Light requirements during feeding

[TJ]

I've long been wondering this: to what extent (if at all) do newts depend on the sense of sight to find food in the water? Cynops species, for example, obviously have a great sense of smell, but I usually leave the tank light on for a while after adding frozen bloodworm cubes to their tank, thinking this would at least facilitate their search for food.

I also wonder if early stage larvae have an even greater dependence upon visual info, rather than olfactory info, to locate food (I have in mind newly hatched larvae being fed on live baby brine shrimp).

Any observations/opinions/speculations/information on this subject?

 

[david]

Hi Tim. Nothing scientific about my answer, but I know axolotls and T. v's can find food with no light, strictly by smell. Frozen blood worms would have to be found by smell. Live foods probably have less odor and are identified more by vibrations and sight so some movement seems to be required, and probably limited light.