Paramesotriton deloustali?

[cichlidjedi]

Hello,

I am a new member and I have two newts that I am assuming to be Tam Dao Warty newts(Paramesotriton deloustali). I purchased them from a pet shop in my area and I have had them for about 2 years. I am also assuming they are both females due to small Cloaca. My newts are very large versus the other species I keep a little over 8 inches. The store owner use to get two shipments a year from a wholesaler from vietnam including many spider species and of course these newts. From all the research I have done on-line they apperently are now on a red list and are no longer being exported. To my sadness I would love to breed them and I was hoping to get around 6 more. I ask you guys the experts to please verify for me if these are indeed what I was told and believe them to be, or if I am mistaken. I feed them multiple foods (nightcrawlers,crickets,frozen krill, and superworms). I keep them in a 38 gallon tank with asian greenback frogs and my spotted paddle tail newts. The spotted tails are going to be moved in another aquarium to isolate them to breed. Thank you for any input you can share for me.

Chuck

 

[froggy]

Re: Paramesotriton deloustali??????

Hi and welcome to the site, Chichlidjedi

These are beautiful animals and look huge too! They do look like P. deloustali, but from the lengths of the cloacal slits I would say that you have a pair already (the last two pics show slits of different lengths - the longer one (penultimate pic) should be a male).
I would strongly advise you to separate the different species into different enclosures, in particular the Pachytriton. Both Pachytriton and Paramesotriton (and in particular deloustali) can be very aggressive, and sudden fights can happen after even a long time of co-existance.

Pachytrton and Paramesotriton deloustali also have different habitat requirements - the former liking cold, well-oxygenated water with a reasonably strong current and a rocky substrate, whilst the latter comes from slow flowing, warmer waters, with more plant growth. I don't now about the requirements for the frogs.
Your basic water parameters must be ok if the newts have been with you for 2 years, however, so there is no need to rush too much - set up new aquaria for the newts and allow time for them to cycle before you stress the animals by moving them to unbalanced tanks.

There are some people on this site who keep and breed P. deloustali, and there is a good caresheet for Paramesotriton in general at www.livingunderworld.org (go to the caudata section and look in the species database). [NB I can't rememebr if I am supposed to link other sites or not; mods please remove the link if necessary!]

If you separte your animals you may find breeding the Paramesotriton easier. Your female looks quite fat already and may be gravid. Look out for cloacal swelling and a blue-white tail sheen in the male.

Both the newts look very healthy and are beautiful animals. It is definately a VERY good idea to try to breed them!!!

Please do ask any other questions you have about the newts and good luck with them.

Chris

 

[cichlidjedi]

Re: Paramesotriton deloustali??????

Chris,

Thank you for all your information I will seperate the deloustali in their own 30 gallon tank and try and breed them. Thank you for the care information and thanks again for taking the time to respond.

Chuck

 

[Jennewt]

Re: Paramesotriton deloustali??????

To stimulate breeding, I would recommend getting them as cold as possible this coming winter. You obviously want to avoid any chance of freezing them, but a garage or unheated basement will sometimes get you down to a suitably cold temperature. Good luck!

 

[cichlidjedi]

Re: Paramesotriton deloustali??????

Jennewt,

I will try that for sure, I assume then raise temp. in spring to spark breeding? I see you have a a website that has newt breeding info. on it. I have lots of information to read still, but at the end of the day I need to make sure the mood is right for them to have a newt romance! LOL Thank you Jennewt!

Chuck

 

[froggy]

Re: Paramesotriton deloustali??????

With regards to cooling during the winter, be careful not to go too low as these newts are really subtropical - very cold winter temps can kill Paramesotriton hongkongensis. I would think that a decrease to around 12 degrees centigrade for the winter would be adequate and safe. Acompany the winter lower temperatures with slightly less food, and the spring increase of temperatures with an abundance of a variety of foodstuffs and a water change. This helps to get Paramesotrton into breeding mode in my experience. Males usually come into breeding condition with good conditions and food, but females are a bit more difficult as you have to stimulate the longer-term process of egg development.

 

[Alejandro]

Re: Paramesotriton deloustali??????

Those are really nice specimens of deloustali. I really hope you can breed them soon. Congratulations!