Nombre común: Ajolote, axolotl, perro de agua.
Clasificación:
• Familia: Ambystomatidae.
• Subfamilia: Sin datos.
Biótopo:
Lagos y canales naturales y artificiales.
Distribución:
Es endémico de los lagos Chalco y Xochimilco de México, así como los canales que los rodean.
*Status: Es una especie en peligro de extinción por la desaparición de su hábitat natural y por la depredación que sufren por parte de especies no autóctonas introducidas por el hombre sobre todo Carassius. Por esto, hace años estaba restringida su comercialización por CITES, pero actualmente, gracias al interés despertado por este anfibio en aficionados e investigadores, esa restricción se ha eliminado, su fácil reproducción en cautividad ha conseguido rescatar a la especie de la lista de la extinción y se puede decir que gracias a estos colectivos, el ajolote no está en peligro.
Forma:
Mantiene durante toda su vida la forma de las larvas de los urodelos (salamandras y tritones). Su cuerpo es alargado, tiene un tronco compacto, la cabeza es grande con unos ojos pequeños, carecen de párpado. la boca es de gran capacidad y los diminutos dientes se disponen en hileras a la entrada de la cavidad oral. A la altura del cuello tienen las branquias, son unos apéndices digitiformes que utilizan para respirar (aunque como los demás anfibios también pueden respirar aire de la superficie y a través de su piel), las branquias tienen en la parte de atrás unas extensiones por las que circula la sangre que se va a oxigenar, son de color rojo por este motivo. La cola es aplanada lateralmente y de gran longitud casi la mitad del cuerpo del animal. En la parte de arriba, en su "espalda" hay un pliegue dorsal que va aumentando de tamaño conforme nos acercamos a la cola. Las extremidades son de aspecto frágil y quebradizo, en los ejemplares albinos y albinos parciales, se pueden observar los huesos transparentandose a través de la fina piel. Tienen 4 dedos en las patas anteriores y 5 en las posteriores. A lo largo de todo el cuerpo y sobretodo en la cola, se ven manchas más claras, como salpicadas en la piel y que son brillantes..
Coloración:
En las fotografías podemos ver tres de los cuatro tipos de coloración existentes. El silvestre es de color grisáceo, la mayoría de los ajolotes tienen esta coloración. También es muy común encontrar ejemplares leucísticos, son de color blanco con las agallas rojas que destacan muchisimo, no son albinos puesto que tienen los ojos de color negro y suelen tener manchas oscuras en la cabeza y las patas, siguen teniendo células con melanina. Otro de los tipos que hay en las fotografías es el ajolote albino total , de color amarillo claro. No tiene ningún pigmento oscuro en todo su cuerpo, sus ojos son casi transparentes y la pupila es de color amarillo también. Este tipo de coloración es resultado de una hibridación entre un Ambystoma mexicanum albino parcial y una especie muy próxima, un Ambystoma tigrinum que era albino total. El resultado fue el ajolote de color amarillo que también es llamado ajolote de Humphrey. Por último, hay una cuarta coloración que es la marrón, es muy difícil de encontrar, es una coloración muy poco frecuente.
Tamaño:
Miden aproximadamente 25 cm en estado adulto.
Diferencias sexuales:
Los machos en época de celo presentan una protuberancia detrás de las patas traseras, justo cuando comienza la cola, son los labios cloacales, que cuando están maduros los espermátoforos que contienen se hinchan. Esta es la única diferencia morfológica que permita diferenciarlos a simple vista. las hembras no tienen ese bulto en la cloaca..
Temperatura:
Es lo más importante para poder mantener a estos animales. Nunca mantener a una temperatura superior a 20ºC, de lo contrario los animales comienzan a flotar en la superficie y acaban muriendo. la temperatura ideal es de 15ºC-18ºC. La temperatura para la hibernación debe ser de unos 7ºC durante unas 3 o 4 semanas y cuando han hecho la puesta, la temperatura a la que mantener los huevos es de 20ºC.
Agua:
Los valores óptimos de pH son de 7,5 a 8. El pH no debe ser menor de 6. Debe tener una filtración importante porque los ajolotes suelen manchar bastante el acuario, lo que llevará a un aumento de los nitratos y a la aparición de algas, hongos y bacterias. los hongos y bacterias pueden producir infecciones en heridas o enfermedades asi que el agua debe renovarse cada cierto tiempo para que esté en buenas condiciones. Es aconsejable añadir productos que eliminen los metales pesados del agua asi como el cloro que pueden dañar las delicadas branquias. Aún y todo, cuando el animal sufre una herida o esta enfermo, aconsejo ponerlo en un acuario de cuarentena aislado de los demás ajolotes y con agua normal, sin haber eliminado el cloro, esto eliminará las posibles bacterias u hongos y ayudará a la rápida recuperación del animal.
