CFBN Growing schedule

OZIRIS

OZIRIS

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OZIRIS
Hi all,

I would like to know about the "growth schedule" of chinese firebellied larvae in order to plan the next future.

They are about month old now, after hatching. They both have forelimbs and backlimbs, one is about 3-4 cm and the other is 2-3 cm length. Please,correct me if I am wrong :

1- They will morph ... in 3-4 month (Summer?!) .


2- Terrestrial phase will last ... until Autumm/Winter ? when weather changes into cold and rain again? then... they will come back to water in Winter 2010.

Regards
 
1 - Correct. And it's important to stuff them with as much food as they will eat; the larger the size at metamorphosis, the better the chance of continued rapid growth.

2 - Impossible to predict. If they grow very well, then they could be back in the water in a year or less. If not, then it will take longer.
 
I believe mine are in the "terrestrial phase" still. I know it is much easier to keep a mostly aquatic tank cooler during the summer. If I have mostly land in there because they prefer it, how do I keep it cool? (I bought them in the "terrestrial phase".

How long did it take after the eggs were lain before they hatched?

I have a firebelly that looks gravid and I don't know if she has been laying them right along and I have been cleaning them out readily thinking they were poo, or what, lol. I hope not! If they are eggs...I hope they hatch and start to move soon so I don't mistaken them anymore, so that's why I am asking...how long it takes.
 
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Critter Mom said:
How long did it take after the eggs were lain before they hatched?

I have a firebelly that looks gravid and I don't know if she has been laying them right along and I have been cleaning them out readily thinking they were poo, or what, lol. I hope not! If they are eggs...I hope they hatch and start to move soon so I don't mistaken them anymore, so that's why I am asking...how long it takes.
Click to expand...

Mine took about 3 weeks between laying and hatching. You can see an egg in this pic below :

3287417225_cd54a4e173.jpg
 
And these are my "little" guys, new pics...

Every square is 0.5 cm

3503919171_3cb6814918.jpg



This is the big one, its belly is turning into orange :_)

3504727272_9fa96ab317.jpg

3503930775_9445f53d13.jpg

3504041873_294c109ea7.jpg



Regards
 
Sir, I salute you!


I am jealous! Your larvae are looking outstanding! Once the gills start shrinking, it will be time to add some sort of dry land, like floating cork bark for them.

Here is the thread about my Cynops project so far, it has some information others passed on to me you will find useful:

http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=61365

This whole terrestrial phase bit is new to me, so I am a bit paranoid about it. I am glad to see your animals are doing so well!
 
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Thanks! I have read your thread, it will be useful to me. Terrestrial phase will be new to me too, it's the first time I have larvae.
 
Hi again. I'm glad I'm not in this alone. My oldest larva appeared on 3/12 but my guess is that he had been in the adult's tank several days before we noticed him.

Both of you (Oziris and Sludge Monkey) seem to have some nicely full bodied larva. Mine seem skinnier unless it's the pics adding to their shape. I like the idea of the grid below the tank so you can see their size - will try that.

I'm still looking for what to buy for the terrestrial phase as a substrate and what I'll do - have 30 babies right now, more eggs I'd love to donate to someone here!

Dana
 
Critter Mom said:
How long did it take after the eggs were lain before they hatched?

I have a firebelly that looks gravid and I don't know if she has been laying them right along and I have been cleaning them out readily thinking they were poo, or what, lol. I hope not! If they are eggs...I hope they hatch and start to move soon so I don't mistaken them anymore, so that's why I am asking...how long it takes.
Click to expand...
About 3 weeks. The eggs are cemented quite firmly onto plants (or whatever is available), so there is no chance that you are cleaning them out with the dirt.
 
vistajpdf said:
Hi again. I'm glad I'm not in this alone. My oldest larva appeared on 3/12 but my guess is that he had been in the adult's tank several days before we noticed him.

Both of you (Oziris and Sludge Monkey) seem to have some nicely full bodied larva. Mine seem skinnier unless it's the pics adding to their shape. I like the idea of the grid below the tank so you can see their size - will try that.
Click to expand...
What are you feeding them?

vistajpdf said:
I'm still looking for what to buy for the terrestrial phase as a substrate and what I'll do
Click to expand...
I'd suggest either coco-fiber (aka bed-a-beast) or one of the "forest floor" type substrate mixes.

vistajpdf said:
have 30 babies right now, more eggs I'd love to donate to someone here!
Click to expand...
Post an ad.
 
Re: CFBN Growing schedule/Jenn

I'm still feeding them a mixture of live Daphnia, frozen Daphnia mixture (from an exotic aquatic store I had to go to as an emergency when caught by surprise by the baby on 3/12), and frozen baby brine shrimp - also the emergency purchase the same day. I'm waiting on white worms. The first batch spoiled prior to arrival, so Dawn shipped me more - should arrive today. I've also cut up the frozen and thawed bloodworms for the larger bunch that I feed the adults, though I may start varying their diet after learning more here.

Dana
 
Re: CFBN Growing schedule/Jenn

Oh Dana, Mine eat a lot ! I still can't believe how those small animals can eat that amount of food, and I only have 2... I can't imagine 50-90 tadpoles. I have to put new food in the tank daily because they eat daphnia quickly ( to be so small).

You can try to put a jar outside where the sun lights, after several days (2 weeks +-) you can find copepods, insect larvae, ... I have 3 jars (with daphnia) and I even found live bloodworms ( I didn't know that that mosquito lived here) and many white larvae ( I think they are fly larvae). I'll take some photo. Tadpoles eat all this variety, but mainly live daphnia.
 
I'm hoping my white worms arrive today. I will also try the water trick to grow stuff. There's plenty of food in the tanks, I can see that. Maybe it's not their food of choice, though. It's hard for me to tell how they're eating the Daphnia.

Do you have more eggs?

Thanks,
Dana
 
No, I haven't got more eggs. I think she won't lay more till next season...but she is starting eating a lot again....who knows.
 
Jennewt said:
What are you feeding them?
Click to expand...


Frozen and thawed Hikari Bloodworms at 0630 when I get home from work. Three week old live Artemia, live Daphnia magna strauss, and frozen and thawed Hikari daphnia on daily rotation (different one off the list each day) at 2100 before I go to work. Uneaten food (if there is any left) is removed immediately before the next feeding with a turkey baster.


I also noticed an distinct increase in size and appetite when I changed their lighting schedule to 12on/12off from 60 days at 8on/16off. I have used this lighting trick in the past with axolotl larvae with great success. Learned it from breeding Anabantoid fish...

I again got a slight increase in all when I sorted out larvae by size into different tanks. The largest of the larvae also seemed to "stuff" themselves more once separated from their smaller brethren.
 
Oh, my little tadpole is changing its appearance ...its face, belly, skin and tail have morphed since yesterday, but its gills seem the same. Its appetite has decreased a lot, one thing I don't like much.

So cute :_)

3524500421_971657a358.jpg


Regards
 
The larva in the first picture is very close to morphing...expect it to be out of water in a couple of days.
 
Oh my god hehe

Could anyone upload a picture about a set up for a morphed larva? I've read about this but I would like to watch some photos, azhael, could you?

Cheers
 
Ok, thanks! . I've been reading that threat and finally I think it's a lotto what morphed newts will do and I'm not sure which type of tank it's better. One says keeping them terrestrial for some days, weeks; others say that a semiaquatic set up is better but some newts don't like it...I'll try with a semiaquatic first, and if it doesn't work I'll change it into a terrestrial one.

Cheers
 
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