Axolotl or tiger salamander larva?

[tyler]

I just got 2 "water dogs" from the local pet store. They are much bigger than a mature barred tiger salamander I have had. The brown one comes up for air alot but is it because its gills on the left side are shorter than the ones on the right? Is it going through metamorphisis? The black one I would say is about 10 or 11 inches long. As you can see both are very thick bodied. Any help would be great...

 

[sharn]

the one on the right looks an unusual colour for an axie. i have no experience on telling them apart though. to me the black one looks like a axie but the other ones colour is very wierd

 

[tyler]

Yeah, I haven't been able to find pictures of one similar to the right. Anyone else have an guesses?

 

[rheann]

Tyler, can you post some more pictures of them? Get some side views?

 

[jennifer]

This may be a strange question, but... how much did they cost? If they were axolols, I would expect them to be fairly expensive (over $25 each, I would guess). Waterdogs (larval tigers) are usually much cheaper.

I would bet my money on them being larval tigers. They can get VERY large. See:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Ambystoma/A_tigrinum.shtml

 

[tyler]

That one grey one looks exactly like the one in the link you sent! That one is HUGE! They were 5 bucks a piece... Here are more pics:

(Message edited by Testykalz on October 08, 2005)

(Message edited by jennewt on October 08, 2005)

 

[joan]

My vote is for tigers. Usually axolotls have red gill filaments while tigers have dark/black filaments (among other differences).

 

[jennifer]

Definately larval tiger sals. Read caresheet linked above.

Watch out for signs of metamorphosis, and when you see them changing, provide land and a secure lid in anticipation of climbing. If you can keep them cold, this may help delay metamorphosis.

 

[tyler]

Thanks for the help! I am headed over to the Salamander subforum now!

 

[cynthia]

Does the color in the larval form have anything to do with the color they turn out to be after they morph?

That gold one is so pretty it looks like it glows.

 

[aimee]

This might be a silly question, but do axolotls and larval tiger salamanders have different numbers of toes per foot?

 

[sharn]

doesnt look like it from those pics (im definatly no expert on them), otherwise itd be easier for people to tell them apart

 

[joan]

Nope, all ambystomatids have 4 toes on the front and 5 on the back.

 

[michael]

I could be wrong. I was once before, but that was the time I thought I was wrong. The gray one looks like an axolotl to me. I think it's possible you got one axolotl and one tiger.
Let us know if and or when they switch over.

 

[grant]

They are both larvals tiger sals for sure.

 

[nathan]

you can see the eyes on the yellow one are starting to bulge

 

[anne-marie]

Ooh, I love these questions! Its hard to tell. The gills on the black one just don't look right if it's an axy. And the head seems too pointy at the mouth. I'd put money on it being a sal.