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Ambystoma dumerilii

Bellabelloo

Julia
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Well, what can I say, I had an empty tank. Chris messaged me and after moments of indecision, questions and so on, I agreed to take on these beautiful animals. I had seen them before and it was love at first sight, I'd bravely offered to take on any eggs, but missed that opportunity as I was recuperating from surgery. I never in a million years expected to home these guys.
I am so far finding little information, but I'm quietly working my way through the internet, learning as much as I can.
They are a group of two males, three females and a juvenile from the breeding in October. I will be keeping a pair, the others will be going to someone who already has some.
From what I understand these originate from a group of five animals that may have accidentally been imported into Europe with A. mexicanum. These where split into two groups, Group A was a pair and Group B was a trio, one of these groups went to a European zoo. The split led to the animals looking a little different from one another, one being smaller and the other far bigger. I believe these are from the B group.
Size wise they are huge, the biggest I have measured is 28cm from nose to tail tip. This was a female. They are solid with curious little stumpy feet. The caudal fin seems 'stronger' than that of Axolotl and A. tigrinum. The males have dark black speckling on their feet and along their spine/ caudal fin. The skin on their faces is somewhat pitted in appearance and olive coloured. I've noticed that they do something really odd with their back legs, not sure of its a trait from being male/ female, but they lift their rear legs up vertically. I'll be watching to see if I can work out why.
They are currently eating raw tiger prawn and they'll be getting lob worm/ night crawlers ( with saddle removed) once the grounds defrosted.
 

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Bellabelloo

Julia
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This afternoon I got out my camera and sent a while stalking them :D
 

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Slongo

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Wow stunning animals! You are very lucky, I have been trying to find some other neotenic ambystoma for several years now. Enjoy them!
 

Bellabelloo

Julia
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I put an air stone in a few days ago and they seem to enjoy it.
I am not sure if it is the bubbles on their bodies that they like, or maybe its slightly cooler in the bubble stream. They spend quite long periods of time there, if one floats a little too far out, the other will position some body part over it.

https://youtu.be/GOz2AXSHhmM
 

supergrappler

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GORGEOUS animals! Thank you for sharing your photos. I haven't seen too many examples of this species.
 

Bellabelloo

Julia
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I ended up keeping a pair of these and the juvenile, the rest went to a friend who I trust to be able to care for these. I lost the female a short while after. She began to stop eating and began to lurk on the surface. Her eyes became a little cloudy and a after a few weeks she died.
The male remains fit and healthy and merrily eats worms and waxworms, with occasional prawn and fresh water fish. The juvenile spent the summer outside as it was cooler. He is quiet a character and lets me know when he is hungry. he also responds to us if we hold our hands by our heads like gills...if we flick our fingers, he flicks his gills.:bowl:
A while ago the male joined the others and I kept the juvenile.
As the big tank was empty, the juvenile was brought indoors when the temperatures began to drop. It is proving to be as entertaining, though it doesn't yet respond to our pitiful attempts to gill flickering.
 

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Bellabelloo

Julia
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Sadly, a few weeks ago the group was stolen from Mark. They also took a number of other animals from him too. I still have the juvenile, who is slowly getting bigger. Hopefully in time we'll be able to find him a partner.
 

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