C.pyrrhogaster, becoming aquatic at what size?

My group of C.pyrrhoghaster sasayame are doing great. They are growing at different rates though, and some of them are pussing 6,5cm. I´ve also seen that some are clearly showing changes in coloration, in fact they are becoming so so pretty....
The biggest also seems to have a somewhat wider tail. Nothing like an adult of course, but definitely wider than it used to be.
I´m starting to wonder if with that size, coloration change, and the whole widening of tails businness, it might be time to try and see if they will go aquatic.
I´m in no rush to get them to be aquatic, but let´s face it...they are cuter when they are swimming around.
So what do you think, should i give it a try and see what happens? I´ve had bad experiences with juvenile Cynops responding bad to water, and i have no intention of making the same mistakes again...believe me. I just think the bigger ones might be ready.

After 6 - 8 months I move mine from a terrestrial set-up to a semi-aquatic one and see who takes to the water. Normally after a year they start becoming more aquatic. I think it's probably dependant on growth rather than age. I would guess at 7-8 cm.

Thank you Mark. I´ll give them more time then, after all they are behaving like educated little newts, and are very easy to feed, so no rush.

Mark said:

After 6 - 8 months I move mine from a terrestrial set-up to a semi-aquatic one and see who takes to the water. Normally after a year they start becoming more aquatic. I think it's probably dependant on growth rather than age. I would guess at 7-8 cm.

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That's essentially the same answer I would give. When I see some individuals that are significantly larger than they were at morph, I go ahead and move them from their soil-based setup to a semi-aquatic setup. Some take to the water right away. Some of them I end up wishing I had waited longer.

Jennewt said:

Some take to the water right away. Some of them I end up wishing I had waited longer.

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Point taken. Would you say there is a particular characteristic that could be taken as a sign of readinness? I´m assuming not, since these things are so dependable on each individual´s uniqueness, but perhaps you have some observations.

Basically, just size. I haven't taken any measurements, so this probably isn't very helpful!

Also, given a choice, some will wait much longer that might otherwise have went to the water.

I have some C. e. popei in a 46 gallon bowfront paludarium that are going on 3 years old(almost 4 now). 3 spend almost all their time in the water(do crawl up onto the land occasionally but never long enough to dry out). The other 2 are terrestrial. The interesting thing about the whole thing is that at one point every one of them was in the water feeding...some more avidly than others. However, given the chance some of them would climb out and become as terrestrial as they could(hide under rim of sweater box lid they were being raised in).

I'm in no hurry to coax them into the water and frankly they are more visible now than the ones in the water. They eat whatever they can find on the land section(springtails) and maintain weight and grow. When I've been home for break(a few times during the year)...they'd get blackworms fed on tweezers and small crickets. In the future I think I will leave larvae to grow and morph in this tank.

Azhael - If you place them in a semi-aquatic tank you'll find they dip in and out of the water, probably more in exploration rather than a desire to become aquatic. I find that feeding them when they're in the water helps to encourage them to become more aquatic. Making the association between water and food gives them good reason to stay longer. You may even find that they willingly enter the water in anticipation of being fed.

Thanks all of you.
I´ll wait a couple months more, til they are 8cm or so and then i´ll try the standard method for making juveniles aquatic hehe. I´m loving these guys, they are beautiful, active, easy...great choice indeed.

Just wanted to say that the largest two juveniles are now aquatic. They are eating and behaving normal...i hope to see them grow fast and fat hehe.