 Re: Laotriton question
Hello Brian,
Based, not on wild guesses or on what others said or wrote, but on the carefull evaluation of detailed notes I made during 5 breeding seasons of the two adult pairs of Laotriton laoensis that I keep, I come to the conclusion that these newts start breeding when, in the late fall or early winter, the water temperature reaches between 19°C and 20°C after a slow and steady decline from 24°C in summer.
All you have to do is keeping the water temperature constantly between 19°C and 20°C for the duration of the breeding season. Slight rises ( to 21°C) or slight drops ( to 17-18°C) of the water temperature often results in the females stopping oviposition after a few days, but they restart when the 19°C temperature is restored.
A partial water-change enhances the stimulation to spawn, but make sure you use water with exact the same temperature as the tankwater and avoid disturbing the animals.
Any major distubance like cleaning the tank, changing the set up of the tank or sudden changes in water temperature at the start of, or during the breeding season may result in the breaking off, or not even starting the breeding for that season.
The temperatures you have right now are near perfect. Don't lett yourself talk into drastic drops of water temperature. This is common practice in Europ and I am convinced that this contributes to a large degree to the poor breeding results with this specie so far.
Michael has got it right. Keeping Laotriton,who are very sensitive to even the slightest change in water-temperature at freezing temperatures, like Frogeyes does, does not only not correspond with their natural needs but is, in my book, nothing short of crualty.
Henry
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