Acuario:
Estos anfibios son completamente acuáticos no necesitan ningúna parte de tierra, el acuario se puede llenar en su totalidad con agua. En cuanto a capacidad, es recomendable unos 100 litros por pareja, los ajolotes pueden agredirse entre sí, a menudo a la hora de comer, asi que es aconsejable que tengan espacio suficiente, asi como escondites y cuevas donde refugiarse. Además son animales de tamaño considerable y necesitan cierto espacio para moverse. El sustrato debe ser grava de tamaño pequeño como la de un acuario normal, a veces la ingieren accidentalmente y suelen expulsarla sin problemas con las heces, pero hay gente que opina que pueden provocarles obstrucciones intestinales. Yo no he tenido ningún problema pero si quereis, podeis hacer dos cosas, no tener sustrato en el acuario o poner piedras de un tamaño considerable que no puedan ingerir. No poner piedras con bordes afilados o cortantes porque pueden hacerse heridas al pasar rozandolas.
En cuanto a las plantas, habrá que elegir las que sean adecuadas a esa temperatura, y que sean muy resistentes. los ajolotes no dañan las plantas aunque a menudo les da por desenterrarlas, pero se soluciona agarrandolas bien a las piedras del fondo.
La luz no debería ser muy abundante, se pueden poner plantas flotantes para que la luz no moleste demasiado a los ajolotes en especial si son albinos, quizá les afecte aunque tampoco lo sé con certeza. No poner otros anfibios, ni peces de ningún tipo en el acuario. Los ajolotes pueden atacarlos y comerselos ya que son sus presas naturales.Nunca poner un pleco o similar (además de ser incompatible con la temperatura) porque este tipo de peces atacan a los ajolotes creandoles horribles heridas.
El único animal que se puede poner es el caracol manzana, aunque a veces los ajolotes pueden atacarlos, no les ocurre nada gracias al caparazón. Pero deben ser caracoles grandes, los pequeños podrian ser engullidos.
Alimentación:
Debe ser variada, es mejor que sea alimento vivo sino, se les da alimento fresco o descongelado. Alimento vivo: lombrices, babosas (es asqueroso y mancha mucho pero se las comen bien), crías de ratón sin pelo (se les dan previamente muertas), peces pequeños (guppys, platys, etc...), Alimento fresco o descongelado: larva roja de mosquito, trozos de pescado, trozos de corazón de vaca (algunos ejemplares no digieren muy bien la carne, dársela sólo de vez en cuando).
En cuanto a las crías, cuando eclosionan se les debe ofrecer nauplios de artemia a diario, hasta que comienzan a salirles las patas delanteras momento en que empiezan a comer larva de mosquito rojo.
Comportamiento:
Estos anfibios son de carácter tranquilo y pasivo, excepto cuando se alimentan, pueden morderse los unos a los otros e incluso amputarse partes del cuerpo, que sin problema volverán a crecer. Sólo hay que tener cuidado y dar de comer a cada uno por separado, se acostumbran a que se les des la comida con la mano. De vez en cuando suben a la superficie para coger aire atmosférico ya que también pueden utilizarlo.
