Molch
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Hi all,
update on my strauchii larvae: they are doing well, mostly. An interesting phenomenon has emerged, however:
I have 2 batches of larvae, about 2 -3 weeks apart, presumably from 2 different layings by 2 females. I have 2 males so the fathers may be different too.
In the second (younger) batch all grow at approximately the same rate, give or take a small percentage.
In the first(older) batch however, half of the larvae stopped growing a while ago while the other half soldiered on merrily and are now 3-4 times bigger than the stragglers.
how come?
the natural assumption would be that the stragglers aren't eating, but that's not the case. When I add food (chopped blackworms, bloodworms and earthworms) I can clearly see them eat and fill their bellies - they just won't grow anymore.
So, the predictable thing has started to happen: some of the stragglers have been eaten by their bigger siblings. Oh well, I figure that's Mama Nature's way, and fine with me since these stragglers clearly have something wrong with them and I assume they might not make it to metamorphosis anyways.
I wonder if the stragglers could have inherited a bum gene that hampers their growth. I'm wondering if anyone else raising strauchii has seen a similar phenomenon?
I have attached pics of both batches, taken a couple weeks ago - the size differences in the unequal batch have only increased since then.
update on my strauchii larvae: they are doing well, mostly. An interesting phenomenon has emerged, however:
I have 2 batches of larvae, about 2 -3 weeks apart, presumably from 2 different layings by 2 females. I have 2 males so the fathers may be different too.
In the second (younger) batch all grow at approximately the same rate, give or take a small percentage.
In the first(older) batch however, half of the larvae stopped growing a while ago while the other half soldiered on merrily and are now 3-4 times bigger than the stragglers.
how come?
the natural assumption would be that the stragglers aren't eating, but that's not the case. When I add food (chopped blackworms, bloodworms and earthworms) I can clearly see them eat and fill their bellies - they just won't grow anymore.
So, the predictable thing has started to happen: some of the stragglers have been eaten by their bigger siblings. Oh well, I figure that's Mama Nature's way, and fine with me since these stragglers clearly have something wrong with them and I assume they might not make it to metamorphosis anyways.
I wonder if the stragglers could have inherited a bum gene that hampers their growth. I'm wondering if anyone else raising strauchii has seen a similar phenomenon?
I have attached pics of both batches, taken a couple weeks ago - the size differences in the unequal batch have only increased since then.