A BIT OF A BAD DAY

I've had good luck with most aquatic phase newts taking this sort of meat-based gelatin diet. This includes various Triturus and Cynops orientalis. After all, frozen bloodworms don't move, and they take them. Proves that smell is possibly the most important hunting sense for aquatic newts. Same is not true for terrestrial animals of the same species - there, motion appears to be essential. They will (usually) take the same gelatin-based mix if fed with forceps.
 
Interesting choice for dummies Mike. I know people in the US would be willing to pay pretty high prices for those(I've seen them at the LFS several times at very steep prices).

If the concern is that fish might not be as sensitive...perhaps laying aside a few P. waltl or perhaps ADF's might work.A few killikeepers have mentioned having blackworms poisoning all the fish . Perfectly healthy, they thought it might have to do with some kind of seasonal pathogen.
 
Mike I'm so sorry to read about your loss.
What a terribly stupid way to loose so many newts.
This must feel so meaningless to you.

I don't wish this to happen to anybody and certainly not to someone experienced like you with a large number of newts!

Joeri
 
I bought the Botia because they were "as cheap as chips" at my local shop Joseph.
I shall replace the tank of ADFs, as my Hymenochirus succumbed to the duff bloodworm overnight, as well.

Thanks Joeri, I've received so many e-mails from well wishers, and seven offers of replacement animals, (free of charge). The most generous, being from a German, whom I had little contact with before the event.

It certainly makes me feel a part of this community, and is very humbling.
 
I just popped in here to get some info on live bloodworm and what do I find?

Mike! Oh man, my heart goes out to you! That's really almost too much for a newtkeeper to have to bear. Now that a few months have passed, I hope you've recovered somewhat.

Were there any survivors among the newts that ate the contaminated bloodworm? Have you stopped feeding live bloodworm? What did your supplier have to say by way of explanation/speculation?

I have a particularly special group of newts that only go for live food, and am feeding them now with mainly live bloodworm. But your story has me positively spooked.

Do you have any recommendations, based on your experience, as to how to best handle these worms? For example, the rinsing aspect. I wonder if there any solution that the worms could be rinsed in that would kill off dangerous bacteria without killing the worms or leaving them unfit for consumption...
 
Hi Tim, I had almost forgotten until you brought back all those bad memories.
wink.gif
You will be pleased to know that I am no longer a regular attendee at suicide anonymous.

I had a total wipe-out, every animal that was fed the bloodworm died overnight.

The contaminated bloodworm was bought from a fishing tackle shop, sold as bait, the owner was very apologetic, but pointed out that the worms were not sold as food for captive animals.

I do still use live bloodworm, bought from my normal herp outlet. They are placed in a fine wire mesh sieve, and into a bowl where running water is passed over them for half an hour. The bloodworm is then wrapped in damp kitchen towel, and returned to the fridge. A sample is then fed to some tropical fish and ADFs (Hymenochirus).
If all is well next day I then feed my newts. I haven't had any problems so far!
 
Well, I'm glad you're still with us
biggrin.gif


The closest I've come to anything that calamitous was the escape and mummification of a very precious color-variation C. pyrrhogaster, which almost drove me to quit the hobby altogether!

Thanks for those tips. I will be on the lookout for something I can use as a sieve.

So have you found through experience that damp kitchen towel is better than damp newspaper?

Also, how long do the worms survive for you in aerated water? The uneaten ones in the newt tank seem to die fairly rapidly...
 
Thank you for those few kind words Tim.
cry.gif


I use a "flour sieve", I think they also come with a plastic mesh.

Kitchen towel - purely because the newsprint inks could possibly contaminate the worms?!

The bloodworms don't survive too long if put into warmer water, I think they succumb to temperature shock.
 
Hello Mike
I am truly sorry about your lost! I had a similiar experience about eleven years a go with blood worms that I bought at a pet store.
Best wishes to you!
Alberto
 
Thanks for your good wishes Alberto.
It's been 20 months now since this incident, and it certainly has not put me off keeping Caudata, and obviously it's the same with you.
 
Sorry to hear this Mike!
I no it was a while ago but damm that really sucks!
Ciz
 
I have to bring up this older thread since some friends of mine also suffered losses (metamorphed c. orientalis and larval A. mexicanum) because of contaminated bloodworms (frozen and live, sold as fish and amphibia food).

A veterinarian told us that they would have been contaminated with cadmium, resulting in liver failure. The animals died within 12 hours after feeding.
 
Isn't that found in batteries? Would be highly highly toxic.
 
Daniel - what is the logic behind suspecting cadmium?
 
Jen - I have to admit that I do not know how to understand your detailed question ;)

The veterinarian suspects that the bloodworms contained a high level of cadmium that is toxic (not only to amphibians). And a special amount of cadmium damages some inner organs, nervous system etc. (I am not a vet myself nor biologist; maybe someone else can help us here).

I suspect the following: Cadmium is found in some fertilizers that are extensively used in some areas for agriculture. Parts of these fertilizers (including cadmium and other toxins) may be washed into streams, ponds, lakes and so on. When bloodworms live in that water they may get enriched with these toxins and by feeding them to fishes and amphibia they will become intoxicated.

Is that what you meant?

There is another problem we encountered now and then, concerning frozen bloodworms. When you have a break in the freezing chain (fresh bloodworms are frozen, start to thaw at some point - for instance at transportation, are frozen again) they maybe deadly, too. I do not know the reason for that but would suspect bacterial growth or starting decay.
 
Cadmium may or may not act that quickly, but even so, I'm having a very hard time imagining how it got into the bloodworms in the first place.
 
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