How are these larvae alive?

[fbn]

Hello, I have 2 (at least) fire belly newt larvae. I didn't know I even had them! The one is smaller than the other. The bigger one has front legs and it's back legs are developing. My question: I have never fed them! The tank they are in has been running for 1 year on Wednesday. So, I presume since it is an established tank it has small organisms that they are eating? I presume I should keep them in that tank, correct? When can they start eating bloodworms? Thanks!

 

[Azhael]

Correct. They have been feeding on tiny creatures that naturally inhabit your tank, such as copepods, protozoans, ostracods, planaria, etc...
I raise all my C.orientalis larvae in the same tank, with their parents, and have decent results. You always loose the weaker ones, but if the tank is big enough, it´s heavily planted and it´s properly matured, some will undoubtably survive to metamorphosis. In fact, they seem to grow faster and bigger this way...

My larvae usually ignore bloodworms until they are about an inch long. From that point on you can train them to eat dead foods easily.

 

[Jennewt]

If you can get live blackworms, these will be helpful in getting them from this point up to the point where they will start accepting frozen bloodworms. The larger they are at morph, the better their chances of survival as juveniles.

 

[merk199]

An alternative to blackworms is white worms. I have used both with good success. I prefer blackworms because white worms kind of freak me out....Don't ask!