*CURIOSIDADES:
El ajolote es un anfibio con características realmente fantásticas. La más documentada y estudiada es la neotenia. Es la capacidad de reproducirse en estado larvario. Como se puede observar, el ajolote mantiene durante toda su vida la misma forma de larva, al contrario que las demás especies de urodelos que acaban convirtiéndose en salamandras o tritones. Este fenómeno les ha permitido sobrevivir a las condiciones ambientales de su zona de distribución, ya que alrededor de los lagos donde habitan hay una gran sequedad que no es apta para la vida anfibia. La neotenia se produce por la falta de hormona tiroides en una cantida suficiente como para inducir una metamorfosis, los ajolotes son anfibios hipotiroideos, sufren una degeneración en su glándula tiroides lo que provoca que produzcan poca hormona y no puedan metamorfosearse como lo hace cualquier otro anfibio. Se puede decir que el ajolote es fruto de la selección natural, en este caso, de unos individuos con una deficiencia metábolica pero que se han adaptado mejor a las condiciones ambientales que la salamandra original de la que proceden. De hecho se puede comprobar qué tipo de salamandra era la que originó esta especie neoténica. No es recomendable inducir artificialmente la metamorfosis del ajolote por su elevado índice de mortalidad y porque generalmente los individuos que llegan a metamorfosearse no logran vivir mucho tiempo, pero se puede realizar. Hay dos formas: mediante la inyección en el animal y la disolución en el agua del tanque, de hormona tiroidea, de manera que los niveles de hormona aumenten en el individuo y se lleve a cabo la metamorfosis. El segundo método es producir un estrés al animal, mediante un cambio de las condiciones del acuario, esto es lo más arriesgado porque pocos animales logran mediante estos estímulos producir hormona suficiente como para finalizar el proceso y mueren. Se trata de ir rebajando el nivel de agua del acuario a la vez que se aumenta paulatinamente la temperatura. De hecho, esta fue la forma en la que descubrieron que era un animal neoténico, en una exposición mundial se dieron estas condiciones en el acuaterrario y el ajolote se metamorfoseó de forma natural.Es muy curioso porque se ha conseguido criar a estos ajolotes de forma adulta (salamadra) y todas las crias han presentado neotenia, demostrando que este animal es neoténico puro. La neotenia se da en otras salamandras de la familia del ajolote pero no como único estado en la naturaleza, son salamandras normales excepto en algunos casos que se da neotenia.
Otra de las curiosidades de este anfibio está relacionada con su estado larvario permanente, es la regeneración de las partes del cuerpo. Los anfibios son animales con gran capacidad de regeneración de las partes perdidas o dañadas pero el ajolote las recupera en un tiempo menor y de manera más efectiva. Las células de su cuerpo no han alcanzado un desarrollo tisular completo, son equiparables a las células madre y por lo tanto pueden generar nuevas células de tejido a partir de ellas, pueden dividirse indefinidamente. Es asombroso comprobar como un ajolote que ha perdido sus cuatro extremidades, si se mantiene en unas condiciones adecuadas de asepsia, las regenerá completamente en poco más de un mes, así como la cola, las branquias e incluso partes de la cabeza y el cerebro. Esto lleva a que el ajolote haya sido objeto de estudios científicos sobre el desarrollo embrionario y las células madre embrionarias.
Reproducción:
Es relativamente fácil si están en las condiciones adecuadas. Lo más aconsejable es una sola pareja en un acuario. Hay que inducir la maduración de las gónadas mediante una hibernación que consiste en bajar la temperatura del agua unos cuantos grados durante cierto tiempo(unas pocas semanas), la temperatura adecuada está entre 13 y 16ºC. Después de este periodo se vuelve a la temperatura normal. La fecundación es interna pero sucede de una forma bastante curiosa. No hay danza aparente que conduzca al apareamiento, ni un apareamiento como tal. El macho pone un espermatóforo en el sustrato que la hembra recogerá con sus labios cloacales, de esta forma la fecundación se realiza dentro del cuerpo de la hembra (interna).
La hembra pone los huevos en paquetes pegados en la vegetación, en las piedras o sobre el sustrato. Tras la puesta hay que quitar los huevos del acuario y ponerlos en otro lugar (otro acuario o un recipiente para la cria) ya que si los ajolotes eclosionan en el acuario, sus padres pueden comerselos.
Alrededor de 3 semanas después de la puesta, las pequeñas larvas eclosionan y al siguiente día comenzarán a alimentarse. (ver alimentación) En el acuario de cria hay que poner escondites y refugios para evitar el gran porcentaje de canibalismo que suele haber en esta especie entre las larvas. Las larvas más grandes, que destacan del resto conviene que sean separadas de las demás porque probablemente hayan consumido a sus hermanos , de ahí su mayor tamaño. Se consigue una buena cuota de supervivencia de las crias que pronto alcanzarán el tamaño adulto. Hay que tener extremo cuidado en la limpieza del acuario de cria ya que el mayor porcentaje de muerte se da por hongos y otras infecciones, asi como por parásitos.
Common Name: Axolotl, axolotl, water dog.
Rating:
• Family: Ambystomatidae.
• Subfamilia: Not available.
Biotope:Lakes and natural and artificial channels.
