Laotriton laoensis breeding

[Abby]

I know there were quite a few adult Laotriton laoensis that came into the U.S. earlier this year; just curious for those keeping them if you've had any successful reproduction yet? We have 1.9 here. They are much more easy to sex then they were months ago and so far they are all doing great.
Abby

[Otterwoman]

Nothing yet. Believe me, if anything were happening, I would crow it to the world!

[FrogEyes]

Some of mine are developing breeding traits. I'll see how long I can leave them outside. Right now overnight temperatures range from -1C to 12C at the extremes, so they should be well kick-started.

[Abby]

Okay, I guess I could have said more to begin with...I am at one of the aquariums that received laoensis earlier this year. (Michael mentioned this in a different thread.) Our animals came in with some intestional parasites (nematodes), but overall looked fantastic. They were isolated in a warm room, ambient was about 70 F (20.5 C), and now they are in a cooler room. Their water temperature is about 64 F (47.5 C) and they get a large (50%) waterchange weekly with cold water 55 F (13 C). I siphon their waste and leftovers out every other day. I have them split into two groups and I've moved the male between tanks once (he can't be everywhere at once )

Anyway, ours starting laying eggs about a month ago (both tanks). They must have not liked the plants I had in there because you'll see one female actually attached the eggs to another's tail! Many of the eggs appeared to be infertile and fungused over quite quickly. However, we now have close to 100 eggs between both tanks. I am going to estimate that about a third of these eggs are fertile and doing well. Most of the infertile eggs are in the tank that did not have the male animal in it. For the first time this a.m. I saw the newts moving around in the eggs, so exciting! I've attached some pictures, but they are just from my point and click camera. I'll try to document with our nicer work camera later.

I wanted to check with my boss before posting anything about these and he gave me the okay. So, we have some good eggs and are hopeful, but very very cautious - and nervous! Fingers crossed....

[physalia]

Hi Abby
Would you mind describing your tank set up, e.g. dimensions, substrate, decor, filtration? I have quite a few pairs in breeding form but no eggs yet.
Fingers crossed
Justin

[Otterwoman]

Yes, every laotriton owner in the US is jealous.
And happy for you.

Can I ask if/how you treated the nematodes?

[Michael Shrom]

Mine are all showing breeding characteristics. I guess I have to have a talk with them and some massive water changes.
Thanks for the update.

[Abby]

They are in 20 gallon longs with no substrate. Each tank has two "snake hides" - black plastic hides weighed down with a piece of limestone. Each tank also has 4-5 plastic aquarium plants in it. I added some live plants yesterday and I'll let you know what they seem to prefer. No one has attached any eggs to the Anacharis though, plastic or live. I put a floating piece of cork in each tank, but I've never seen anyone use it. No lighting on the tanks, only the room light on a 10 - 14 hour cycle. Each tank has a sponge filter. I test the water quality twice weekly. Ammonia and nitrite usually are at zero or close to it, pH runs about 7.75 - 7.90. I feed them twice a week, sometimes three times. Nightcrawlers, red wigglers, krill, salmon pellets. They eat like rabid Bulldogs - always hungry.

Our vet treated them with Panacur (fenbendazole) orally. One treatment and then repeated in 14 days. Michael, I am fairly certain we got ours from the same place around the same time. We have some stuff from you here too - I am in Dubuque, Iowa. I'll try to post more pictures soon. Since ours just started laying I am guessing others will be close behind.

[Molch]

I wonder if your frequent water changes with cooler water was the trigger. That might simulate cool spring rains in their natural habitat...

[Michael Shrom]

I think you will find they like plants with long leaves. My guess for fake plants is they would do better with the ones with cloth like soft leaves. For live plants I'm trying Java fern.

[Chris Michaels]

This is fantastic news - thanks for posting it. With regards to plants, for Paramesotriton, I have found that the plant of choice is Valisneria and I wouldn't be surprised if it were the same for Laotriton.

C

[Abby]

I believe the plant that they are using the most is a synthetic cloth plant with leaves slightly larger than the Valisneria. I think it is Balansae Plant (Cryptocoryne crispatula). We also have eggs on a skinny species of Sword Plant. @Molch - I agree. I changed out almost 100% of their water one day when I moved a few tanks around the room. We had eggs the following day.

[eljorgo]

Originally Posted by froggy

This is fantastic news - thanks for posting it. With regards to plants, for Paramesotriton, I have found that the plant of choice is Valisneria and I wouldn't be surprised if it were the same for Laotriton.

C

I must disagree... I have in my Paramesotriton guangxiensis tank Egeria densa, Vallisneria, Bolbitis heudelotii and Microsorum pteropus. The vast majority I must said nearly 70-80% of the eggs were laid on Eregia densa, The few remaining were laid mostly on the sand and Bolbitis. And out of nearly 120eggs I harvested last year only 2 were ever found on Vallisneria.
And all plants were planted at the same time a few months before breeding time.
Cheers,
Jorge

[Chris Michaels]

That's interesting, there must be some variation between species. I've found that Valis is used by P. cf. fuzhongensis and P. hongkongensis, as well as a couple of unidentified forms. Eggs were laid in long rows between two blades of Valis. All these species also used Egeria/Elodea, too, though.

Does anyone else have experience of where Laotriton lays its eggs?

C

[eljorgo]

They do like to lay in long leaved plants such as Cryptocoryne, vallisneria and some Aponogeton. In those long rows you mentioned
Cheers,
Jorge

[Michael Shrom]

Some of mine laid eggs about a week ago. About 6 were duds and a dozen or so are developing. They laid them on long leaf silk aquarium plants. I put some yarn spawning mops, plastic bag spawning mops, and shorter leaf silk plants in my 3 Laotriton tanks to see if they will be used also. It seems like they folded up a lot of leaves as practice before they started laying.

[Heather Jewett]

I don't think I can say enough how excited I am that this species is in the US and breeding! Good luck guys - I am sure I am not the only person cheering when eggs are reported and anxiously awaiting for updates. Hurray!!
Heather

[GE]

Mine laid on both large java fern and a very long valisineria type plant that grows like a weed in my tank.There were also three eggs on java moss! I saw the female working a couple other smaller live ferns but no eggs. I'm trying to keep my expectations low but no fuzzy ones yet.

[Michael Shrom]

It seems like the female practices egg laying quite a bit. They will poke around leaves and fold leaves over without laying eggs. Mine have been laying quite a bit but all "practiced" before they laid. The eggs take a bit longer to hatch than most salamanders I have worked with. The larvae are nice sized when they hatch. They are such nice animals and the care of adults is simple. I think the juveniles won't be bad but you will need to have appropriately sized food.

[GE]

We've had a serius cold snap here in northern Ontario.The basement is very cool. I turned on the tank light today and saw a pile more eggs. She must have been going all night! The ones from a week ago seem fertile.

Fingers x'd.