Need help starting out!

[nello]

I was visiting in central Louisiana last week and found a glob of what I'm quite certain to be salamander eggs. They were laid in a small puddle in an ATV trail. I watched them everyday--they were close to hatching, then one day an ATV had nearly destroyed them. I moved them into a different pond. But I couldn't resist bringing one tiny little egg cell home with me in a jar. Hatched by the time I got home. That was 2 days ago and I have no idea what to do with it. I got some local lake water hoping there are some microscopic type foods in there. I am also hatching some brine shrimp eggs currently. It's tiny, about 1/4 inch but still very much alive. What to do?! Does is need biological filtration? Left in my murky bowl of lake water, (similar to the puddle it was laid in)? food? temperature?

Any comments or pointers would be great. I'd really like this little critter to survive.
Thanks!

 

[Jennewt]

Are you sure it's a salamander, not a frog/toad tadpole? The distinguishing feature of salamander larvae are easily-visible external gills.

Using lake water and mud is a good idea for starters. It will have micro-organisms that will suffice for the first couple of weeks. The "dirt" in the water will provide biological filtration, but you might want to add a pump and tiny airstone, with just a trickle of air coming out.

It sounds like you are on the right track.

 

[nello]

Yes, it's definitely a salamander or perhaps a newt. Spotted salamanders are common in the area where I found it. It does have the external gills and does appear to be growing a bit. But now its yolk sack is all used up and I'm hoping I can feed it properly. It hatched 5 days ago and is still very spunky when I prod it with a stick. I've been hatching brine shrimp and changing water out daily. Some of the lake critters are dying so I don't want the water to get too funky. I will try to get some fresh lake water (and live inhabitants today). Anything else anyone can suggest? Do you think that the fact that it's still alive 5 days out is a good sign or has it just been living on yolk reserves so far? What about ordering some daphnia? (don't remember how to spell) It's so expensive on-line with $18 live shipping fee. Any ideas how to buy without spending $30 on something I'm not sure I'll even use. Will a larvae even eat those critters? Thanks for the advice.