A. tigrinum mavortium breeding

I find barred tigers to be simply beautiful. Please thank Mr. Masai for letting us see his tiger world ;).

Having that many larvae around must be a lot of fun...and a lot of work!

[Tim Johnson]

Alright folks, here's the story:

I've since been told my Mr. Masai that the adults pictured above are all 8-year-old F1. The larvae pictured above are F2. WC adults were acquired 9 years ago, and successful breedings of them took place 8 years ago and 2 years ago. Another attempt 3 years ago was unsuccessful. Two years ago, he suffered a catastrophic loss of the WC adults (suspected culprit: air conditioner). Last year, the first successful breeding of the FI tigers was achieved.

Hope that clears things up

I hope he does write an article. My personal love of tigers aside, it would be a coup indeed to have the first detailed captive breeding info on tigers ;).

[Andrew Tillson-Willis]

I seam to remember an article by Zimmermann detailing their achievements with breeding A.tigrinum, anybody else seen it? I have searched the internet but can't find it, might just be my imagination.

I learned from my Herp professor that A. tigrinum and other Ambystomatids use "celestial cues" (like star position) to find water for reproduction - he sighted a study done in Arizona, but gave no reference. I wondered if being kept inside and away from night skies could have anything to do with captive breeding difficulties in ambystomatids? Any one else heard of this study my instructor mentioned?

I believe the main problem is actually getting the salamanders into "breeding mode" - i.e. getting them to be willing to breed. There is evidence that salamanders know the "smell" of their pond of origin and seek it out (or a similar one) to breed each year. Actually travelling there is only a small part of the whole thing and probably not the most important issue.

It amazes me that axolotls breed so easily, yet the closely related tiger salamanders won't.

Won't neotenic tigers breed almost as easily?

Shaun brings up a good point, I know in many respects that they are quite different but has anyone bred neotonic tigers? Forgive me but I would think it could be quite similar to Axolotls? Maybe not, just a thought. I would think that a large space and a significant cold period would be essential though.

Neotenic tigers have been bred. I suspect hormones were involved in the case I'm aware of. Anyone else know?

There may be information in the following reference
Humphrey, R.R., 1967, Albino axolotls from an albino tiger salamander through hybridization. J. Herede 58: 251-256 (I haven't read the paper but it seems a likely source).

Ed

That's the instance I'm thinking of. They crossed a neotenic tiger with an axolotl, but I have a feeling they used hormones on the tiger...

Well I guess I'm exited to see this possible future article because I think hormones are kind of cheating!

Wow, the japanese beat the americans again with probably simple techniques!!!
I really hope he will share the ways of keeping with us, as it deserves a salamander Nobel prize for it. I mean it is the salamander that has been kept for ages in captivity and no-one seems to be able to breed it properly...!
However...in Europe Ambystoma opacum and Ambystoma macultatum were bred in captivity the last years.
So let's hope this 'virus' spreads and wait for people to breed rare species as gracile or annulatum (some americans among you can try to get even with the europeans and the japanese .

Its been 2 years...any news?

Hmm. I didn't realize salamanders were so hard to bred. The tiger I got came from a petstore supplied by a local turtle breeder here in Tallahassee who breeds tiger salamanders occasionally, or so I was told. The petstore got in maybe half a dozen of them before they morphed, and they had them there for 2 months or so before I bought mine. I was told mine was captive bred by this man who has been breeding turtles for a loooong time. I think maybe I should get his name and see if this story is true. I'm curious now. I kinda believe it because my sally was hand raised from a larvae, and it's so spoiled it only eats when I hand-feed it its food, hehe. But I enjoy it, lets me interact better.

Annnyway, I'll have to find out about this. But WONDERFUL pictures you posted! Very interesting to see!

Sarah: Chances are they were "captive bred" in an outdoor pond which happened to support a breeding population of tiger salamanders. To breed them in true captivity is quite an achievement though.

this is amazing! Ive got four tigers myself, and am hoping to have a good bash at breeding them... i have a cunning plan, but i am sure it will be thwarted soon enough. Has this article been published yet?

[Fer]

congratulations they are tooo beauty, I have some axolots ad i think thats it's more or less the same kind of care [i refer in the larvae status] but i really want a mavortium! where are you from?

[Kaysie]

Fer, this thread is over 2 years old.