Axolotl eggs?

[Moonfox]

<-- Bunch of pics of eggs.

My brother found these (and more) attached to some plants he bought this weekend. We've got them in water set to 22 degrees C. Do they look healthy? We have no idea what we're looking for in healthy eggs, but understand that they eat brine shrimp as hatchies??
Any information is appreciated - we're clueles and never intended on getting these little ones. If they do hatch though, I'm more than willing to give them the best care I can.

 

[Kaysie]

They do appear to be amphibian eggs of some sorts. If you don't notice any development within the next few days, they're probably duds.

You can read www.axolotl.org for some general information.

 

[Moonfox]

Ok, update. The eggs changed this morning - not all of them, but most of them. They now appear embryotic rather than spherical, I think they're kinda cute . The picture doesn't show all of them, only the pics that worked out. They aren't actually cloudy, they just look it because of the bad camera.

 

[Moonfox]

Ok, sorry for the double post, but one larvae has hatched and is currently in a small container. I have also placed the 8 other surviving embryos in individual containers. Should I wait until tomorrow to offer them food? I am planning to feed them crushed up brine shrimp (defrosted). Will they accept this food?

I can see that most of the babies are a golden/brown, but there are three that appear to be flecked with dark grey. I'm really hoping that none of these die, as this is my first time raising them. I'd really appreciate any information at this point.

 

[kapo]

Ok, sorry for the double post, but one larvae has hatched and is currently in a small container. I have also placed the 8 other surviving embryos in individual containers. Should I wait until tomorrow to offer them food? I am planning to feed them crushed up brine shrimp (defrosted). Will they accept this food?

I can see that most of the babies are a golden/brown, but there are three that appear to be flecked with dark grey. I'm really hoping that none of these die, as this is my first time raising them. I'd really appreciate any information at this point.

Hi Moonfox, you need live food for these larvae, they usually eat within 2-3 days after hatching. If you can find a ready supply, of baby earthworms (compost heap if you have one) or live bloodworm and even mosquito larvae (particularly the smaller ones) - search any containers of water round your property outside, particularly greenish/brown looking water; or find a supply of daphnia that would be better. Larvae only eat live food, so if you don't have any handy, you may find them dying off pretty fast. You can also buy a small container of baby brine shrimp eggs from the local petshop and hatch them yourself.

See: http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/microfoods.shtml

 

[Moonfox]

Thanks for the quick reply, Kapo! I'll go and find some food tomorrow, I think the container out the front might still have some mosquito larvae in it... I'll check in the morning. We now have three hatched!

 

[Kaysie]

You're sure they're salamander larvae? Frog larvae (for the most part) are not carnivorous.

 

[Moonfox]

Yup, definitely axolotl. They have a taddie like tail, but also those distinctive flary gills. We now have 6 hatched .

 

[Moonfox]

Well, these little buggers are turning out to be a lot more trouble than they're worth... but all of the nine to hatch are still alive - miracle of miracles!

I'm currently feeding brine shrimp that I'm breeding in the bodgiest setup known to man, and the little guys are growing well (although there has been more than the occasional air bubble). There are five albinos, one leucistic looking guy and 3 dark grey, black flecked ones.

I was just wondering when they will begin eating something easier than brine shrimp? Currently, I've been filtering using viva paper towels and an eye dropper - slow work! Could I begin pellet/frozen bloodworm soon?

Thanks!

 

[Kaysie]

They'll usually start taking non-live food when they start developing their legs. You can try offering it to them before that, but I doubt they'll take it.

 

[Bellabelloo]

my gang are approx 9-10 weeks old and just developing their rear legs..I have tried reptile pellets but they ignore them... chopped up worms however have been really popular with the larger ones. Other than that its the good old brine shrimp, which I have now finished with..and more lately live daphnia, wrigglers,bloodworm and glass worm ( not keen on that one) which they happily munched on around the time their front legs grew.

 

[kapo]

Any success with finding any mozzie larvae? I've just noticed recently some mosquito rafts in our bucket, surprising at it's still quite cold spells here; but you may have more luck with your warmer weather!

Check your petstore or if you know of any local fish breeders (check with petshop, they might be able to advise if they don't have any), chances are they'll have daphnia setups (most do here) and you'll be able to get some daphnia from them.