Distribution:It is endemic to the lakes Chalco and Xochimilco in Mexico, and the surround channels.* Status: This species is endangered by the disappearance of their natural habitat and predation suffered by non-native species introduced by man particularly Carassius. For this, years ago marketing was restricted by CITES, but now, thanks to interest in this amphibian enthusiasts and researchers, this restriction is removed, easy breeding in captivity has managed to rescue the species from extinction list and we can say that thanks to these groups, the salamander is in danger.
Form:Maintained throughout his life the shape of the larvae of urodeles (salamanders and newts). Its body is long, has a compact body, the head is large with small eyes, no eyelids. the mouth is large capacity and tiny teeth arranged in rows at the entrance of the oral cavity. At the height of the neck are the gills, are finger-like appendages they use to breathe (although like other amphibians can also breathe air from the surface and through the skin), the gills are in the back of some extensions that circulating blood to be oxygenated, red is for this reason. The tail is flattened laterally and very long almost half the animal's body. At the top, in his "back" there is a dorsal fold increases in size as we approach the tail. The tips are fragile and brittle, in partial albinos albino specimens, the bones can be seen transparently through the thin skin.They have 4 toes on front paws and 5 in the post. Throughout the whole body and especially in the tail are lighter patches, and scattered in the skin and are bright ..
Colouring:In the photographs we see three of the four existing types of coloring. The gray color is wild, most salamanders have this color. It is also very common to find copies leucísticos are white with red gill stand a lot, are not albinos since they have black eyes and usually have dark spots on the head and feet still have cells with melanin.Another type is in the pictures is the total albino salamander, light yellow. You have no dark pigment around his body, his eyes are nearly transparent and the pupil is yellow too. This type of coloration is the result of hybridization between Ambystoma mexicanum partial albino and a very similar species, an albino Ambystoma tigrinum was total. The result was the yellow salamander is also called axolotl Humphrey.Finally, there is a fourth color which is brown, it is very difficult to find, is a very rare color.
Size:They measure about 25 cm in the adult.
Sex differences:The mating season males have a bulge behind the rear legs, just when you start the queue are the cloacal lips, which when ripe spermatophores containing swollen. This is the only morphological difference that allows them apart at first glance. females do not have that bump in the sewer ..
Temperature:It is most important to keep these animals. Never keep a temperature above 20 º C, otherwise the animals begin to float on the surface and eventually die. ideal temperature is 15 º C-18 ° C. The temperature for hibernation should be about 7 º C for about 3 or 4 weeks they have been laying, maintain temperature at which eggs is 20 º C.
Water:The optimum pH values are 7.5 to 8. The pH should not be less than 6. Must have significant leakage because salamanders often enough to spot the aquarium, which will lead to increased nitrate and algae, fungi and bacteria. fungi and bacteria can cause infections in wounds or illnesses so that water must be renewed every so often to be in good condition. It is advisable to add products to remove heavy metals from the water as well as the chlorine can damage the delicate gills. Still and all, when the animal suffers an injury or is sick, I suggest putting it in a quarantine tank isolated from other salamanders and ordinary water without removing the chlorine, this will remove any bacteria or fungi and help to the rapid recovery the animal.
Aquarius:These are fully aquatic amphibians do not need any piece of land, the tank can be filled entirely with water. In terms of capacity, we recommend about 100 liters per couple, the salamanders can attack each other, often at lunchtime, so it is advisable to have enough space, so as hideouts and caves to hide. Furthermore, they are animals of considerable size and need some room to move. The substrate must be small size gravel like a normal tank, sometimes expelling and often accidentally ingest without problems with the feces, but there are people who think they can cause bowel obstructions. I have not had any problems but if you want you can do two things, have no substrate in the aquarium or put stones of considerable size that can not consumed. Do not put rocks with sharp edges or sharp as they can be injured by rubbing them pass.As for plants, difficult choices that are appropriate to that temperature, and are very resistant. salamanders do not harm the plants but often gives them to dig, but hold on to fix the stones from the bottom.The light should not be very abundant, floating plants can be placed so that the light does not disturb too much of the salamanders especially if they are albino, although perhaps they are concerned not know for sure. Do not put other amphibians, or fish of any kind in the aquarium. The salamanders can attack and eat their prey as they are naturales.Nunca put a pleco or similar (besides being incompatible with temperature) because this type of fish salamanders attack thereby creating horrible wounds.The only animal that can put the apple snail, although sometimes the salamanders can attack them, are unaffected by the shell. But they must be large snails, small could be swallowed.
