Paramesotriton laoensis breeding, chapter 2

[paul_b]

Hi all,

for comparing the actual with the last breeding season of my laoensis
(http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=42601)
I make this new treat!

In this season the courting of the male began at 09.September, last season at 11. September both after changing 2/3 of the water.

But first successful mating was at 31.Dezember, last season at 29. October.

This season the female took up 2 or 3 sperms in one night, last season only one. (see photo)

Last season the male bites his female into tail and hind leg, this year into tail and cloaca. (see photo)

Paul

 

[paul_b]

I also found a new possibility which the female accepted for laying eggs.

It is a plastic plant with long flexible leaf (see photo)
Now the female nearly only uses this "plant"

Paul

 

[Azhael]

Congratulations Paul!!
Let´s hope everything goes ok and you get lots of babies.

 

[coendeurloo]

Very good achievement Paul! let's hope for the best...

 

[Jennewt]

Chapter 2: the eagerly-awaited sequel to a much-loved thread. Congratulations, Paul.

 

[jewett]

Is it known when these guys reach sexual maturity? I am interested in when you can expect your F2 generation...


PS A big congrats, Paul - I love these newts!

 

[Daniel]

Herzlichen Glückwunsch, Paul!

That's a nice success, keep up the good work and keep us updated!

 

[paul_b]

Thanks all!

Is it known when these guys reach sexual maturity?

Nobody knows!
But they grow so slow, that I fear - not earlier than 5 years!

I am interested in when you can expect your F2 generation...

F2 - a great aim!
But first we need more successful breeders of all the WC groups.

Paul

 

[robkeulers]

Paul,

are there now more people who bred them succesfully or are you still the only one?

 

[paul_b]

@Rob, last year we had other breeder, but only very few reached metamorphosis!

This year I have information about two more egg laying, but too early to say more!

Paul

 

[paul_b]

Here they are!

 

[andrew]

Hi Paul, well done on getting these guys breeding again. I've got to admit that last year i was thinking that this breeding was a happy accident and i doubted that they would breed again the following year....well, i'm glad to see that i was wrong, though i'm frustrated that mine have not bred. I have 3 pairs of Laoensis, all in perfect condition. One time i had the males tail waving and following females, i even saw spermatophores but that was it.
I have your paper with info on how you bred yours and i've got to say that i do alot of the same things that you do...i'm stumped as to why i have not had any egg laying. I wonder if there is something that you forgot to mention in your paper? perhaps the levels of daylight/ night they get?

 

[paul_b]

Hi Andy,

like all my newts I gave them in summer 15 and in winter 8 hours light with slow change!

You keep a group of 3,3 or three groups of 1,1?

My (1,1), are kept in a 200 l tank, and I think this should be the minimum tank volume for a pair!
In autumn or winter, each time when I change 2/3 of the water (filling up with cold tap water) the male starts courting.
But this year in the first month my female seemed not to be interested.
So I lowered the temperature in December at 13/14 °C and at the end of December I brought it up to 15/16 °C and the first successful mating was observed.

Paul

 

[paul_b]

The new generation - slipped today!

 

[Kaysie]

Congrats, Paul! This has been (and I hope will continue to be) an interesting thread to follow.

 

[paul_b]

Three weeks later,

all are doing fine.
Changing the whole water two times each day.
Feeding them with Artemia and microworms.

Paul

 

[robkeulers]

are that all larvae you've got this year, or are there more tanks?

I don't need to know the exact number of animals, but I am curious how many eggs they lay!

 

[paul_b]

Hi Rob,

I have little more than 40 larvae.
This year my female laid only approximately 120 eggs - last year 440!

I think nearly 100 of them are fertile.

Paul

 

[Nathan050793]

Congratulations on a 2nd consecutive breeding, keep up the good work! I would love to have a chance to keep P.Laoensis .

 

[froggy]

Congratulations Paul!

I have found, at least with P. fuzhongensis, that w/c adults breed very easily for the first couple of years, but with egg yield reducing each year, and then stop breeding even when the same conditions are given (similar to your regimen). I am wondering if there is some sort of long-scale biological clock thaty tells them its time to breed even without the correct environmental changes, which eventually fades away without being reset each year. Has anyone else had this experience with Paramesotriton?

Chris