Name: Tadpole
Brand: Brooklands
SKU: tadpole
Price: 2.5 NZD
Availability: OutOfStock

Tadpole

Product Details

New Zealand Tadpoles (Green and Golden Bell Frog / Southern Bell Frog)

NOT AVAILABLE TO SHIP - In-store Only

Overview: In New Zealand, when you find tadpoles in a backyard pond or buy them from a local specialty shop, you are almost always looking at the larvae of two introduced Australian species: the Green and Golden Bell Frog (Ranoidea aurea) or the Southern Bell Frog (Ranoidea raniformis). These tadpoles are large, chunky, and fascinating to raise. They start as small, dark grey dots and grow into robust, olive-green or golden-brown swimming champions before undergoing one of nature's greatest magic tricks: metamorphosis into a frog.

Crucial NZ Context: New Zealand does have four incredible, ancient native frogs (Leiopelma family), but they are critically endangered, strictly protected by law, live only in specific forest/alpine conservation zones, and uniquely do not have a free-swimming tadpole stage (they hatch directly as fully formed froglets!). Therefore, any swimming tadpole you find in a Kiwi garden pond is an introduced Bell Frog.

Origins: Originally native to Southeast Australia, these bell frogs were intentionally introduced to New Zealand in the late 1860s by the Acclimatisation Societies to help control insects. Today, they are widely established across the North Island and parts of the South Island.

Personality & Behavior: As tadpoles, they are active, curious, and incredibly hungry. They spend their days bumbling along the bottom of the pond or tank, using their specialized mouthparts to continuously rasp away at organic matter. They are entirely peaceful with one another until the very end of their cycle—when they begin growing legs, their bodies crave protein, and they can occasionally turn on smaller tank mates if underfed.

Care Level: Very Easy
Temperament: Peaceful (Herbivorous scavengers, turning into predators as frogs)
Diet: Strictly Herbivore at first. Feed them fresh, blanched (boiled) lettuce, spinach, or kale leaves that have been frozen and thawed to soften the plant walls. They also love high-quality sinking spirulina or algae wafers.
Max Size: Can grow up to 8 – 10 cm in length before transforming!
Tank/Pond Size: 40 – 60 Litres minimum for a small group of 5–10 tadpoles. A shallow backyard pond or a large plastic storage tub works perfectly.
Temperature: 15°C – 22°C (They are perfectly adapted to New Zealand’s climate. Keep them out of direct mid-day summer sun so their water doesn't overheat).
pH: 6.5 – 7.5

⚠️ The Metamorphosis Checklist (Crucial for Survival)

Raising tadpoles is incredibly rewarding, but you must alter their habitat as they grow to prevent them from drowning:

1. The Frog Ledge: Once you see their front legs pop out, the tadpole's gills begin shrinking and they develop lungs to breathe atmospheric air. At this exact moment, you must provide them with a sloped ramp, a floating piece of cork bark, or large rocks that emerge out of the water. If they cannot easily climb out of the water, they will tragically drown.

2. The Food Shift: As they transition into frogs, their digestive system completely morphs from herbivore to carnivore. They will stop eating lettuce entirely and will require small, live, moving insects like fruit flies, pinhead crickets, or small worms.

3. Containment: Newly morphed froglets are Olympic-level jumpers. If your enclosure doesn't have a secure mesh lid when they develop legs, they will instantly hop out and explore your living room floor!