A. opacum breeding attempt: When do I start to let it rain?

[tom]

Hi ambystoma enthusiasts!
I 've got lucky this week and one of my opacum females laid eggs under a piece of cork bark. It's my first time with an urodela species that doesn't procreate under water and so I'm not quite sure how to carry on. I've read my Petranka who tells me that the larvae could hatch after ap. two weeks, when heavy rainfalls fill the pond of their mother's choice, but other sources tell me that the females guard their clutch up to three month, when it's dry. My question is: Do the larvae which are guarded longer by their mum have an advantage in comparison to those which hatch after two weeks? Is there anyone with experience who could answer my question?
right now I'm not even sure whether the eggs are fertilized, for I havn't seen the A. opacum a lot, left alone observed any courtship.
Thanks
Tom

 

[Greatwtehunter]

Re: A. opacum breeding atempt: When do I start to let it rain?

When mine bred, I let the eggs develop for at least a month before I added them to water.

You'll see the larvae developing in a few days if they are fertile.

 

[igor]

Hi! I am also raising captive opacum. In the wild, they naturally have an advantage when they are guarded longer by their mother (who keeps them not only safe, but moist) and hatch when the larvae within are larger. In captivity, size is not so much of a concern because they don't have predators and the temperature/food supply is more constant, but I allowed a month before submerging my eggs. In the beginning, there is a bit of a die-off, as the larger larvae pick on the smaller weaker ones, but within a few weeks, the population will stabilize. They are voracious eaters and grow very quickly, much faster, I've observed that the Jefferson salamander tadpoles I raised last spring.

Hope this helps!

 

[tom]

Hi Igor
Thank you very much for your information! Now I'm totally convinced to give them a whole month to develope properly. So I have some time to prepare the necessary "nursery". I still wonder what they might eat because in winter food uses to be scarce. Would they eat Tubifex? Or do I have to establish a Daphnia colony or raise some Artemia? Is it better to keep them really cold to slow down their metabolism? That would solve my food problem partially. I suppose in their natural environment they have to face temperatures below cero. Therefore their ponds must be covered with ice. It's not the best time to raise your young... And by the way, my second female also decided to lay eggs - under the same piece of bark! Now both of them are literally sitting on their eggs. I really hope that at least some are fertilized.
Greetings
Tom

 

[Greatwtehunter]

If they are fertile, you'll be able to tell by now.

In the wild, their vernal pools are loaded with food during the winter months. Daphnia, ostracods, copepods, aquatic isopods, fairyshrimp, small aquatic worms, etc. are all extremely abundant. Competition with other Ambystoma species for this food is one of the main reasons they are a fall breeders.

You'll want to start your larvae out on baby brine shrimp, daphnia, baby white worms, or other similiarly sized stuff like that.

 

[tom]

Hi folks!
I was a little ill last week and so I couldn't update the thread. It's very sad, but no egg showed any sign of development, all of them looked quite milky and now the last female has left the site of the clutch. I was very disappointed at first, but then I discovered a third clutch ( from my two females??) under a thick layer of moss. I hadn't wanted to disturb the two mothers with their clutches, so I left the terrarium alone. Now THIS NEW clutch seems to do better, because I could see something wriggling inside some of the eggs. Just in five or so but better than nothing. I have no idea when these eggs were laid, but I' ll give them some more weeks to develope.
Greetings
Tom

 

[tom]

Hi there!
I'm happy to tell you that now, after watering the whole layer of moss, already about 20 larvae have hatched. I could see some more fertile eggs, so I keep my fingers crossed. Maybe next time soon I can figure out how to post pictures.
Greetings!
Tom