What is it?

[mandy]

for the past 5 yrs. my kids have caught tadpoles at a nearby creek. for the past 2 yrs. they have caught what we thought were larvea salmanders.about 2-3cm. in length. the tadpoles have always survived into frogs and we have released them. the strange creaters didn't make it for more than a few days last year. this years batch is doing fine and i'm feeding them frog bits and changing the creek water often. i've done some reseach on salm/newts care but would like to know what these things are exactly. they look alot like axolotls. 4 front toes 5 back. brownish in color they goulp air and return to the bottom. i've kept frogs and turtles for years and think these things are interesting enough to raise. any help out there for a new comer?

 

[chris]

Newt larvae need living prey. If by frog bits you mean algae, this won't work. Try putting creek-water into their tank or sweeping the creek with very very fine 'daphnia nets' to catch some tiny invertabrates for food. Before adding the food, make sure there are no predators in it (waterbeetles etc.) as they will eat thenewts.
Hope this helps
Chris

 

[russ]

Where are you at? Location is the start to identifying. And do they have external gills?

RUSS

 

[mandy]

the critters where found in northeastern ohio. i am feeding them a food base of shrimp, krill, bits of pellets that i feed my african claw frog because i already had that on hand. I realized too late last year that they didn't eat the same as tadepoles might. they seem to be feasting on the bits quite well so far. they are still with us this morning. (i'm doing something right) they are a little over an inch and look very much exactly like axolotls. gills and all! the pics that i looked up on newts/salm. all where of adults so not having hours to dedicate to this identity search lead me here. people with a common interest and ability to educate.

 

[isaiah]

Do they look like this?

 

[mandy]

we're getting close. same in color with creamy lt. underside.. tail is thicker and fan like top and bottom. has four legs. your pic doesn't have a clear view of the rear area but the head looks like what i have. by the way, what are we looking at?

 

[isaiah]

Ambystoma opacum - Marbled Salamander
Here is another pic in better focus.

 

[mandy]

Hurray!

this most probibly is what they are. THANKS so much!

This site is great! I learned alot just surfing around and reading and reading and reading. The little guys are still with us too because of this site. Yesterday they ate earth worms for me. Cut up of course. My turtle experience taught me that live food is better for the tank cleaning and foul water isn't a good thing. Awful stuff!

now i'll be off to learn how to care for 2 marbled salamander larveas. i haven't put them in a permanent tank yet so thats next. which one of my spares will do? hummm.

i'm also sure that i'll be posting questions if i run into probs. again. I't helps knowing what they are. Thanks again! Mandy

 

[mandy]

Hi!I'm already back again. Have lots of questions already.

First. I'm rethinking the conclusion that i have marbles. the general color is close, brownish grey. mine have small dark spots all over and no light spots at all like the pictures. Does this matter? A GA University web site showed the marble excluded from my area. (just above and below, I'm ohio, across from wheeling wv. where it is really polluted) Anyway, i know there is time to find out what species they are.

They are eating and growing fast. one is 2 inches long and the other 1 1/2. I'm mostly concerned about setting up a semi-perminant tank for them. I looked up the care sheet for marbled salamander and found little info accept "typical aquatic" for larv. and no link to go there. Also, I tried the kingsnake link and found it huge and hard to navigate for a beginner like me.

I plan to keep them in the basement and have a sm. reptile tank left over from my turtles. my worry is the water flow. Are theses little guys too small yet for a filtered system for a 5-10 gallon circulation tank with up to 5 gal. water in it? I also have a eclipse 6 gal. not in use but would have to keep it completely filled. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

mandy

 

[isaiah]

How about this one. A. maculatum.

http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/VHS/Spotted%20Salamander%20(Ambystoma%20maculatum)%20larvae.jpg

 

[isaiah]

Sorry the previous hyperlink did not work. Here is a link with many Ambystoma larvae

http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/VHS/salamanders_of_virginia.htm

 

[mandy]

Thanks, Isaiah. That does look like them. What about the water flow for a tank? Can they handle a current for their size? At what size would it be safe?

 

[isaiah]

I morphed 5 using gladware. No filtration just container/water changes every couple days.Here are some pictures of my tank.

 

[isaiah]

And one of the five guests

 

[mandy]

He's a beauty Isaiah. What colour are his spots exactly? Is that the blue spotted thats endangered?

I have a scanner but not a digital so I'll try to post a picture soon.

I've been reading a lot of John Clares' articles and the other contributers, trying to learn as much as possible about care. The internet is full of junk sites and this site has been the most informative. Thanks so much for your help! Mandy

I

 

[isaiah]

He/She is a Ambystoma opacum - Marbled Salamander. They do not get adult coloration for a couple months. This one morphed two weeks ago.

 

[coen]

beautiful pics Isaiah!

 

[mandy]

Hi! I'm back. Heres whats going on now. This morning I found a small bite taken out of the larger salamander larvaes tail.

I feel that I'm feeding them enough because there is always something swimming in the tank and I've been feeding them extra cut up earthworms- morning and night and have had to remove what they don't eat. I also put things in for them to hide in like a few rocks and plants but they still have a bare substraight.

I't the smaller one. It seems to be very aggressive

and appears to even eat more food on observation. But, it's not catching up with the other one in size. (we know who took a bite of who)

Common sense tells me to seperate them immediatly which I will do. Now, lucky me I may have two different species to deal with for a first timer. Hope we don't have to wait till they morph to find out what they are.

Will try to post pictures if they come out clear.

I really would like to be assured that the kids didn't pluck an endangered species from our creek. We do have some protected in our state.

The first time in a while that I did not say," NO!", "Put it back!" But they are the future you. I know I have a good base with my frog hobby. Yes,those salamanders are very different but worth the time.

What do you think about the seperate species thing Or did I miss something in the fact sheets?

By the way, I know I missed the obviouse before and feel that this is one of the best sites for information that is truly realiable. KUDOS to all! Mandy

 

[kaysie]

Mandy, you're probably correct in separating them. whether or not they're different species, if they're being aggressive, they're probably best apart.

best of luck, keep us updated