Triggering verrucosus spawning

[gord]

My female Verrucosus look likes she will explode at any minute..yet there has been no sign of dancing yet this winter. They didn't really get into last year until May..but I'm wondering if a major water change and slightly warmer water would kick start them. They are at about 72-73 F right now (and were at 65-68 for a month or so). Would a spike in temp to mid 70s help?

Anyone have any tricks?

GE

 

[michael]

Bouncing the temp up and down sure does help. I do think it might be to early in the year for that. Mine usually don't breed till May also.
M.

 

[ben]

Mine are going mad right now seem to get a clutch every 7 days, i left mine cold (15-18c ambient room temp)for two months then raised the temp to 22c and within a week they had begun mating and then spawning.

Ben

 

[gord]

Looks like nature took its course. I had mass eggs when came home Thursday night.

It's day 3 and no sign of fuzz yet...but I'm still not getting my hope super high. I'll keep you posted.

GE

 

[foster]

Congratulations Gord!
Chip

 

[gord]

Sorry for the huge lag between posts. Perhaps I was a bit depressed at my lack of success. Despite my best efforts, the eggs were all duds. They seemed good..and didn't fuzz out, but most never really developed.Some looked like they were, but then stalled. Soon they just started to shrink or get eaten by snails. I had some in different tanks and in different situations, from sterile to fully weeded, just to see. None hatched out.

The eggs left in the main tank were eaten by the newts! I could see them hunting.

My newts are still super fat, healthy, and look ready to lay more, but perhaps it's not in the cards to have fertile eggs.

Anyway..that's my report.

GE

 

[richard]

Too bad. Maybe they will lay some more this year. What are you planning to do with the juvies? 2nd generation breeding?