challenges and advantages.  For those who are looking for low tech, I give you the fishbowl.

It is possible to keep Goldfish in a bowl with no fancy equipment whatsoever. The fish above have lived in this bowl for several years (which is why the fellow on the right is so big!).  You see, it can be done.  Here's how:

Never remove/replace more than 1/3 of the water volume at one time.

Don't change the water too often.

Feed the fish sparingly.

Now and then dump all the water and the fish in a bucket.  Wipe down the sides of the bowl with a paper towel. That greenish brown coating comes off easily.  Rinse the bowl out a few times to remove the floating greenish brown stuff that used to coat the sides.  By now, the water in the bucket has settled so that most of the fish poop has sunk to the bottom.  Dump 2/3 of the bucket water back in the bowl along with the fish.   (If you like, use that remaining water containing nutrient rich poop to water your houseplants).

Add some tap water that feels the same temperature as the bowl water but only about half of the 1/3 needed to fully fill the bowl.  The next day add more water.  This way the fish don't have to adjust to new strange water all at once.  It is diluted sufficiently so they are stressed as little as possible.

 

 

 

Sure, living in captivity wasn't my first choice but at least I am safe from hungry Herons.

Goldfish

Goldfish are a fresh water fish related to the carp and minnow.  There are some 300 species of goldfish.  The most common goldfish is the Comet.  This fish is domesticated and used primarily as a feeder fish.  Many Comets end up being eaten by pet fish such as Oscars and Piranhas.



The humble Comet is kept as a pet too.  Some are living the wild life in backyard ponds.

Some people feed their pond fish commercial fish food.  Some let the fish fend for themselves.  I've tried both methods separately and in combination.  The fish thrive regardless, or in spite of, my efforts.  The weather has proven to have more of an effect on the fish than anything else.  This year, for example, we had a mild winter.  A greater number of fish survived.  A heater is installed to keep a hole in the ice for oxygen to come in, and gases that form from plant decay out.  Still, some of  the fish don't make it through the winter.

(Wild living is rugged). 

A warm spring helped hatch more fish eggs (frog eggs too, but that's a whole other post!).  The fish population in the pond is up this summer.  Alas, as fall approaches, so increases the visitation from Herons.  In both spring and fall, Night Herons and Blue Herons appear regularly to hunt in my pond  The fish have hiding places to increase their odds of not being eaten .  Many people put long tubes underwater for pond fish to hide.  My pond offers a sunken milk crate. 

Another risk pond fish face is dragonfly larvae.  These nymphs lie in wait, hidden behind a plant stem.  They leap onto an unsuspecting fish, pierce his skin with sharp hollow pincers, then suck out his blood.

(Wild living has assorted methods of population control).

Pond fish eat mosquito larvae, little creatures that live in algae and assorted other bugs and plants.  They also eat small baby fish.

(Wild living involves cannibalization).







Then there are goldfish who enjoy the indoor lifestyle.

Next time, we'll talk about tame goldfish.

Pets Gone Wild

Backyard ponds have become an almost ubiquitous part of landscaping. Sixteen years ago when I dug my first pond it was difficult to find a flexible liner. Now the choices, options and availability is pretty much unlimited.

Nevertheless, I did dig that pond, laid down a thick rubber liner and filled it with water. I put dirt in some plastic containers and planted lilies and cattails. A layer of pea pebbles spread on top keeps the dirt from floating around. I bought several tadpoles and feeder goldfish (Comets) and tossed them in the water. A pump and filter keep the water moving, oxygenated and captures some of the debris.

Here we are at the end of summer all these years later. Right now there are over a dozen frogs sitting along the edge of the water and on the lily pads. Fish swim below, clustered in their mysterious social order. The Dragonflies and Damsel flies are gone now, as are the water bugs that crowded the water's surface in the spring. It is a curious thing. Are these fish and frogs generations removed from what I began with, my pets? Or are they as wild as the bugs and algae that spontaneously appeared?

My dogs sniff around the edges of the pond (they know they are not allowed in it-like walking in the flowerbeds, this is "no"). The frogs are unconcerned by the dogs. I often wonder why. Can they tell the difference between a thirty pound black dog and a raccoon? Can they tell the difference between a skunk and a little dog with a pointy nose? And how come they run for the shelter of underwater when I, a common human being approach, but not when Mabel, a majestic mastiff loiters at the ponds edge?

Do they fear me? Is it because now and then I thrust a net into their domain and scoop out treasured gunk? Is the net scary, or is the temporarily clouded water caused by my meddling the threat? When a Heron swoops in and walks among the lily pads do they tremble hidden in the shadows? Or do they see it as benign as the decoy I put out in the spring in hopes of keeping the real Heron away?

These creatures are not dependent upon me. I don't even feed the fish. But if I didn't keep the pump going the water couldn't sustain life. Or could it? In winter when ice covers the pond, a floating heater maintains an opening in the ice so air can get in. Without the heater dangerous ammonia and whatnot would build up and kill the fish and frogs (it happened one year when the heater went kaput). But some critters survived even that disastrous winter. So perhaps they don't need me.

Is that the definition of a pet? Need? Maybe the pond frogs and fish need me as the perennial garden needs me, to tidy things up and make it just a little neater than wild. Aren't pets more than that? What about affection? It is doubtful that these pond residents love me. After all they appear to fear me, for they flee when I stick my hand in their water. Maybe this fear confirms that they are wild.

Certainly, the fear these pond dwellers display is not the God fearing variety. I know this much for sure, I'm no God, I just dug the hole.

Now, I fear, it is time to stop asking questions and get out there and scoop some leaves out of that pond.

No Fuss Fisticuffs

Betta fish (Betta splendens) are a popular and inexpensive pet. Suitable housing is a container with a volume of as little as one cup of water. Bettas come in many exciting colors ranging from pale yellow to iridescent black. Also known as fighting fish, this pet is best kept singly. They are a couple of inches long, with flowing fins, some of which double their size. Easily riled, these fish flap their gill covers at you when you so much as look at them.

Talk about low maintenance, this fish does better in dirty water. Betta fishes are able to get oxygen by swallowing air, thanks to a unique organ in their head called a labyrinth. There is more oxygen in air than water, especially dirty water. In the wild, these fishes live in swampy areas so they habitually swallow air to survive. So for them dirty water is more like home. That's great news for folks who want a pet of minimum fuss.

Pet shop personnel advise that when keeping fish in a bowl it is best to replace only one third of the water at a time, when cleaning. With the Betta it is best to do this infrequently .

The male Bettas are the fighters. When you go into a pet shop you usually see the males on display. They are often lined up on a shelf in their individual containers. They react to the male beside them with manly movements of their unpaired fins. They fix their opponent with a menacing stare as they undulate. If the fishes were in the same water together they would bite to the death. (Meanwhile, safely tucked in the back room, the females await the victor and the mating that will follow.)

Keeping one of these fearsome fellows in the home is easy and offers interactive drama. Put one on the dining table as a centerpiece. As you pass the potatoes he will flail his fans at you. Put one beside the sink in the bathroom and he'll watch you wash your face with hostile interest. Put one on the coffee table and every time you reach for the remote he'll lunge ferociously.