Cynops cyanurus larvae (Part II)

[TJ]

It's about an inch or 2.5 cm. This picture should give you a better idea:

Cyclops, Cynops...cool

Is this a dangerous critter?

(Message edited by TJ on December 10, 2005)

 

[TJ]

(Message edited by TJ on December 12, 2005)

 

[TJ]

This worm shouldn't have tempted fate...

 

[jesper]

Amazing to see such a detailed image of a cyclops with a microscope. Nice pics of nice newts as always Tim.

 

[jennifer]

Quite nice series of photos, Tim. What kind of worm is that last one eating?

 

[TJ]

Thanks, ya'll

Jen, that's a tubifex worm. They've dug themselves in all over the larvae tank so they're readily available for those larvae big enough to eat them.

I've just realized this morning that there were at least a couple dozen larvae in the adults tank, from eggs that I hadn't noticed and hadn't removed. I've caught about a dozen so far, but perhaps I needn't worry about them going hungry as most of them have passed their "yellow stage" and are now in their "brown stage." What they were feeding on all that time, I haven't a clue!

 

[jennifer]

Got access to a microscope, Tim? If you take any of that brown debris out of the tank, you'll probably find it crawling with micro-organisms. That's what those larvae are living on. That's why larvae left in the tank with the adults sometimes grow faster than ones that are removed. A well established tank is a smorgasbord of microfood - but with a bit of risk of becoming mom&dad's dinner!

 

[hayden]

Very cool Tim. How big were these guys after hatching? And that is a cyclops no doubt. I don't think they can cause any harm. I have them all over in my gammarus culture.

 

[TJ]

I earlier said the larger larvae are about an inch, but that turns out to be incorrect. it should be about 3 quarters of an inch, about 2 cm. Hayden, they're about 1 cm when they hatch.

Jen, yes, that was the case with my popei and marbled newt larvae that remained in the tank, they were larger than those that were separated. It almost makes me think I should be removing the adults from the "larvae tank" instead of the other way around! I don't have access to a microscope, sorry to say.

 

[garrison]

Nice pics Tim, the larvae are developing nicely. With the zoom and resolution you have I almost wondered if you just had some funny looking axolotls