How To Get Rid Of Tadpoles In Pool: 9 Effective Methods

If you have a pool in your backyard, uninvited guests will often hang around. Some of them include toads, frogs, and their offspring— the tadpoles.

In their natural environment, these creatures reproduce in water. Eggs laid by females in ponds and lakes are fertilized by males and hatch afterward.

Your pool is a perfect substitute for these water bodies, which is why you see these animals inhabiting it. Plus, they have the advantage of munching on easy food— the bugs and insects flourishing around your pool.

It is in your best interest to get rid of them. There are several ways to go about this, as you will see in this article.

Getting Rid of Tadpoles In Swimming Pool

Frogs and toads breed in spring— just before you begin preparing the pool for summers. Keeping your pool covered during this period can prevent the problem altogether.

However, if your pool is already infested, use these methods in tandem for the best possible results.

1.  Fence Your Pool

If you do not want tadpoles in your pool, the best thing to do is fence it so that their parents do not find a way in. 

However, be mindful of the fence type you choose, as frogs and toads can easily hop through the gaps in chain link fences.

A vinyl or solid wood fence works best. Ensure that it goes up to a considerable height, which the amphibians cannot jump over.

Also, make sure that the fence goes around 6 inches deep into the ground. This depth is beyond the accessibility of the frogs and toads since they cannot dig deeper than that to access the pool.

Some frogs can climb up trees— cut them down, especially if it is an invasive species.

2. Chlorinate Pool Water

Similar to how chlorine works against bacteria and algae, it can also make the waters inhabitable for tadpoles.

However, be careful when adding this chemical because large amounts can render the pool unusable for you.

You can either use crystallized or liquid chlorine.

3. Catch The Tadpoles With A Net

This is not a particular net, but the same one you use to skim leaves and other debris that fall and float or get submerged into your pool. You can choose to use it when you want to catch and relocate the tadpoles instead of finishing them off.

However, animal relocation can be subject to state wildlife laws and must be done under supervision. For instance, in the UK, tadpoles can only be caught and relocated by experts.

Also, the tadpoles will need to adapt to the living conditions of the natural habitat you will transfer them into. Otherwise, they may not survive the changes in salinity and temperature, which can shock and finish them off.

This is what you need:

• 5-gallon buckets
• Screen mesh
• Pool net

Steps in removing tadpoles from the pool:

1. Turn The Water Pump Off

Start by turning the recirculating pump off and then installing a mesh over the drain outlet. Ensure that the mesh is small enough to contain the creatures. 

2. Drain The Pool Partially 

Let the water drain until only one foot of it is left in the pool. 

3. Fill Buckets With Pool Water 

Fill several 5-gallon buckets with water from the pool. Then, put the buckets back into the pool to maintain the same temperature as the pool. 

4. Catch The Tadpoles 

Use a pool net to catch the tadpoles and put them in the buckets. When you catch all of them, drain the pool completely.

5. Dry The Pool And Refill

Allow the pool to dry up after draining so that all the eggs waiting to hatch dry up. Moreover, any tadpole that could have escaped and hidden from the net will perish due to lack of water.

Refill the pool after a few days.

 4. Use Natural Predators

You can use tadpole predators by introducing them to the pool. It could be fish or any bird that feeds on them.

Some of them include:

5. Use A Pool Cover

We advise covering your pool with a pool cover when not using it. Besides preventing frogs from jumping in, it also keeps out leaves and debris.

For best results, cover the pool just after the onset of winter and let it remain covered throughout spring, which is when the amphibians usually mate.

You can purchase the pool cover online or from a reliable local dealer.

6. Heat The Pool Water

Amphibians are cold-blooded creatures that cannot survive heated water. This is because heated water contains less dissolved oxygen than cold water.

You can slightly elevate the water temperature using a commercial pool heater. Better off, use a solar pool cover which not only increases the water temperature by up to 15 degrees but also keeps it covered nice and tight.

7. Keep The Water Moving

Stagnant water serves as an ideal habitat for insects to lay eggs on. These insects, in turn, attract a large population of frogs and toads, which love feeding on them.

You can install a water feature such as a pool fountain or a wave generator to make the water unattractive to insects and, by extension, to frogs and toads.

8. Pull Weeds And Grass

Weeds and tall grass are perfect hiding spots for amphibians after a relaxing bath in your pool.

Why not make your property look a lot less like a frog resort? Start by pulling overgrown weeds and grass around your pool and backyard.

9. Create An Alternative Habitat

Amphibians may not be as bad for your property as you may have presumed. They feed on a large number of harmful insects and pests.

Why not create an alternative habitat for them in your backyard and enjoy the best of both worlds— a frog-free pool and an insect-free backyard?

Conclusion

If you have a pool in your backyard, it can be subject to tadpole infestation. The tadpoles may seem harmless at first— problems surface when they grow up to become frogs.

Frogs croak a lot at night and deny you the peace and serenity you want. They may also be unable to escape the pool and drown, complicating things further.

To prevent this pandemonium, use this handy guide to get rid of them.

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