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Question: when larvae start eating?

OZIRIS

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Hello all,

I have a recent larvae from my newts. It hatched yesterday, but I haven't seen it eating anything yet, is it normal?

How long it takes before its first food? I have added some copepods to the tank but it seems not to show interest to hunt them.

I'm afraid about it...It's my first larvae too :(

3347031554_882a9be2e2.jpg



Thanks beforehand
 

slowfoot

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Hi Oziris,

In my experience, larvae won't eat for the first two or three days after hatching. They'll usually just absorb the little yolk sac they come out of the egg with.

Cute little guy! Good luck with him :happy:
 

OZIRIS

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Thanks slowfoot!

I watched my larvae all the day and it just laid on the tank floor and no copepods were eaten still.

I'll keep waiting...
 

OZIRIS

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Well, I got some live daphnia asking for a favour to a pet shop (it's very difficult to get them here) and yesterday, 4 days after hatching, it started eating :_) and it has small forelimbs too, so cute.

Regards
 

vincent

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They dont eat for a couple of days that gives you chance to breed brine shrimp the baby newts love them they are very small and need to be strained through a hankerchief then the hankerchief is placed under a SLOW running tap this gets the salt off them, then feed to the babies by dipping the wet hankie in the water the shrimp swim off. If you have a lot of eggs dont try to raise them all it is tempting but concentrate on afew and get your technique right. I breed sharp ribbed newts /slamanders there is lots of spawn but I RAISE MAYBE ONLY A FEW it is lots of work .If you cant get live daphnia which they take after a week to ten days try frozen and defrost a small amount then drop it on a gently bubbling air stone the movement gets them to feed with this method you can get them to eat ground cat fish sinker pellets if you are stuck for daphnia and bloodworm. Hope this helps! [you can buy brine shrimp eggs in suspension which hatch in 24hrs just follow the instructions]:happy:
 

vistajpdf

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Oziris,

We are in the same boat and I, too, am diligently watching "Newty" day and night! I finally found live Daphnia on-line as my local pet stores seemed to be clueless. In fact, we bought the mom and dad from them a year ago - assured they'd never reproduce in captivity (I didn't need another hobby w/ three boys, all their sports going on and working as a dentist 3 days/week.) Anyway, the pet store couldn't even keep their supply alive and stopped ordering them. Now, I'm happy that they no longer carry them after becoming more informed here and realizing they are largely wild caught.

Anyway, read the articles here on hatching eggs here as they are very informative. It also discusses the water and how you should change part of it daily. I couldn't find live Daphnia until Sat. - it should arrive Wednesday - and was feeding him a frozen similar food and also frozen baby brine. I see him eat, but see a lot of food in the bottom, too. They do not eat the first couple of days as other posters have said as they have a supply of food on hand with their yolk sacs.

Ours is over 1 1/2 weeks old now and I have about 10-12 eggs that have yet to hatch. As much as I didn't want this hobby, it is exciting - just hope "Newty" makes it.

Dana
 

OZIRIS

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They dont eat for a couple of days that gives you chance to breed brine shrimp the baby newts love them they are very small and need to be strained through a hankerchief then the hankerchief is placed under a SLOW running tap this gets the salt off them, then feed to the babies by dipping the wet hankie in the water the shrimp swim off. If you have a lot of eggs dont try to raise them all it is tempting but concentrate on afew and get your technique right. I breed sharp ribbed newts /slamanders there is lots of spawn but I RAISE MAYBE ONLY A FEW it is lots of work .If you cant get live daphnia which they take after a week to ten days try frozen and defrost a small amount then drop it on a gently bubbling air stone the movement gets them to feed with this method you can get them to eat ground cat fish sinker pellets if you are stuck for daphnia and bloodworm. Hope this helps! [you can buy brine shrimp eggs in suspension which hatch in 24hrs just follow the instructions]:happy:

Thanks vincent for advice, but I'm not going to raise brine shrimp because I only have 2 larvae, the female only laid 3 eggs and one didn't hatch. Maybe if she lays more I'll do it. Anyway,my daphnia culture is breeding and I can find very small ones, and I have copepods in another jar. I think this is enough. Larva are doing well, they are eating this microfood.
 

OZIRIS

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Oziris,

We are in the same boat and I, too, am diligently watching "Newty" day and night! I finally found live Daphnia on-line as my local pet stores seemed to be clueless. In fact, we bought the mom and dad from them a year ago - assured they'd never reproduce in captivity (I didn't need another hobby w/ three boys, all their sports going on and working as a dentist 3 days/week.) Anyway, the pet store couldn't even keep their supply alive and stopped ordering them. Now, I'm happy that they no longer carry them after becoming more informed here and realizing they are largely wild caught.

Anyway, read the articles here on hatching eggs here as they are very informative. It also discusses the water and how you should change part of it daily. I couldn't find live Daphnia until Sat. - it should arrive Wednesday - and was feeding him a frozen similar food and also frozen baby brine. I see him eat, but see a lot of food in the bottom, too. They do not eat the first couple of days as other posters have said as they have a supply of food on hand with their yolk sacs.

Ours is over 1 1/2 weeks old now and I have about 10-12 eggs that have yet to hatch. As much as I didn't want this hobby, it is exciting - just hope "Newty" makes it.

Dana


Yeah, I have read the articles here many times, but I didn't find this question answered. Now, I know they won't eat in several days.

Good luck with yours!:happy:
 

vincent

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Hi guys you seem to be having difficulty with the daphnia,if you can get it from the pet shop ALIVE in a bag , put it in youre fridge it keeps fresh for a couple of days another way is to put it in small tank in the window and breed youre own, it will feed on liquifry No3 for egg layers or infursia which can be cultivated in a glass jar the instructons can be found on the net. I've been in the same situation and most pet shop staff are next to useless. Hope this helps ;) [I have had the daphnia in bags nearly as big as the babies I'm trying to feed,thats why I start on the brine shrimp]
 
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OZIRIS

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Oh Vincent, I'm not having problems with daphnia yet. I put them in the terrace where the sun lights and I feed them with spirulina dust and yeast. Certainly, the species I have, is big but while they are growing I have different sizes and I can choose which ones I can get; and larvae are eating them well.

Even today, the oldest one ate a small frozen bloodworm I moved in front of its head. I thought it would be harder to feed them with frozen food, but it accepted fast.

Regards

3356705008_50a4d3a478.jpg
 

vistajpdf

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Vincent,

My pet store here doesn't carry the Daphnia. I went to an "exotic" aquatic store and they didn't have it either. I was confused online when I was shopping for them - wasn't sure what I wanted - a "starter pouch" or a supply. Will the general supply grow or do I need the starter pouch? I don't honestly know what I ordered but it will be here tomorrow. I have only one larvae, one egg that looks like the little newt inside is well-formed and a few other eggs.

Thanks for the tips, but until it arrives, I'm sure I'll remain somewhat confused and grateful the baby is eating the frozen things.

Dana
 
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