Breeding Paedomorphic Tigers

Jake

Jake

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
1,635
Reaction score
87
Points
48
Location
Illinois, US
Country
United States
Display Name
Jacob Bidinger
Well, I'm not quite sure if I had luck with the time of year or if they are in fact as easy to breed as Ambystoma mexicanum (either way I'm too happy about it!), but my neotenous tiger salamanders (Ambystoma c.f. mavortium) have begun to mate over the past few days. I only got them here recently (I know a few other members had to have seen the ads on the site I found them on).

Well, Thrusday/Friday, April 3-4th I found the first spermatophores. Then Saturday I found a couple more. Saturday night I got home from work and to my surprise, one of the females had begun to lay eggs. The first pic is of a female with a spermatophore stuck to a rock just to the right of her gill, the second is of the proven pair (male closest to camera) the third is the end result. The eggs are laid all over the rocks in the bottom of the tank, but very few were laid on the plants, unlike my axolotls who mainly lay them on plant leaves. Enjoy the pictures.

Also, please DO NOT contact me asking to buy offspring, these are worth a lot more to me than anyone's money. There are a select few people that know who they are that I would consider giving offspring. Hope you enjoy the pics, and I plan to keep everyone updated as the other females are even more plump than the one that is laying.
 

Attachments

  • my babies2.jpg
    my babies2.jpg
    59.6 KB · Views: 1,008
  • my babies3.jpg
    my babies3.jpg
    55.5 KB · Views: 1,103
  • my babies!.jpg
    my babies!.jpg
    52.8 KB · Views: 764
Last edited:
Congrats, Jake, that's neat!
 
Congrats! and please keep us posted as to the outcome of the offspring.
 
Thanks Jen and Jan!

I looked closely at some of the first eggs laid last night and most are definitely developing. The percentage of fertile eggs seems about the same as your average axolotl.
 
Jacob, they are amazing. What temps are you keeping them at? What type of filtration are you using?
Good job and good luck. I am happy to see they are in your hands.
 
The tank temp is about 55 degrees F. The filter is an undergravel with an external (penguin of some kind?) connected to the uptake tube of the undergravel filter. Substrate is sand with a extra large gravel on top, most eggs were laid on the rocks.
 
Is your newt room naturally that temp or do you cool it down. This is off the topic but how do you keep species with different temp requirements in the same room?
 
My newt room is in the basement where the temps never really get over 73 degrees F even in the heat of summer. This time of year I keep the window cracked a couple inches so it gets even cooler, I also leave it partially opened throughout the winter so it gets even cooler. I believe the air temp in the room is at about 58 degrees F. right now. The caudates that I want to cool down the most are placed in tanks on the floor or on shelves nearest the window (some tubs froze over several times during the winter), and the ones that I don't keep as cool are kept on higher shelves on the opposite side of the room. I also have another room that I keep a few species in, but that room is always in the upper 60's-lower 70's.
 
Nice pics jake. Thats proof that they really are neo tigers. Hopefully mine will lay eggs as well.
 
Well, the eggs are developing nicely. I have a deli cup on a shelf away from the window where the temperature is a bit higher than the rest, it has 5 eggs in it. Here are a couple shots of the more developed ones.
file_1301.jpg

The one on the far left isn't developing as far as I can tell.
file_1300.jpg
 
First, I would love to congratulate you. This is truly amazing. Beautiful little monsters.
Second, I would like to state this is a very strange coincidence because I have been talking about a salamander project at the place i volunteer at about neoteny which includes Tiger Salamanders. Again, I thank you for sharing your experiences, and I wish you continued luck. I cannot wait to hear about the offspring.
 
Thanks AnnMarie!

I have been taking several pics almost every day so I can post the entire development series when they hatch. I can only hope they're as easy to raise as axolotls!
 
Here is a series of development photos, I have several groups still in the early stages of development so I'll fill in the gaps later on.
file_1323.jpg

file_1321.jpg

file_1322.jpg

file_1326.jpg

file_1327.jpg

file_1318.jpg

file_1320.jpg
 
well done! It'll be interesting to see what happens when they mature, whether they will become peadomorphic or not.
 
crestednewts99 said:
Your the luckiest man on earth Jake!
Click to expand...
Whoa, whoa now! I'm really far from being the luckiest man on earth, but I am lucky to have these eggs ;)
will_j said:
well done! It'll be interesting to see what happens when they mature, whether they will become peadomorphic or not.
Click to expand...

I would imagine at least some of the offspring will remain paedomorphic if kept in the right conditions, but we'll have to wait and see.
 
Keep us all posted Jake. Its all eyes on you now, I wonder what the future holds. I still wonder which species are those neo tigers? Maybe if there offspring grow up and morph we'll know for sure.
 
Well, the group from the photos above have all hatched (except one). They were kept on a high shelf closer to the plant light so the temperature was a bit higher, the rest look like they have 2-3 days left. Here are some quick shots of the more developed eggs and hatchlings...
file_1416.jpg

file_1417.jpg

file_1418.jpg

file_1419.jpg
 
5 Days old.


file_1447.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
  • Shane douglas:
    with axolotls would I basically have to keep buying and buying new axolotls to prevent inbred breeding which costs a lot of money??
     +1
    Unlike
  • Thorninmyside:
    Not necessarily but if you’re wanting to continue to grow your breeding capacity then yes. Breeding axolotls isn’t a cheap hobby nor is it a get rich quick scheme. It costs a lot of money and time and deditcation
     +1
    Unlike
  • stanleyc:
    @Thorninmyside, I Lauren chen
     +1
    Unlike
  • Clareclare:
    Would Chinese fire belly newts be more or less inclined towards an aquatic eft set up versus Japanese . I'm raising them and have abandoned the terrarium at about 5 months old and switched to the aquatic setups you describe. I'm wondering if I could do this as soon as they morph?
     +1
    Unlike
    Clareclare: Would Chinese fire belly newts be more or less inclined towards an aquatic eft set up versus... +1
    Back
    Top