Food:Should be varied, it better be live food but are given fresh or thawed food. Live food: earthworms, slugs (that is disgusting and stain much but they eat well), hairless mouse pups (previously they were dead), small fish (guppies, platys, etc ...), fresh or thawed food: red mosquito larvae, fish pieces, pieces of beef heart (some individuals do not digest meat very well, give it only occasionally).As for the young, when they hatch brine shrimp should be offered daily, until they begin to stand in their front legs when they start eating red mosquito larvae.
Behavior:These amphibians are quiet and passive nature, except when feeding, they can bite each other and even amputated body parts, that no problem will grow again. Just be careful and feed each separately, they tend to give them food by hand. Occasionally they surface for breath air and can also be used.* Trivia:The salamander is an amphibian with really cool features. The most documented and studied is the neoteny. Is the ability to reproduce in the larval stage. As can be seen, the axolotl maintained throughout his life the same form of larva, unlike other species of urodeles that eventually become salamanders or newts. This phenomenon has allowed them to survive the environmental conditions of their range, since some of the lakes they inhabit is a very dry which is not suitable for amphibious life. Neoteny is caused by the lack of thyroid hormone in amounts sufficient to induce metamorphosis, the salamanders are amphibians hypothyroid suffer a degeneration of the thyroid gland which causes that produce little of the hormone and can not morph like any other amphibian . You could say that the salamander is the result of natural selection, in this case, some individuals with a metabolic deficiency but have adapted better to the environment as the original salamander origin. In fact you can check what kind of salamander was the one who originated this neotenic species. It is not advisable to artificially induce the metamorphosis of the salamander by its high mortality rate and because individuals generally fail to reach morph live long, but can be done. There are two ways: by injecting the animal and the dissolution in the water tank, thyroid hormone, so that hormone levels increase in the individual and the metamorphosis takes place. The second method is to produce a stress to the animal, by changing the conditions of the aquarium, this is the most risky because few animals brought about by these stimuli produce enough hormone to complete the process and die. This is going by lowering the water level in the aquarium while gradually increasing the temperature. In fact, this was the way they discovered he was a neotenic animal in a world exhibition took place in these conditions aquaterrariums and metamorphosed axolotl natural.Es so curious because it has managed to raise these salamanders in a adult (salamadra) and all offspring have submitted neoteny, demonstrating that this animal is pure neotenic. Neoteny occurs in other salamanders of the family of the axolotl but not as the only state in nature, are salamanders normal except in some cases gives neoteny.Another curiosity of this amphibian is related to its permanent larval stage is the regeneration of body parts. Amphibians are animals with great capacity for regeneration of lost or damaged parts but the axolotl the recovery in less time and more effectively. The cells in your body have not reached a full tissue development, are similar to stem cells and therefore can generate new tissue cells from them, they can divide indefinitely. It's amazing to see how a salamander that has lost all four limbs, if kept under appropriate conditions of asepsis, the regenerated completely in just over a month, and the tail, gills and even parts of the head and brain. This leads to the salamander has been the subject of scientific studies on embryonic development and embryonic stem cells.
Reproduction:It is relatively easy if you are in the right conditions. The advice is one partner in an aquarium. We must induce the maturation of the gonads through hibernation is to lower the water temperature a few degrees for some time (few weeks), the right temperature is between 13 and 16 º C. After this period the temperature returns to normal. Fertilization is internal but it happens in a rather curious. There is no apparent dance that leads to mating, or a pairing as such. The male places a spermatophore on the substrate that the female collected with cloacal lips, so fertilization takes place within the body of the female (internal).The female lays eggs in packages taped to vegetation, rocks or on the substrate.After spawning the eggs must be removed from the aquarium and put in another place (another tank or container for breeding) that if salamanders and hatch in the aquarium, your parents can eat.About 3 weeks after the start, the small larvae hatch and begin to eat the next day.(See power) in the breeding aquarium should be put hideouts and shelters to avoid the large percentage of cannibalism usually found in this species in the larvae. Larger larvae, which stand out from the rest should be left separated from the others because they probably have consumed his brothers, hence the larger size. We get a fair share of survival of offspring that will soon reach adult size. We must take extreme care in cleaning the breeding aquarium as the highest percentage of death was given by fungi and other infections, as well as by parasites.
Rating:
• Family: Ambystomatidae.
• Subfamilia: Not available.
