Framingham Nature Blog - Raising Newts P2

Towards the end of February, I collected some newt larvae from my aquarium along with some newt eggs. I am now caring for them in a container with still water and a lamp above. Hopefully, I will keep them alive for long enough that I can release them into warm weather.

I am noticing the first major change since hatching right now. Little darkly colored lumps are growing laterally about half way down it's tail. I suspect these will become it's first pair of legs. They also might just be food in it's digestive system.

by the 9th, there are no obvious changes to the newt other than legs that are so tiny that they are completely useless and are hidden in their puffy gills. Now, the larval setup is beginning to become more established, growing green hair algae and black beard algae. The algal bloom was caused by excessive lighting and nitrifying snail turds. I have not found any new eggs recently. The mother newt has apparently finished her laying. The eggs are also continuing to develop, progressing from spherical zygotes into C-shaped embryos. I am anxious for the larva to get some company as the eggs hopefully hatch.

I also think that the larva's nose has gotten more pointed over time.

February 19th

February 26th

March 4th

March 11th

By the 10th, one of the eggs looks like the larva except curled up inside jelly. The first thing I do when i get home from school is check if the egg has hatched yet. It's eyes, color, and gills are visible. I can't wait for it to hatch and join it's older sibling. I may have to separate them, though, as newt larva are known cannibals. They would also compete for food. On the 11th, I was finally going to bed and checked the nursery. Under the plant with all the eggs on it, was a brand new hatchling. In the second picture, you can see the comparison between the 4 week old larva and the hatchling.

The difference in coloration is amazing. The hatchling is born with really dark colors, while the 4 week old is basically transparent. I feel a little guilty because it probably hatched prematurely because i was poking through the eggs earlier. It seems fine, though. The hatchling is barely active and will only move if it is touched. It's gills are tucked back instead of being puffed out like it's older sibling. Another one hatched the following morning. It looked exactly like the first hatchling. I am now taking care of 3 newt larvae. By the 15th, The hatchling looks exactly how the 4 week old looked when i found it. this makes me think I found the older newt about 4 days after it hatched. I am now going to call it the Month old newt.

The nursery is turning into an ecosystem now, with a large pond snail population, and thick algae growth. I see clusters of bubbles formed around algae, which also coat the surface of the water. This algae gives the Newt Larvae natural hiding places as well as added oxygen.

I frequently see them climbing the algae and in order to find the newts, i have to push the algae aside. Another egg hatched on the 20th, giving me a fourth larvae. by this point i have 1 1 month old newt, 2 1 week old newts and 1 2 day old newt. The one month old newt's legs are seriously growing now and i see it waddling around occasionally.

I am now trying to get it to eat blood worms because i am worried that microorganisms are not enough. I have also noticed that the newt siblings like to stay in a group. It is never a tight school like fish, but they tend to be condensed in one area of the nursery. On the 26th, I found a wood frog egg mass at Nupsee Pond (Above). Ideally, The tadpoles and newt larva will coexist and benefit each other. The Larvae metamorphisize into "Red Efts", while the Tadpoles should become Wood Frogs. These two species were bred from the same vernal pools, and would definitely grow up together in the wild. A single mosquito larvae also hitchhiked in with the eggs. It will hopefully be eaten by the newts.