Why do we need to help them find food.

[sfmmfreak]

I've read in many places around the web including here that if a Newt or Sallie don't eat their food in 15 minutes we should remove it and also when fed, their food should be placed near them. Why?

In the wild these guys hunt at night looking for their food.

Is it because the food will die? For instance Earthworms might get away and die and become waste.

I know when I feed Newton (Tylototriton kweichowensis) his nightcrawler, sometimes he doesn't eat it, but the next night i'll find him chowing down on a moving worm.

Just wondering

Thanks in advance, Linus

 

[Greatwtehunter]

Live food for the most part is OK to leave in the tank for extended periods of time. It is the frozen, pellets, and dead foods that create the issues. These foods start to foul the water very shortly after being put in the tank and this is the reason for removing it not long after you dump it in.

 

[RobM]

To extend on what Justin said,
I think also feeding salt water creatures to fresh water fish causes a problem too, the salt water creatures only have a very limited life in fresh water and will soon die and start to decay.
Earthworms are only able to live in water for a period too as they breathe oxygen through their skin, however they will eventually drown and then decay.
However these live foods should still last much longer than 15mins, it is like Justin pointed out, it is non live food that is generally the problem.

On land however is a totally different matter, most live foods will survive until it is eaten (depending on setup) and even non live food will last longer, so I think what you may have been reading may be more related to aquatic feeding.

 

[sfmmfreak]

Okay, thanks guys for the information, now i know!