Biotope:Lakes and natural and artificial channels.
Distribution:It is endemic to the lakes Chalco and Xochimilco in Mexico, and the surround channels.* Status: This species is endangered by the disappearance of their natural habitat and predation suffered by non-native species introduced by man particularly Carassius. For this, years ago marketing was restricted by CITES, but now, thanks to interest in this amphibian enthusiasts and researchers, this restriction is removed, easy breeding in captivity has managed to rescue the species from extinction list and we can say that thanks to these groups, the salamander is in danger.
Form:Maintained throughout his life the shape of the larvae of urodeles (salamanders and newts). Its body is long, has a compact body, the head is large with small eyes, no eyelids. the mouth is large capacity and tiny teeth arranged in rows at the entrance of the oral cavity. At the height of the neck are the gills, are finger-like appendages they use to breathe (although like other amphibians can also breathe air from the surface and through the skin), the gills are in the back of some extensions that circulating blood to be oxygenated, red is for this reason. The tail is flattened laterally and very long almost half the animal's body. At the top, in his "back" there is a dorsal fold increases in size as we approach the tail. The tips are fragile and brittle, in partial albinos albino specimens, the bones can be seen transparently through the thin skin.They have 4 toes on front paws and 5 in the post. Throughout the whole body and especially in the tail are lighter patches, and scattered in the skin and are bright ..
Colouring:In the photographs we see three of the four existing types of coloring. The gray color is wild, most salamanders have this color. It is also very common to find copies leucísticos are white with red gill stand a lot, are not albinos since they have black eyes and usually have dark spots on the head and feet still have cells with melanin.Another type is in the pictures is the total albino salamander, light yellow. You have no dark pigment around his body, his eyes are nearly transparent and the pupil is yellow too. This type of coloration is the result of hybridization between Ambystoma mexicanum partial albino and a very similar species, an albino Ambystoma tigrinum was total. The result was the yellow salamander is also called axolotl Humphrey.Finally, there is a fourth color which is brown, it is very difficult to find, is a very rare color.
Size:They measure about 25 cm in the adult.
Sex differences:The mating season males have a bulge behind the rear legs, just when you start the queue are the cloacal lips, which when ripe spermatophores containing swollen. This is the only morphological difference that allows them apart at first glance. females do not have that bump in the sewer ..
Temperature:It is most important to keep these animals. Never keep a temperature above 20 º C, otherwise the animals begin to float on the surface and eventually die. ideal temperature is 15 º C-18 ° C. The temperature for hibernation should be about 7 º C for about 3 or 4 weeks they have been laying, maintain temperature at which eggs is 20 º C.
Water:The optimum pH values are 7.5 to 8. The pH should not be less than 6. Must have significant leakage because salamanders often enough to spot the aquarium, which will lead to increased nitrate and algae, fungi and bacteria. fungi and bacteria can cause infections in wounds or illnesses so that water must be renewed every so often to be in good condition. It is advisable to add products to remove heavy metals from the water as well as the chlorine can damage the delicate gills. Still and all, when the animal suffers an injury or is sick, I suggest putting it in a quarantine tank isolated from other salamanders and ordinary water without removing the chlorine, this will remove any bacteria or fungi and help to the rapid recovery the animal.
Aquarius:These are fully aquatic amphibians do not need any piece of land, the tank can be filled entirely with water. In terms of capacity, we recommend about 100 liters per couple, the salamanders can attack each other, often at lunchtime, so it is advisable to have enough space, so as hideouts and caves to hide. Furthermore, they are animals of considerable size and need some room to move. The substrate must be small size gravel like a normal tank, sometimes expelling and often accidentally ingest without problems with the feces, but there are people who think they can cause bowel obstructions. I have not had any problems but if you want you can do two things, have no substrate in the aquarium or put stones of considerable size that can not consumed. Do not put rocks with sharp edges or sharp as they can be injured by rubbing them pass.As for plants, difficult choices that are appropriate to that temperature, and are very resistant. salamanders do not harm the plants but often gives them to dig, but hold on to fix the stones from the bottom.The light should not be very abundant, floating plants can be placed so that the light does not disturb too much of the salamanders especially if they are albino, although perhaps they are concerned not know for sure. Do not put other amphibians, or fish of any kind in the aquarium. The salamanders can attack and eat their prey as they are naturales.Nunca put a pleco or similar (besides being incompatible with temperature) because this type of fish salamanders attack thereby creating horrible wounds.The only animal that can put the apple snail, although sometimes the salamanders can attack them, are unaffected by the shell. But they must be large snails, small could be swallowed.
