Paramesotriton and Teritorial disputes.

[benjamin]

I have three paramesotriton (probably fuzhongensis), one 5 incher, one 5.5 incher, and one 6.5 incher. The 5 and the 5.5 incher each patrols its side of the aquarium, never wondering into the other's side 99% of the time. When they do they usually swiftly return to their own side upon noticing the other newt's presence. The 6.5 incher moves between the two sides with out any problems it is never attacked and it never attacks or tries to avoid the two smaller newts. The two smaller, terratorial ones will fight whenever I turn the lights on. Fighting is brief and usually consist of arm biting and grabbing, one newt usually returns to its side after 5 seconds of fighting. I want to move them eventually into a bigger tank, but for the time being I'll have to keep them in there with the lights off. I have a few questions on this subject.

1. Why does the light cause them to become aggressive?

2. Why is the biggest newt never attacked?

3. Could I make them more happy with their current terratories by raising the depth of the water?

4. Is the absence of lighting inhibiting any other behaviours besides terratorial aggression?

 

[ajfr0ggy]

Maybe the bigger one is a female, so it wont be attacked. Females do not have the pale stripe across the tail.

If you put more obstacles in the tank, you can make their territories seem bigger

 

[benjamin]

Thanks, I'll make sure I put in more obstacles. None of them are showing many signs of being a male or a female, but I think the big one is probably a female.

 

[benjamin]

Well today the to newts almost drowned each other. I walked in to check on them to find that one had the other in a headlock, and the trapped newt was biting the other's leg. I'ld say their fighting is more like wresting than anything else. Neither were moving much, I assume they were going unconcious, because they came to after I took them out of the water. I've removed one for the time being. I will eventually re-arange their aquarium with deeper water and more obstructions so they will hopefully be more satisfied.

(Message edited by ben_tajer on December 04, 2004)

 

[jennifer]

Are you sure that all of them are eating? I had a group of 2 male and 1 female P. hongkongensis. The smaller male was harrassed in wrestling matches like you described. At some point he stopped eating until I moved him to his own small tank, then he was fine.

 

[chris]

I have usually found that brief skirmishes quickly grow to major fights as the more dominant male slowly encroaches into the less dominant male's territory, eventually pushing the (usually, but not necessarily, smaller) male out entirely causing major stress and possibly injuries shortly followed by death. If left too long it is a very steep uphill struggle to rehabilitate the victim. Its usually best to remove the ATTACKING newt as removing the victim will greatly increase the stress levels. Also, males will attack females out of the breeding season in certain species.
I would advise immediate separation
before it gets nasty
Chris

 

[benjamin]

I've seperated the one of animals already and he is fine. Both of the newts seemed to be of equal strength and both would invade the other's terratory, so there was no victim. One sign of their equal strength was yesterday when they both nearly drowned each other and I would have lost both if I hadn't removed both of the animals, who seemed to be unconcious, I am sure neither one would have surfaced and both would have drowned. I made sure all of them ate by hand feeding.

 

[chris]

Benjamin, Paramesotriton fights between animals of similar streength often involve remaining motionless for a long time, locked in a mutual bite - both animals holding each other, usually on the tail, limbs or body. As they are motionless I think they can remain under for a longer time relying on cutaneous respiration. I usually find that they will release each other if the 'newt-ball' is removed from the water (note that I don't allow my animals to fight very frequently, I've just had a few fights which were immediately separated afterwards).
I've also found that this type of fight usually occurs in small and/or new setups or in 'noman's land' between or on the borders of territories.
Chris

 

[benjamin]

You've just described the type of fight I witnessed.

 

[chris]

Its good you caught it in time - once one starts actively chasing another, which does not fight back the passive one is on a very slippery slope.
Good luck!
Chris