Death in amplexus

morg · Dec 30, 2003

Have any other forum users had female Notopthalmus die while in amplexis?
I have lost two females in this way recently.
Although there could have been other causes, both looked as if they had either been choked to death or drowned.

john · Dec 30, 2003

Sorry to hear that Morg. It's news to me. I didn't know that ever happened. I would bet on drowning though, not choking. I hope that doesn't happen again to you. On perhaps a happier note, your little verrucosus that you sent me is a male and he's now living with his grandmother and auntie. He's about 13 cm and still growing well. My own three large juveniles are a little behind him but they're a lot more colourful (they have a different, more impressive father to the grandfather of your guys - I didn't have this male when I bred your adults). Thanks again!

Happy New Year.

(Message edited by john on December 31, 2003)

jennifer · Dec 31, 2003

Morg - I witnessed two things last spring that forced me to separate my male and female Notophthalmus (3:3). In one case, I saw a female being clasped and part of her mouth had a "prolapse" (the mouth was partially turned inside out and protruding). I separated them and removed her from the tank. She didn't eat for while, but did recover. Another female developed a small white sore on the back of her neck from being clasped so often. There was one male that seemed to be particularly aggressive, clasping everything in sight nearly all the time.

I am also very interested to hear if anyone else has experienced fatalities (or mysterious deaths of females) during breeding season in Notos.

matthew · Jan 7, 2004

Belated condolences, Morg. Whatever the explanation, sometimes Nature seems very wasteful.

aimee · Jan 26, 2004

HI Morg

After recently aquiring my group of adult breeding N.v.v I have also just lost one female due to suffocation/drowning. I think it was due to the male grasping her throat rather than behind the front legs where he is supposed to. Not a nice way to go but I would guess it also happens in the wild with big males losing their accuracy on which 'bits' to grab onto.

Advice to new keepers of N.v. ssp, Shallow water 3/4" with lots of plants if you plan to breed them, it gives the females a chance.

morg · Jan 26, 2004

Aimee
Sorry to hear youve had the same experiences Ive had.
After acquiring another female and keeping in a tank separate to the males, I introduced the smallest of my males and lowered the water, added lots of plants etc as you advise.
On watching this pair in amplexis I am now sure that the other females were in fact choked to death, as the big male had hold of them all around the throat, rather than the shoulder region, as with this pair.
Just to be careful though I have now removed the male, leaving the female in the tank on her own.

aimee · Jan 26, 2004

Morg,
Good idea. I shall keep that method in mind when I plan to breed them. I don't really have the space to keep the males seperate so they will be sold =( My least aggressive and smallest one shall be kept and will get pick of all the females, lucky thing!
As you have stated he too is not agressive at least to the extent of not choking the females when trying to mate.
Keep us posted as to whether you get any eggs!

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