Food:Should be varied, it better be live food but are given fresh or thawed food. Live food: earthworms, slugs (that is disgusting and stain much but they eat well), hairless mouse pups (previously they were dead), small fish (guppies, platys, etc ...), fresh or thawed food: red mosquito larvae, fish pieces, pieces of beef heart (some individuals do not digest meat very well, give it only occasionally).As for the young, when they hatch brine shrimp should be offered daily, until they begin to stand in their front legs when they start eating red mosquito larvae.
Behavior:These amphibians are quiet and passive nature, except when feeding, they can bite each other and even amputated body parts, that no problem will grow again. Just be careful and feed each separately, they tend to give them food by hand. Occasionally they surface for breath air and can also be used.* Trivia:The salamander is an amphibian with really cool features. The most documented and studied is the neoteny. Is the ability to reproduce in the larval stage. As can be seen, the axolotl maintained throughout his life the same form of larva, unlike other species of urodeles that eventually become salamanders or newts. This phenomenon has allowed them to survive the environmental conditions of their range, since some of the lakes they inhabit is a very dry which is not suitable for amphibious life. Neoteny is caused by the lack of thyroid hormone in amounts sufficient to induce metamorphosis, the salamanders are amphibians hypothyroid suffer a degeneration of the thyroid gland which causes that produce little of the hormone and can not morph like any other amphibian . You could say that the salamander is the result of natural selection, in this case, some individuals with a metabolic deficiency but have adapted better to the environment as the original salamander origin. In fact you can check what kind of salamander was the one who originated this neotenic species. It is not advisable to artificially induce the metamorphosis of the salamander by its high mortality rate and because individuals generally fail to reach morph live long, but can be done. There are two ways: by injecting the animal and the dissolution in the water tank, thyroid hormone, so that hormone levels increase in the individual and the metamorphosis takes place. The second method is to produce a stress to the animal, by changing the conditions of the aquarium, this is the most risky because few animals brought about by these stimuli produce enough hormone to complete the process and die. This is going by lowering the water level in the aquarium while gradually increasing the temperature. In fact, this was the way they discovered he was a neotenic animal in a world exhibition took place in these conditions aquaterrariums and metamorphosed axolotl natural.Es so curious because it has managed to raise these salamanders in a adult (salamadra) and all offspring have submitted neoteny, demonstrating that this animal is pure neotenic. Neoteny occurs in other salamanders of the family of the axolotl but not as the only state in nature, are salamanders normal except in some cases gives neoteny.Another curiosity of this amphibian is related to its permanent larval stage is the regeneration of body parts. Amphibians are animals with great capacity for regeneration of lost or damaged parts but the axolotl the recovery in less time and more effectively. The cells in your body have not reached a full tissue development, are similar to stem cells and therefore can generate new tissue cells from them, they can divide indefinitely. It's amazing to see how a salamander that has lost all four limbs, if kept under appropriate conditions of asepsis, the regenerated completely in just over a month, and the tail, gills and even parts of the head and brain. This leads to the salamander has been the subject of scientific studies on embryonic development and embryonic stem cells.
Reproduction:It is relatively easy if you are in the right conditions. The advice is one partner in an aquarium. We must induce the maturation of the gonads through hibernation is to lower the water temperature a few degrees for some time (few weeks), the right temperature is between 13 and 16 º C. After this period the temperature returns to normal. Fertilization is internal but it happens in a rather curious. There is no apparent dance that leads to mating, or a pairing as such. The male places a spermatophore on the substrate that the female collected with cloacal lips, so fertilization takes place within the body of the female (internal).The female lays eggs in packages taped to vegetation, rocks or on the substrate.After spawning the eggs must be removed from the aquarium and put in another place (another tank or container for breeding) that if salamanders and hatch in the aquarium, your parents can eat.About 3 weeks after the start, the small larvae hatch and begin to eat the next day.(See power) in the breeding aquarium should be put hideouts and shelters to avoid the large percentage of cannibalism usually found in this species in the larvae. Larger larvae, which stand out from the rest should be left separated from the others because they probably have consumed his brothers, hence the larger size. We get a fair share of survival of offspring that will soon reach adult size. We must take extreme care in cleaning the breeding aquarium as the highest percentage of death was given by fungi and other infections, as well as by parasites.
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