PlanetCatfish.com

This is a two question post.

First, I've seen pictures and have read stories of various types of plecos eating fish eggs. Are they healthy for them? I'm sure some do it in their natural habitat.

Second, what about frog eggs? I'm mainly asking because where I work at we have tarp/plastic covered crates that fill with rain water. During the Spring time the frogs will lay their eggs in there. I don't know the species just that it is some sort of tree frog in North Carolina, United States.

Just want to mention that maybe 1% of those eggs will hatch into tadpoles, less than that will become frogs. We have to open those crates before most of them get a shot in the wild. I'd rather them be beneficial than get dumped on the ground to dry up and die.

Wouldn't the jelly surrounding the eggs make it difficult for the fish to eat them?

Several frog spp reproduce in my pond every year. Have never seen any fish even touch their egg masses.
-Shane

Toad eggs are mildly toxic. I have read stories of goldfish eating frog eggs but never observed it myself.

I would err on the side of caution and avoid feeding them to the fish. Besides, with the global extinction of frogs becoming a real possibility they could use all the help we can give them at this time. Maybe you could transfer the eggs to some other container?

Andy

I'm inclined to agree with Narwhal72's advice, and what was said about toad eggs (some are more than mildly toxic; some have killed humans). Having said that, some fish will eat the eggs of some frog spp. My only personal experience with this occurred with dwarf African frogs in a community tank. The eggs were eaten. I can't say by which fish, or whether the eggs sickened the fish. But I've never had any frog eggs survive in that tank.

You could collect the eggs and wait for them to hatch. Tadpoles often make good feeding - and are far less toxic

Narwhal72 wrote:Toad eggs are mildly toxic. I have read stories of goldfish eating frog eggs but never observed it myself.

I would err on the side of caution and avoid feeding them to the fish. Besides, with the global extinction of frogs becoming a real possibility they could use all the help we can give them at this time. Maybe you could transfer the eggs to some other container?

Andy

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm aware the frog populations are declining, that's why I mentioned the majority of the eggs/tadpoles never make it to become a frog. The "pools" of water that do make it through spring time, don't last long during the 90 degree plus summers we have.

Bas Pels wrote:You could collect the eggs and wait for them to hatch. Tadpoles often make good feeding - and are far less toxic

I'd be careful about that. Even tadpoles can be quite toxic, depending on spp. In the USA, our treefrogs and ranids are usually less toxic than our bufonids.

Cheers, Eric