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N.strauchi juvies

TJ

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Haven't been able to post any pics for a while due to computer probs. If this works, more to follow:
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(title should have read strauchii, not strauchi)

(Message edited by TJ on August 31, 2003)
 

TJ

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Hiya Henk, dunno why that link didn't work for me but I managed to access the pic in question through the AmphiaWeb link:

http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/aw/search/index.html

Wow, it looks almost like a marbled newt! Too bad it's not around anymore.
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I almost lost one of the most colorful of my C.e. popei recently due to a leg infection, but happy to report it's been saved and rehabilitated!
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Sorry but I don't know who imported the Neurergus from Europe. All are CB juveniles. Those at one shop are being sold as barani and those at 2 others as strauchii strauchii. Which makes me wonder if the ones I got as N.s.s really are N.s.s and not N.s.b. Barani have fewer spots, right? Would you guess from looking at those pics that I have s.s.?

They do seem to prefer to dryness over moistness as mentioned by John C. and others in posts on this site. They now have a choice of 6 places to hang out (moss, plant, soil, wet paper towel, dry paper towel, ceramic object). They tend to stay in the completely dry inner part of the ceramic object, though they also like the plant.

They were eating pinheads in the shop and I'm keeping them on that for now, but will soon try handfeeding bloodworm. Have you found this to be relatively easy?

(Message edited by Tj on September 02, 2003)
 
S

sergé

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Strauchii strauchii or strauchii barani is not possible to tell in juveniles. Strauchii strauchii gets more spots when they grow. Strauchii barani more or less keeps their juvenile pattern.
 
K

kai

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Hi Tim,

gutloaded pinheads are probably the best Neurergus staple from what I can tell. However, also try Drosophila maggots (hydei imagos as well, but only as an addition to the diet). Try adding earthworms and slugs as soon as possible. For handfeeding Gammarus is good too - results in quite orange spots.

Dry, really dry areas (e.g. foam pieces) seem to be important from what I can tell. But they also visit the water regularly.

BTW, those CB imports are likely to be barani - there seem to be way more breeding colonies of this subspecies than of the nominal one.
 
R

ralf

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Hi Kai,
quite interesting info. Could you provide us with a picture or a sketch of one of your Neurergus juvenile setups? I think "dry spots" or the option to choose areas of different humidity individually might be crucial for the raising of other genera as well.
I also always wondered why there is no registry for N. strauchii within the AG Urodela (e.g. to keep track of the breeding of the two subspecies), whereas the other three species are being documented.

Ralf
 
K

kai

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Hi Ralf,

yes, I'm pretty sure that not having some dry (I once described this as "lizard-dry" in one of the archived threads) places has resulted in unexpected/surprising fatalities with quite a few people.

I'm still without a digital camera and too busy to work around it soon. But a possible and most basic setup for metamorphs would consist of a tank with a few cm of water (about an inch for those scratching their heads ;o) and a plain sheet of filtering foam (polyurethane; medium or small pore size; 3 or 5 cm thick) placed into the water resulting in a large island. Cut remaining foam into small pieces (e.g. 40x10x5 mm - no need to be fussy about exact dimensions and subject to change according to offspring size/needs and availability) and pile them onto the island. Done! Of course, you can add more "thrills" or make the tank's look more appealing to your tastes but this basic version works very well already. Adding an air-driven filtration is easy and certainly advisable with caudates inhabiting running waters.

The captive populations of the other Neurergus species have always been under immediate risk, so studbooks are really essential for monitoring them. Of course, I'd greatly endorse having separate studbooks for both strauchii subspecies as well!
 
R

ralf

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Hi Kai,
thank you very much for the input. It is always very useful to get comprehensible info on different setup solutions.

Ralf
 
C

cataldo

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I kept Spotted Newts when I moved from Italy. I kept them in a 20GL tank with 3 variations of moss, soiled bottom, "DRY" hiding places, "semi-wet" spots, and a water dish just in case someone feels too dry. The dish was my choice and I clean it daily to make sure nothing gets nast. They seemed to stay to the DRY areas of shade under the rocks more then any other place in the tank. This was my third variation on the tank too. In all 3, they were offered DRY rocks, AND everytime, THAT's WHERE they liked the most. They ate mostly pinhead crickets, and waxworms sometimes.

Feedback or questions, welcomed!

Here's those pics-

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TJ

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Great info Serg&Kai&Ralf&Cataldo!
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But I'm still not clear on what exactly "filtering foam" or "polyurethane" is. Is it the white stuff that say, a newly bought TV would be packed in to absorb shock? Like styrofoam? Wouldn't want to get the wrong stuff and find that it poisoned my newts.

Also, about adding an inch of water, couldn't they drown? Do morphs spend much time in the water?

They're still on pinheads. I've tried feeding them bloodworm by hand but no response. Same with tubifex. Will try flightless fruit flies in a few days. I added some rolly-polly-like bugs in there a couple of weeks ago, but dunno if they ate any of them or not.

Maybe we should all chip in or hold an sal auction to buy Kai a digital camera for Christmas so we can benefit from pics of his collection and setups. In other words: Kai, be a pal, go out and get yourself a camera already!
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M

mark

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WOW, there great but i have a question Tim, how big are they?
Good luck with raising them!

Mark

(Message edited by Mark_uk on September 18, 2003)
 

TJ

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Mark, they're 6.5cm long now. Very pretty to look at but not the most entertaining of newts, at this stage at least.
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They're very secretive, spending most of the time in hiding. I've just offered them flightless fruit flies. Hope that'll turn their switches on!
 
M

mark

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Hi Tim,
1)What plant is that in your setup?
2)How many of these do you have?
3)Are you going to try and breed them when there older?
Sorry for so many questions, there all mainly because ive became a really big fan of the genus Neurergus

Thanks, Mark
 

TJ

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Heya Mark. Well, they're certainly very pretty but not very lively. They spend most of the time hiding under the moss or in the ceramic cave so there's not much to observe. I have a pair and sure, I'd like to breed them if I'm able and they're willing. The setup is one-third covered with soil. The rest is moss -- whatever kind I can get my hands on. Both are a bit on the skinny side, one in particular, though they do eat pinhead crickets. Just now added a fresh batch, so they should fill out a bit over the next couple of days.

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