Easy beginner Caudata?

felix453 · Sep 13, 2012

This year as part of a new science program at school, I wish to breed a few different kinds of fish/reptiles/ and amphibians. I'm going to purchase a few axolotl eggs soon but my main question is what are relatively easy species of newts or salamanders to breed. Just looking for something to get my feet wet, all help is appreciated. Thanks!

DeCypher · Sep 13, 2012

Re: Easy beginner Cadauta?

Axolotls, Ambystoma Tigrinum, all types of firebelly newts, Notophthalmus Viridescens, paddletails. Those are all fairly easy, in my opinion.

felix453 · Sep 13, 2012

Re: Easy beginner Cadauta?

Thanks, Any other easy species to breed

Ghost1 · Sep 13, 2012

Re: Easy beginner Cadauta?

Tigrinum and paddletails are not at all easy to breed.

felix453 · Sep 13, 2012

Re: Easy beginner Cadauta?

Yeah, sorry if in the original post it sounded as if I meant "keep". I probably made it clearer that I would like to find some easy to breed guys.

otolith · Sep 13, 2012

Re: Easy beginner Cadauta?

Pleurodeles waltl, Mesotriton alpestris apuanas, and Triturus dobrogicus are all pretty easy to breed. If keeping them cool is a problem I'd go with Pleurodeles; very temperature tolerant for a caudate and very charismatic! Probably the easiest to breed of the three and the most readily available. Notos can be tricky to get in to breeding condition and the eft stage can be difficult if you're not able to culture your own foods.

methodik · Sep 14, 2012

Re: Easy beginner Cadauta?

Most people made good experiences with Hypselotriton as well. As long as they are captive bred, get a setup full of plants and are fed well, they will spawn (sometimes twice a year). However, they are a little tricky in raising, as the morphs are tiny.

felix453 · Sep 14, 2012

Re: Easy beginner Cadauta?

Awesome, you guys are great!

Azhael · Sep 14, 2012

Re: Easy beginner Cadauta?

Easiest ones to breed: A.mexicanum, P.waltl, any Triturus, I.a.apuanus, C.pyrrhogaster, C.ensicauda and all Hypselotriton.
Easiest to raise: A.mexicanum, P.waltl and any Triturus.

ahritchie · Sep 14, 2012

Re: Easy beginner Cadauta?

Another vote for P.waltl, mine breed all year long without any cooling period or any special treatment

Also, they are not picky eaters to say the least, and gladly accept salmon pellets within a couple months of hatching which saves time and money, and results in very robust healthy newts. They are very active too, almost personable, which makes them great to display.

felix453 · Sep 14, 2012

Re: Easy beginner Cadauta?

How are the crocodile newts at breeding, asking this before I jump into the threads!

DeCypher · Sep 15, 2012

Re: Easy beginner Cadauta?

Woops, sorry, didn't know he was asking about breeding as well.

Niels D · Sep 15, 2012

Re: Easy beginner Cadauta?

P.waltl and H.orientalis breed like rabbits if you ask me. Most Triturus species aren't so difficult as well. All these species are pretty pretty pretty!

felix453 · Sep 15, 2012

Re: Easy beginner Cadauta?

So just to be sure, H.orientalis is a fire-bellied newt? Thanks for all the help guys!

evut · Sep 16, 2012

Yes, it's also called the Chinese fire-belly (formerly Cynops orientalis). You can get a better idea about the different species mentioned here.
The articles section also has a lot of information about housing and breeding.

Azhael · Sep 16, 2012

H.orientalis is a very easy species to breed, but not quite so easy to raise. Plus all available animals from pet-shops are WC.
I would recommend one of the large bodied ones whose juveniles are big, ferocious and can be raised aquatic....in short, go for P.waltl....

Jennewt · Sep 16, 2012

Re: Easy beginner Cadauta?

felix453 said:
How are the crocodile newts at breeding, asking this before I jump into the threads!

If you can get a fully-aquatic bloodline of Tylototriton verrucosus, they are easy to breed. The other Tylototriton (crocodile newts) are relatively difficult to breed.

Molch · Sep 17, 2012

Re: Easy beginner Cadauta?

I'd recommend Hypselotriton (Cynops) cyanurus or chenggongensis, the blue-tailed firebelly. Easy to keep, very pretty, cute, and tolerate higher temperatures (into the mid-70ies). I haven't yet figured out how to prevent mine from breeding, hehe.

They are often available here on the board as healthy, sturdy captive-bred offspring.

Whatever you get, DON"T get any newts from pet shops. They are all wild-caught and have been imported under horrid conditions. Most are sick or dying at the time they get sold, and few pet shop vendors have any clue how to keep them correctly. You'll find the best info on how to keep and breed newts right here on this board

Keep in mind that most newt species are happiest below 70 F . If your school building is (like most) on the warm side, I'd definitely recommend a warm-tolerant species like the blue-tailed fire bellies

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