Question about N. kaiseri

David Tobler

David Tobler

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Seems like there's a lot of experienced breeders that post here. I've recently found myself in a position where I'll be helping rear some kaiser newts. The group consists of 12 larva, that came from a zoo in Russia. These larva do seem awfully large, about 2.5 to 3 inches TL. I'm curious as to what the overall size, and/or environmental changes that triggers metamorphosis?
 
In my experience with Neurergus, it's much hard to define the time point that I would say is metamorphosis. Some of the changes are not as closely-coupled as they are in other newts. The larvae will typically get their adult (or nearly adult) color at around 4 months of age, but they will often keep their gills for months after that. Most of the other body shape changes seem to progress more slowly than in other species. I see this with both strauchii and kaiseri. I've also heard of animals that lost their gills together with the color change, and came out of the water in a more typical sequence. Do yours have (or are getting) adult-like colors yet?
 
Jennewt said:
In my experience with Neurergus, it's much hard to define the time point that I would say is metamorphosis. Some of the changes are not as closely-coupled as they are in other newts. The larvae will typically get their adult (or nearly adult) color at around 4 months of age, but they will often keep their gills for months after that. Most of the other body shape changes seem to progress more slowly than in other species. I see this with both strauchii and kaiseri. I've also heard of animals that lost their gills together with the color change, and came out of the water in a more typical sequence. Do yours have (or are getting) adult-like colors yet?
Click to expand...

The kaiseri I am speaking of already have the adult coloration.
 
Then I would say that your newts aren't larvae any more. They are juveniles that are retaining their gills.

My avatar photo is exactly such an animal. It's a juvenile N. strauchii with lingering gills.
 
Jennewt said:
Then I would say that your newts aren't larvae any more. They are juveniles that are retaining their gills.

My avatar photo is exactly such an animal. It's a juvenile N. strauchii with lingering gills.
Click to expand...


I checked on them today... Some of the gills are starting to shrink on a few of the kaiseri.

What do you do for yours during metamorphosis? We were just going to have something floating and sturdy enough for them to climb out, if they wanted to.
 
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