Guillaumy Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Hi,I don’t know if this is the right place to post this but here goes.We spent a week in our house near Bergerac the last week in Septemeber (3 weeks ago).We have a well in the garden that is about 4’ x 5’ that was overgrown, but has now been cleared. I noticed this trip, what looked like some sort of fish coming up to the surface, either eating something off the surface or coming up for air.I made a rough sort of fishing net and caught one of the small ones. (see photo)It looks like a tadpole!! There were lots in the well and I saw some that must have been 3” to 4” long. What are they??ThanksRobert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David584 Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Unfortunately Robert I cannot see your picture.I do not know if this is due to the security settings on my machine or if the problem lies elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 I can't see it either - I get a link not found symbol, rather than a broken link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guillaumy Posted October 12, 2004 Author Share Posted October 12, 2004 Let me try to cut and paste the photo again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissie Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Still can't see it!! (Really intrigued now)Chrissie (81) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millymollymandy Posted October 13, 2004 Share Posted October 13, 2004 Can't see picture either. Is it hosted on a web site?Could it be a newt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted October 13, 2004 Share Posted October 13, 2004 We have a sump next to the house for collecting rainwater and there is a fish in there. I am not certain, but I think it is a rudd and put in there to keep the mozzies out. It has been in there for at least 3 years that I know of!His name is Ahab.Mark61120 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guillaumy Posted October 13, 2004 Author Share Posted October 13, 2004 Sorry, I can't seem to alter the photograph to any other format. I can see the photo when I log onto the forum.Can I send a picture to anyone via email?No, it isn't a newt Millymollymandy.The larger ones, although I only saw them for a few seconds as they came to the surface, might have had appendages (ie legs or fins) but this small one has nothing.It looks exactly like a Tadpole but could not have been because of the time of year. Thanks for you interest. I'll keep trying with the photo.Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixietoadstool Posted October 13, 2004 Share Posted October 13, 2004 I have just had a quick look on various websites via google and have found mention that the tadpoles of some species of frogs may be present every month of the year. Could this answer your question?The other thing I was wondering was whether they might be salamander "tadpoles" - i.e. if they look a bit different from the normal frog tadpoles. Newts, salamanders, frogs and toads all need to breed in water.I can't see your picture either!Valerie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0Helen Posted October 13, 2004 Share Posted October 13, 2004 What format is your picture in? jpeg files should be small enough to post. Perhaps you need to save a copy as a jpeg file and try posting again. I apologise if I am stating the obvious!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guillaumy Posted October 14, 2004 Author Share Posted October 14, 2004 Hi,Thanks for your input.Valerie - I would have thought that had it been a hatching of toad spawn, they would have all been about the same size. Salamander tadoples? It could be, I have no idea. Have never seen any and couldn't find any on the web. Pixetoadstool - The picture was a JPEG and I added it through the "insert picture" button on the task bar.I will have to wait until we go back to France and see if I can net a bigger one and either take a better photo or/and ask a neighbour (which would have been the most sensible thing to have done).Mark - Interested about the fish in the "sump" to keep the mozzies at bay. This seems like a good idea. Our neighbour has a v. large trough and a cattle watering pond, FULL of goldfish/carp. Perhaps that's what they are there for.We had (apart from the tadpoly things) little clouds of white specks wriggling just under the surface. Hope they weren't mozzie lava because the tadpoles didn't touch them.Thanks againRobert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixietoadstool Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Dear Guillaumy,I have just done a quick Google and came up with this website for identifying tadpoles - you go through a series of steps and it tells you what it is likely to be and one of these is a fire salamander which are certainly present in France. It seems the main differentiators are that salamander tadpoles are large and have gills whereas the frog/toad ones don't have gills and tend to be smaller.Do have a look because it includes pictures too!http://www.whose-tadpole.net/key-to-tadpoles/tadpole01.htmLet me know if it helps?Valerie P.S. I have just been back to the site and notice that live larvae are born up to as late as July and so they still could be developing in your well even now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guillaumy Posted October 15, 2004 Author Share Posted October 15, 2004 Hi Valerie,Thanks for the fabulous web site. Have been through it and there are some that it could be, but not sure. The little tinker that I caught was about 3cm long which rules out quite a few of those on the site. The one that is closest is the Common Spadefoot Toad.The thing that intrigues me is that it seemed as though they were coming to the surface to breath. Tadpoles don't do that do they? I watched them for ages, saw them rising to the surface and looked very hard to see if there was anything there that they were feeding on.... but nothing.Anyway, thanks again and I will post again if I find the answer.Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Robert,Unfortunately, the white camma shaped thingies are mozzie larva (or midges). It possibly could then rule out then that the larger wildlife are some form of fish, because they would have tended to eat the larvae. Also, they must be some sort of amphibian because they are coming up for air (assuming that the water isn't polluted and lacking oxygen).The suspense is killing me (or is it the suspenders?)Mark61120 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guillaumy Posted October 15, 2004 Author Share Posted October 15, 2004 Hi Mark,Will have to try and sort the white b*****s out when we go again. Hoped they weren't mozzies but wondered if they might be. We were all bitten last visit. I should have used the mozzie net we bought with us for the proper purpose instead of cutting it up to make a fishing net!!As far as the water purity is concerned, I was going to get it tested.Sorry about the suspense, by the way. Hope they're not too tight.Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirpy Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 SIMPLE- THEY ARE BABY SPAWN OF IMPORTED LOCHNESS MONSTER BY A SCOT. WHO STILL MISSES THE LOCHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutts Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 Hi RobertI'd really like to know what your "tadpoles" are too! We also have a house not far from Bergerac and on our next visit intend to sort out the well pump, so perhaps we'll have the same things. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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