Lighting and juvenile growth

[justin]

I had been gone for a few days and someone unplugged my lights/timer for the newts. I found when I returned that some of the juveniles reacted very well to the temporary darkness (depite them having constant hiding spots available) and switched completely aquatic when I was gone. Those are now about 50% larger in a weeks time. I was just wondering if anyone else saw changes like that based on temporary irregularities in they light cycle. The ones I am mentioning are C. e. popei, but nearly all my C. cyanurus also morphed and returned aquatic (though they still have a small bit of gills still) as well. The cyanurus morphed very large, right around the size of a small adult orientalis.
j

 

[al]

I've not heard of studies done with photoperiods and growth of larva. I know it appears too much light can stress any animal out. It is important when dealing with a tank that has a lighted top, to have much plant coverage and dark area for the dwellers.
It may be you have just notice typical growth after not seeing them for a week.
When we had no power for a week due to an ice storm, my tank room had no lights or filtration for a solid week. The temperatures dropped in the 40's and I did not feed them. Every species seemed to go into breeding and I had many eggs that season (the only positive thing of the ice storm!

)
In all I keep all my lights on a central timer clock. I monitor the photo period and keep the tanks lights on to a minimum while working with the little natural light they get from a west facing window.