Breeding Paedomorphic Tigers

[Jake]

Well, I'm not quite sure if I had luck with the time of year or if they are in fact as easy to breed as Ambystoma mexicanum (either way I'm too happy about it!), but my neotenous tiger salamanders (Ambystoma c.f. mavortium) have begun to mate over the past few days. I only got them here recently (I know a few other members had to have seen the ads on the site I found them on).

Well, Thrusday/Friday, April 3-4th I found the first spermatophores. Then Saturday I found a couple more. Saturday night I got home from work and to my surprise, one of the females had begun to lay eggs. The first pic is of a female with a spermatophore stuck to a rock just to the right of her gill, the second is of the proven pair (male closest to camera) the third is the end result. The eggs are laid all over the rocks in the bottom of the tank, but very few were laid on the plants, unlike my axolotls who mainly lay them on plant leaves. Enjoy the pictures.

Also, please DO NOT contact me asking to buy offspring, these are worth a lot more to me than anyone's money. There are a select few people that know who they are that I would consider giving offspring. Hope you enjoy the pics, and I plan to keep everyone updated as the other females are even more plump than the one that is laying.

 

[Jake]

Here is a picture of one of the females with a fresh spermatophore beside her. Sorry for the poor image quality. I also took several videos, one of which can be viewed by clicking on this link: http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?p=145462#post145462

 

[Jennewt]

Congrats, Jake, that's neat!

 

[Jan]

Congrats! and please keep us posted as to the outcome of the offspring.

 

[Jake]

Thanks Jen and Jan!

I looked closely at some of the first eggs laid last night and most are definitely developing. The percentage of fertile eggs seems about the same as your average axolotl.

 

[AaronK]

Jacob, they are amazing. What temps are you keeping them at? What type of filtration are you using?
Good job and good luck. I am happy to see they are in your hands.

 

[Jake]

The tank temp is about 55 degrees F. The filter is an undergravel with an external (penguin of some kind?) connected to the uptake tube of the undergravel filter. Substrate is sand with a extra large gravel on top, most eggs were laid on the rocks.

 

[AaronK]

Is your newt room naturally that temp or do you cool it down. This is off the topic but how do you keep species with different temp requirements in the same room?

 

[Jake]

My newt room is in the basement where the temps never really get over 73 degrees F even in the heat of summer. This time of year I keep the window cracked a couple inches so it gets even cooler, I also leave it partially opened throughout the winter so it gets even cooler. I believe the air temp in the room is at about 58 degrees F. right now. The caudates that I want to cool down the most are placed in tanks on the floor or on shelves nearest the window (some tubs froze over several times during the winter), and the ones that I don't keep as cool are kept on higher shelves on the opposite side of the room. I also have another room that I keep a few species in, but that room is always in the upper 60's-lower 70's.

 

[Neotenic_Jaymes]

Nice pics jake. Thats proof that they really are neo tigers. Hopefully mine will lay eggs as well.

 

[Jake]

Well, the eggs are developing nicely. I have a deli cup on a shelf away from the window where the temperature is a bit higher than the rest, it has 5 eggs in it. Here are a couple shots of the more developed ones.

The one on the far left isn't developing as far as I can tell.

 

[mantighoul]

First, I would love to congratulate you. This is truly amazing. Beautiful little monsters.
Second, I would like to state this is a very strange coincidence because I have been talking about a salamander project at the place i volunteer at about neoteny which includes Tiger Salamanders. Again, I thank you for sharing your experiences, and I wish you continued luck. I cannot wait to hear about the offspring.

 

[Jake]

Thanks AnnMarie!

I have been taking several pics almost every day so I can post the entire development series when they hatch. I can only hope they're as easy to raise as axolotls!

 

[Jake]

Here is a series of development photos, I have several groups still in the early stages of development so I'll fill in the gaps later on.

 

[Neotenic_Jaymes]

Your the luckiest man on earth Jake!

 

[will_j]

well done! It'll be interesting to see what happens when they mature, whether they will become peadomorphic or not.

 

[Jake]

Your the luckiest man on earth Jake!

Whoa, whoa now! I'm really far from being the luckiest man on earth, but I am lucky to have these eggs

well done! It'll be interesting to see what happens when they mature, whether they will become peadomorphic or not.

I would imagine at least some of the offspring will remain paedomorphic if kept in the right conditions, but we'll have to wait and see.

 

[Neotenic_Jaymes]

Keep us all posted Jake. Its all eyes on you now, I wonder what the future holds. I still wonder which species are those neo tigers? Maybe if there offspring grow up and morph we'll know for sure.

 

[Jake]

Well, the group from the photos above have all hatched (except one). They were kept on a high shelf closer to the plant light so the temperature was a bit higher, the rest look like they have 2-3 days left. Here are some quick shots of the more developed eggs and hatchlings...

 

[Jake]

5 Days old.