Crested newt's white-sheened tail...

[tj]

Just thought I'd point out that, for better or for worse, my newts are all pretty much fed almost exclusively on frozen bloodworm throughout the year, with only occasional live tubifex. The pictured newts were fed this over the past year, but as I mentioned before, their bellies were yellow when I got them as can be seen in the old pic of the male with the crest.

After reading what Caleb had to say about them possibly coming from Ukraine, I called the shop I got them from and was told that they might have come in with a shipment from Russia. I would assume things sent from Ukraine to Japan would generally transit Russia...

Aaron, the juvies go to the person who correctly and definitively answers this week's "Name This Newt" question.

By the way, I've noticed that my male marbled also has a sheen developing. Either that or it was always there as is the case with your cresteds and I just didn't notice it until now. No sign yet of a crest though...

 

[caleb]

Hi John-

I mentioned bloodworm because I've found commercial live bloodworm improves belly colour in Bombina. I don't know if this may be due to a food additive used in their production... By the way, do you know if the carotenes in the crustaceans are endogenous, or are concentrated from their diet?