Breeding/sexing cynops

[waldo]

<font color="0000ff">I have 4 C.firebellies and was wondering how to tell the sexes apart?Are they hard to breed?they are in a 15 gal all water tank with lots of plants and cover,do I need to do anything special for them to breed or will nature take its course also what do I look for, ei:eggs.Thanks for any advice.</font>

 

[kai]

Hi Waldo,

Sexually active males are easily recognised by their greatly swollen cloacal region. Once you see females responding with interest to courting males you can start to look out for eggs.

A colder period in winter certainly helps to get things going. You're in NZ, right? It may take a while for WC newts to get used to the southern latitudes...

Best wishes,
kai

 

[waldo]

thanks and no I'm in the US.

 

[richardh]

When the male orientalis is about to breed it has a slight filament at the end of the tale and is very slightly a more bluish sheen altough neither of these attributes is as differentiated I believe as in Cynops.p which I have observed in breeding condition in other collections(Auckland Zoo)