Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Toad "Orgy"

While spending a nice long Memorial Day weekend at our country home we were there to see a literal toad "orgy" going on in our 1 1/2 acre pond. There were more toads than I have ever seen in one place ever.
These looked like the common toad that we often see on the back yard but they were all in the pond doing what comes naturally.

I've read that toads and toad tadpole can cause a fish kill and with the number of toads mating there this weekend I'm concerned about what may happen when the eggs hatch from this seasons mating.

Does any one have any experience with toads causing a fish kill?
Our pond is stocked with LM bass, blue gill, crappie, and perch and has an aeration system running 24 X7 this time of year.

Thanks!

Are you sure they weren't frogs, as opposed to toads?

When you read that toads cause fish kills, do you recall what the connection was? I've never heard of this phenomenon.

Tuzz:

I strongly suspect the number of toadpoles you see (and hence any impact from them) will be greatly diminished since your pond is well stocked. I do know for certain that the only 2 times I have seen a really large number of toadpoles resulting from the annual Bufo americanus orgy is the 2 years (2002 and this year) that I have had new, fairly empty ponds.

On the plus side, the toadpoles do eat a lot of FA.

Do the fish actually eat the small tadpoles (the tiny black ones?) Or is there something about them that doesn't taste right as in yellow perch eggs? Or could they cause problems if eaten? I've heard rumors, just wanted to know if anyone knew for sure.

I grabbed a handful of them today and threw them toward some bluegills. I couldn't tell if they ate them or not.

I could easily drop some into one of my fish cages but what if they are toxic or something?

Cecil, I don't think the toads want to get busy in a pond filled full of larger fish. I had maybe 1000 times as many toad eggs layed this year in my new pond (FHM only) as opposed to my mature BG/LMB/CC pond.

I'm not saying that toads are a preferred fish food item, merely wary of becoming that.

Toads gather in ponds to mate whether there are fish in them or not. Bass dont eat toads like they do frogs. I think the fish must eat the eggs, but like cecil, I dont think they eat the black tadpoles at all. No science to back any of it up, just what I always thought and observed.

IIRC, some species of tadpoles/toadpoles taste very bad and fish will learn to avoid eating ones that are not palatable.

We have massive numbers of toad tadpoles every year. While we don't have Gamefish as of yet, we have large numbers of feeder fish my wife and son stocked years ago, as well as 4 big koi. So as far as I can tell there is nothing about them just being present that causes trouble.

They were for sure toads. 2 weeks ago there were millions of little black tadpoles and I did NOT see the fish going after them. THe fish were feasting on the dragon flys and I had a blast catching brick sized blue gills on a fly line with a popping bug lure. TIme to get the frying pan ready. We have done catch and release since building the pond but we now have some lunker blue gills.

I'm extremely jealous...that's my goal from day one!

Toadpoles turn into tiny toads quickly, unlike bullfrog tadpoles, which can defer their evolvement for a long time.
The BG will hammer the new mouth sized toads. Catch some(he he, not easy) and chunk 'em in. Then watch.

We went thru this 'orgy' thing in Indiana about 2 months ago, I'd say. We did see bass go after the frogs (not to mention my dog ate them too, yuck!). Even though we had the zillion tadpoles, with the pond fully stocked, we're not seeing as much activity so I'm sure the fish are eating them too. The are noisy as hec for about 3 days mating nonstop.