Laotitron Laoensis purchased in Hong Kong (non captive bred)

[tangyaukong]

Hi all, this will be my first post as I am new to this forum. I live in Hong Kong and last week, I bought myself 4 adult L. Laoensis from a local pet store. Unfortunately, they are wild caught specimens and I am totally aware of the illegal pet trade situation. They look slightly underfed but the bright side is that theyre are pretty active. It was a bittersweet feeling to be purchasing them as they are an endangered species being exploited by evil people. But as an animal lover, I think they are better off with me.

Now, besides giving you guys a little introduction of myself and my situation, my main purpose here is to figure the best way to keep and breed L. Laoensis.

Here are some questions that I have.
1. How do you sex L. Laoensis?
2. Is it necessary to have the tank water cycled?
3. Is it necessary to include an oxygen pump in the tank besides a filter
4. Is it ok for the diet to consist of only earthworms, crickets, waxworms and feshly molted mealworms. (As these are readily available)

Newt lover
Tangyaukong

 

[Chinadog]

Hi, welcome to the site.
I was in two minds weather to approve this thread because of the way the animals were acquired, but I appreciate your reasons for posting here and hopefully you will find the info you are looking for.
If you use the search function there are some very good threads on keeping and breeding Laotriton, many of them deal with the first batches of wild caught animals that appeared in the hobby.

 

[NathanKS]

1. the easiest way is to look at the tales. Males have a white stripe on it.

2. not cycled but CLEAN water is in my personal opinion required. keepers like Neils on here though are changing how I think about water quality.

3. Depends on the level of dissolved oxygen in the water. I have a sponge filter in every tank and also have them connected to canister filters. This connects back to point two also.

4. it should be (excluding the waxworms after you get them settled in, laoensis are fat already). Like any feeder insect, it is important to feed them a varied healthy diet before feeding to the newts.

I would also start looking at some of the fabulous aquarium stores in the area, . I recall seeing plenty of cheap to me freshwater shrimp and other good feeders.

 

[Otterwoman]

Make sure you do a search on this species in the forum. There is a lot of info.

 

[ntny]

you can look for some of our experts here Paul B
http://www.salamanderseiten.de/paramesotriton/laoensis/laoensis.htm

 

[ntny]

Hi Folks
sorry to hijack,
may i know if Laotitron Laoensis requires a floating land area like Tylototriton verrucosus?
i do keep Paramesotriton chinensis before and they very rarely comes on land area unless bullied by aggressive males.
thanks

 

[michael]

Laotriton laoensis do well totally aquatic as adults. Juveniles do best on land. I have 5 adults in water and about 40 juveniles on land.

 

[ntny]

Hi Michael Shrom,
Thanks for your advice.
seems they are quite similar to Paramesotriton species.
Thanks and cheers!