Picky picky

[erik3333]

I have 4 Neurergus crocatus at the end of their larval stage and what strikes me is how little they eat and how picky they are about their food. It might have something with the high temperatures, but food they went crazy over yesterday is being snubbed today.

Earthworms were frantically chased one day and are now being neglected. And the newts don't look fat at all. Any hints?

[Johnny O. Farnen]

Simply lower ;the temps. You answered your own question!

[erik3333]

Okay, i've lowered the temperature and although artemia shrimp were eagerly eaten, they are still neglecting worms (dendrobeana veneta). They'll 'sniff' the worm and then turn away. Again and again.

What could be causing this behaviour? It apparantly is no longer temperature-related.

At first I thought it was the smell the cut up worms were emitting, so I fed whole worms. It makes no difference.

They have not touched worms for 2 weeks now, so I doubt they are fed up with them or are they? I really hope I can get them used to eating worms regularly, because I recently ordered a whole batch of worms...

Any hints, ideas are more than welcome.

[Johnny O. Farnen]

None of mine will eat worms of any type. I have tried, but never had much luck. Larvae and aquatic juveniles would occasionally take blackworms for me, but I quit using them due to quality control issues from the supplier.

Mine do just fine on a diet of arthropods, crustaceans and the like.

I suggest using frozen artemia, mysis, bloodworms (actually an insect larvae), and aquatyic and terrestrial isopods as staples.

For adults, my primary staple is a homemade mix of crickets and brine shrimp supplemented with the frozen and live foods listed above.

[erik3333]

Thanks so much for your answer. Does this only concern kaiseri or do you have the same experience with crocatus?

Mine only seem to react to live prey, did you do anything special to get them used to frozen food?