Quck answer
Tadpoles in a swimming pool can be a nuisance. Here are some methods to remove them:
1. Skim the pool: Use a pool net or skimmer to scoop out the tadpoles from the water.
2. Use a pool cover: Cover the pool with a mesh or solid cover to prevent tadpoles from entering.
3. Install a frog barrier: Place a fence or barrier around the pool to keep frogs away and prevent tadpoles from hatching.
4. Balance the pool chemistry: Adjust the pH and chlorine levels in the pool to make it less attractive to tadpoles.
5. Use a pool vacuum: If the tadpoles are too small to be scooped out, use a pool vacuum to remove them.
Remember to release the tadpoles in a suitable natural habitat, such as a pond or stream, rather than killing them.
If you take good care of your pool during the pool season and use the right chemicals when you close it for the winter, you shouldn’t have a problem with tadpoles because they cannot survive in a properly chlorinated or brominated pool. However, if your pump fails while you’re away or you don’t close the pool properly, you may start noticing hundreds of tadpoles, and eventually, you may be bothered by their croaking at night. Shocking the pool will kill the tadpoles, but you can also choose to relocate them humanely.
Procedure for Relocating Tadpoles
If there is a nearby natural environment, you can gradually introduce the tadpoles to it by changing the water conditions slightly each time you transfer them to a new container. Eventually, you can release them into a pond or stream.
In a laboratory setting, relocating tadpoles from one tank to another is considered difficult because small changes in temperature or salinity can shock and kill them. However, filling buckets with pool water, catching the tadpoles with a net, and placing them in the buckets is probably safe for the tadpoles, although you may not be able to catch all of them. To do so, you will need to drain most of the water from the pool.
Items You Will Need
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Screen mesh
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5-gallon buckets
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Pool net
Getting Rid of Tadpoles in a Swimming Pool
Step 1: Turn Off the Pump
Switch off the recirculating pump and cover the drain outlet with a screen. Ensure that the mesh of the screen is small enough to prevent the tadpoles from escaping.
Step 2: Partially Drain the Pool
Allow the water to drain until only about a foot of water remains at the bottom of the pool.
Step 3: Fill Some Buckets With Pool Water
Fill one or more 5-gallon buckets with some of the remaining pool water. Keep the buckets submerged in the pool water to maintain the same temperature as the pool.
Step 4: Capture the Tadpoles
Use a pool net to catch the tadpoles and transfer them into the buckets. Once you have caught all the tadpoles, drain the remaining water from the pool.
Step 5: Dry and Refill the Pool
Allow the pool to dry completely before refilling it to prevent any eggs that may have been deposited on the pool walls from hatching.
Tip
After making the effort to collect the live tadpoles, it is not recommended to simply release them into a stream or pond, as most of them will likely die. The best way to handle them is to empty the bucket of pool water and tadpoles in an open field or at the back of your property.
The tadpoles will suffocate and die because they are still immature and fully aquatic, just like fish. At this stage of life, tadpoles still rely on gills instead of lungs to breathe, so they must remain in water. However, since you cannot determine if the tadpoles are from an invasive frog species, allowing them to die is not a bad outcome.
Eliminating Tadpoles with a Shocking Method
If you don’t have the time or desire to rescue the tadpoles that have invaded your swimming pool, you have the option to exterminate them by introducing the necessary purifying chemicals. The specific procedure will depend on the type of purifying system your pool uses, but in most cases, it entails adding the appropriate amount of chlorine and then pouring in a shock solution to maximize the concentration of free chlorine. The chlorine will effectively eradicate the tadpoles, and once they are deceased, they can be easily collected from the water using a net.
Important Notice
Under no circumstances should you release frogs, toads, or tadpoles into public or natural bodies of water. By relocating the tadpoles, you may unknowingly introduce invasive amphibians or plants, as well as various diseases, from one habitat to another.
