Our pond plants are grown here at our nursery and we guarantee nice size plants that are established and growing.  Our prices are set at the lowest price we can give our customers for the quality of the aquatic plants.  Don't be fooled by lower prices unless you know you are getting what you're paying for.  We take pride in giving customer service and if you have any questions regarding any plant or product call our knowledgable staff that can answer any of your questions.  We have a toll free number 1-877-488-2973 and during the season are open 7 days a week 9am until 9pm Eastern Standard Time. 

Important thing to remember when you receive your plants.  Remove them from the plastic bags and keep the plants wet and out of the sunlight.  Put the plants in trays of pond water in the shade to re-hydrate them for awhile before planting in your pond.  Pond plants after being out of the sunlight in bags need to be re-hydrated to bounce back as they were when they left the nursery.  On occasion we may find it necessary to substitue a plant that we are out of stock on.  This substitution will be a plant of similiar value.  If you do not want substitution please make a note of it in the comment section of your order and then if we are out of a plant we will credit you back for it.

JAPANESE TRAPDOOR SNAILS (Viviparis malleatus)

•      Trapdoor snails are one of Dragonfly Aquatics biggest sellers.  A pond isn’t complete without adding algae eating pond snails.  The trapdoor snails are black in color and range from 1” to 3” in size.  They are live bearing and will multiply.  These snails can survive cold winters and temperatures below 0 degrees.  To keep your pond algae in control along with plant coverage a snail will keep eating the algae on the sides of your pond, on the rocks, sides of plant containers and even on plants.  Trapdoor snails will even eat decaying matter left over from fish food and plants.      Japanese trapdoor snails only produce about 20 young snails in their lifetime and do so over a number of years.  In calculating the number needed for your pond the rule of thumb is you should use approximately 1 snail per 20 gallons of water.  If you have a larger pond you could add a percentage needed per year.  Overall they are less expensive than adding algaecides weekly.     

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•      It is normal for these snails to sometimes have algae attached to their shells as they have no way of cleaning themselves.  This will not promote algae in your pond and the algae will disappear fromthem after being in the pond if your pond is mostly algae free.  When you receive your snails they will appear dead as they get scared in shipping and will pull into their shells but after adapting them to your water a few hours later they will disappear in your pond.  If there is a crack in their shell these also will mend.  It is not necessary to float snails as you do fish.  You can put them in some pond water when they arrive and when they become adjusted enter them into your pond or just put them in your pond.     

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•      We ship snails FedEx ground shipping and will put an ice pack in the box during hot weather.  If you would like to have your snails shipped FedEx air you can call us on 1-877-488-2973 to place your order with the additional cost for shipping.  We do everything we can to insure the snails leave healthily and arrive healthy.   2^nd day FedEx air would run an additional 35.00 .  Overnight FedEx air shipment would run an additional 60.00.  These are approximate charges from Fedex but if the amount if less than charged we will credit you back for the difference.

TADPOLES

     Tadpoles are social creatures and some will even interact and school like fish do.  After about 6 weeks, you'll begin to notice tiny little legs start to sprout.  The tadpoles we send normally have legs starting but some don't.  You'll begin to notice the head gets more distinct and the body elongates.  Their diet usually consists now of dead tiny insects unless you chose to feed them.  Their arms begin to bulge and eventually pop out, elbow first.  After about 9 weeks, the tadpole begins to look like a tiny frog with a long tail and is almost full grown.  It takes approximately 6-12 weeks for a tadpole to develop into a frog.  The temperature has a lot to do with it.  During cold spells it may take a bit longer or even be suspended till the temperatures go up.  So don't panic they will become frogs soon.  Normally at about 12 weeks it looks like a tiny frog with a stub tail.

     When a tadpole begins to develop his legs, they will need some sort of perch so they can get out of the water.  Floating water lily leaves and branches are ideal for this, but you can also create ledges using stones.  You don't have to feed tadpoles or frogs because they will fend for themselves.  But if you choose to here are some suggestions.  I found that if I feed them when they were tadpoles they became friendly and a couple of mine will eat out of my hand.

     Tadpoles - Love Lettuce.  You boil the lettuce for 10-15 minutes and drain it.  Chop it up and they lay it on a tray to freeze it or put it in ice cube trays.  Give them one cube every couple of days and that should be enough.  When they first get their legs they aren't big enough to eat crickets so if you want to feed them start off with small insects or bloodworms (live is best).  If you can't get them from you yard you can purchase them at a local pet store that carries fish.  You can take a jar lid and put warm water in it and lay a bunch of wiggly worms in it and the frogs will find them.  Or put them directly in the water.  Aphids are also a good food source.

FULL GROWN FROG

     By about 14 weeks depending on what the frog eats and on the water supply and temperature, the frog will have completed the full gorwth cycle.  He will begin to grow as you watch.

     Usually frogs will be content to stay around your pond but if there is a water source nearby.....don't be surprised if they decide to venture to it.  But usually will return.  This happens alot of times when it rains.  I have some frogs that never leave and some that do....not knowing if the ones that appear one day are the same ones that left....... 

What I found surprising is that you can actually hold some of them.  If you raise them from a tadpole and visit them regularly they will get accustomed to you and become your pet.  Its harder to do if they are a frog when you get them.  I start out by feeding them lettuce when they are tadpoles because when they are little insects and bloodworms are too big for them yet.  Then I introduce the worms and insects. 

     They will soon become your friend and its fun watching them grow.  Another interesting, nature watching process that gives you more enjoyment out of your pond.