Caudata.org: Newts and Salamanders Portal

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Good afternoon from "Winterpeg" (also "mosquito capital of the world" LOL)

fishgranny

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Winnipeg, MB, Canada
I am a Grandma, & I breed tropical fish, hence my username.
I came upon this site while looking for info on culturing daphnia & other live foods for my fish. I have not kept amphibians, mostly because I didn't have a clue as to their needs, though I have been tempted to venture out into the deep, so to speak. This looks like a good place to learn about their needs, and I would like to try it out. What are easy ones to start with that aren't too expensive (senior, on a fixed income:tongue:)? Where are such available in Winnipeg?
My favourite fish are live bearers and Kribenses (Pelvicachromis pulcher). The Kribensis is a dwarf cichlid originating in the Niger River in Africa. It is more peaceful than most other cichlids, except when courting, spawning, and rearing their fry. Even then they aren't too bad if there is enough room for the other fish to hide. Parental behaviour is fascinating to watch - great pain & stress reliever.:love::supercool:
I have from time to time kept Cherry shrimp in the same tank with Guppies & Platies, along with lots of plants for the shrimps to hide in. Probably it is time to progress on to keeping some amphibians, starting with ones suitable to beginners. Suggestions & advice are welcome. :happy:
 

Otterwoman

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I was curious to see where the mosquito capital of the world was. I have frequently heard it was Michigan. :) Welcome to the site!
 

LSuzuki

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Welcome!

Axolotls are a good beginner salamander and are easy to get via the internet (I assume you can send them through the mail in Canada like you can down here.) They are typically long-lived, which is something to consider. You can probably find some at pet stores once in a while, but frequently pet store axolotls are in poor condition because they kept them in with the tropical fish (too warm, gills nipped, gravel in tank). Everything you learned from fish-keeping applies to axolotls, since they are fully aquatic, with only a few additional caveats like "more sensitive to nitrites and chemicals in general" and "never keep on a gravel substrate".

On the down side, axolotls are often not very active, so if it is watching the activity that you like, you might be disappointed. I haven't gone beyond axolotls (yet), but there are lots of other salamanders kept in captivity, so I am sure that there are species that are good "beginner" species and are more active. If you have facebook, the "Caudata.org" group is a good one to join to ask about what other salamander species are good to start with.

And yes, Winnipeg beats Michigan as mosquito capitol of the world!
 

tcbemis

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Jun 18, 2014
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Hi Granny! We keep spotted salamanders and absolutely love them. They aren't very active, but make up for it in personality. You didn't mention wanting land vs aquatic amphibians, so I thought I'd throw them in for you ?

My husband and I have kept many fish... Kribensis has always been my favorite.
 
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