Notophthalmus Eft set-up and diet

[caudatadude28]

I have some N.v.l. eggs that just hatched, I am not sure if they will morph into an eft or a terrestrial adult. I am thinking they will morph into an eft. I have been looking into different set-ups for terrestrial efts. If you have a set-up for noto efts, please post a pic of it. I plan on making a simple set-up in a 10 gallon. Can a 10 gallon hold around 15 recently morphed efts? I could use two ten gallons, I guess. I have about 18 eggs, about 10 have hatched already. I plan on feeding the efts tiny pheonix worms(1/8 inch long), whiteworms, and if they will take it earthworm bits/ frozen blood worms on the end of a cabab stick. Can efts eat wood lice and how would I culture them?

 

[Greatwtehunter]

A ten gallon should work to start off with. But be forewarned these things will morph out SMALL. Your best bet is to start them out on springtails and possibly D. melanogaster fruit flies.

 

[Kaysie]

Centrals often skip the eft stage. That's one of the defining characteristics of the subspecies.

 

[caudatadude28]

How would I get a good colony of springtails going? I have some in my whiteworm cultures.

 

[Azhael]

Search the Food section, there are plenty of methods.

 

[Otterwoman]

Take out some springtails, and put them in a separate culture box (plastic with air holes with sponge stuffed in is what I do, same as my whiteworms). Then mix the soil you're going to use with baby oatmeal. I feed mine on oatmeal. I add the baby oatmeal every week or so. I also put a piece of moist newspaper or cardboard on the top of the culture. They like that too, and will often collect on the paper. Also/or, when I have small terrestrial animals, I have grown/raised the culture right in the tank where the animals live.

 

[Greatwtehunter]

There is no need in setting up a culture, just use the ones in your white worms. If you have 15 larvae make it to metamorphosis only 1 or 2 will be actual efts. To harvest the springtails put a cut piece of mushroom on top of the dirt in the white worm culture. After about fifteen minutes you can remove the mushroom and shake off the springtails that are feeding on it.

Edit: Or you can do what Dawn mentioned

 

[Otterwoman]

So Justin, the springtails will flock to the mushroom? What kind of mushroom? I want to try that.

 

[Greatwtehunter]

I just use regular ole cooking mushrooms, not the great big topped ones though. The kind you get in a little container like strawberries, I hope that made sense.

 

[Otterwoman]

Hmmm...I don't cook, but maybe I could buy a single mushroom. Though sometimes they grow in my yard, maybe I'll wait until one pops up and then try with that one? Or next time I go grocery shopping, I'll try to get a single one. Thanks for the idea.

 

[Kaysie]

You can probably buy a single one, and cut it up into quarters and keep the rest in the fridge?

 

[caudatadude28]

So your saying all but 1 or 2 are going to die!?!

 

[Azhael]

No, he is saying only 1 or 2 will actually have an eft stage. I think i either misunderstood you or you have a problem with the concept of eft. Efts are terrestrial JUVENILES. They don´t morph into terrestrial adults.
Your larvae will morph either into terrestrial efts or aquatic juveniles, and will require anywhere from 1 to 4 years to become adults.

 

[Greatwtehunter]

Azhael nailed it on the head. If you have 15 morph, only 1 or 2 will go terrestrial, the rest will stay aquatic.

 

[caudatadude28]

Oh, ok you had me worried that they had a huge fatality rate. If the water in the larvae rearing tank is deeper with that stimulate them to be aquatic. If the wate is shallow, then they will more apt be efts right? I would prefer aquatic juvies.

 

[Kaysie]

Water depth probably doesn't have much to do with it. It's genetic.

However, if you provide adequate water habitat, they may be less likely to seek terrestrial refuge. That is, if the water is a great place to live, they're less likely to go on land looking for more hospitable habitat.

 

[caudatadude28]

I have a reptisun 2.0 bulb on the aquatic adults. Is that ok, or is that tiny amount of uvb too much? Also could I get a 2.0 compound flourescent lightbulb? I only have two long flourscent light fixtures and I have a spare deep dome lamp that could hold a compound flourescent lightbulb. When the noto larvae start eating white worms and chopped bloodworms, I will put them in a nicely planted 10 gallon aquarium.

 

[lilsoul]

I have raised N.v.l for years and stil never had one go through eft stage they allways stay aquitc even the ones that morph small.

 

[caudatadude28]

How many neotic N.v.l.'s do you have. Do the aquatic juvies look just like mini adults? When is sexual maturity. Two of my N.v.l.'s have small red spots/specks. Do any of yours? Also one of the females' tail has become fatter around and lacks the fin of an aquatic newt. It spends at least half its time on the floating island. Will it go back to the water since a nice land area isnt provided. Another female's tail doesnt have much of a fin on it but it hasn't fattened around like a terrestrial adult and she spends all of her time in the water.

 

[caudatadude28]

I thought I would post some pics. You cant see the red spots on the one female and the male because they are so small. Also these pics are a few days old.

The set-up, its a 15 gallon with a 10i wisper filter:

The female who is more terrestrial:

Two of the females:

An old pic of the male when he was in full breeding dress. Notice the bite marks out of his crest, something in the pond did that:

A female