AquaTerra-LifeAs my big emperor scorpion (Pandinus imperator) died after I had kept it for more than 10 years, I decided to preserve it. This video is the first of two parts documenting the process of preserving this specimen.
Basically, this type of taxidermy could be used for all big invertebrates. Small invertebrates can easily be preserved just by drying them.
Further information is provided in the video, but feel free to ask in the comments if you have any questions.
Scorpion Taxidermy Tutorial (Part 1/2)AquaTerra-Life2018-10-30 | As my big emperor scorpion (Pandinus imperator) died after I had kept it for more than 10 years, I decided to preserve it. This video is the first of two parts documenting the process of preserving this specimen.
Basically, this type of taxidermy could be used for all big invertebrates. Small invertebrates can easily be preserved just by drying them.
Further information is provided in the video, but feel free to ask in the comments if you have any questions.
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough EditionHow to set up a bioactive Terrarium for TreefrogsAquaTerra-Life2023-06-02 | Hey everyone! In this video I’ll show you how I set up a naturalistic and bioactive enclosure for my Rhacophorus (Zhangixalus) arboreus, commonly known as Kinugasa Flying Frog or Forest Green Tree Frog. The tank measures 80x50x50 cm. For treefrogs, the tank should be at least 50 cm high, the higher the better. ___
General Information on Kinugasa Flying Frogs:
"Zhangixalus arboreus, also known as the forest green tree frog and Kinugasa flying frog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae endemic to Japan.
The natural habitats of Z. arboreus are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, freshwater marshes, and irrigated land. These small tree frogs spend their adult lives in trees and forests, and in breeding season gather around water sources to mate. They lay their eggs within a batch of sponge-like foam which is suspended from a tree branch, usually hanging over a pond, marsh, or slow-flowing stream. The tadpoles emerge from the eggs, wiggle their way out of the foam, and drop down into the water below. These batches of foam can often be seen hanging over ponds in the Japanese countryside in late spring. Sometimes the frogs mistakenly lay their eggs over inappropriate bodies of water, such as swimming pools, wells, or even buckets containing rainwater."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition
Song: Just Breathing (Instrumental) by NEFFEXTreating a Bsal Infection of Pet SalamandersAquaTerra-Life2023-05-12 | This video is about the treatment of a Bsal (Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans) infection in one of my fire salamanders. Luckily, pet salamanders can be treated quite easily with great chance of success. For more information watch the videos. :)
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General Information on Bsal:
"Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) is a pathogenic chytrid fungus that infects amphibian species. Although salamanders and newts seem to be the most susceptible, some anuran species are also affected. Bsal has emerged recently and poses a major threat to species in Europe and North America.
It was described in 2013 based on a strain collected from skin tissue of fire salamanders Salamandra salamandra. The pathogen, unidentified up to then, had devastated fire salamander populations in the Netherlands. Molecular phylogenetics confirmed it as related to the well known chytrid B. dendrobatidis. Like this species, it causes chytridiomycosis, which is manifested in skin lesions and is lethal for the salamanders. Damage to the epidermal layer can be extensive and may result in osmoregulatory issues or sepsis.
Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, clinical signs and pathology Another study estimated that this species had diverged from B. dendrobatidis in the Late Cretaceous or early Paleogene. While initial susceptibility testing showed frogs and caecilians seemed to be resistant to Bsal infection, it was lethal to many European and some North American salamanders. East Asian salamanders were susceptible but able to tolerate infections. The fungus was also detected in a more-than-150-year-old museum specimen of the Japanese sword-tailed newt. This suggests it had originally emerged and co-evolved with salamanders in East Asia, forming its natural reservoir, and was introduced to Europe rather recently through the trade of species such as the fire belly newts as pets. The asian origin hypothesis for Bsal is supported by additional studies which have found Bsal in wild urodela populations in Asia and in animals of asian origin being transported via the pet trade. Since the pathogens initial discovery, it has been found in several additional areas across Europe in both wild and captive populations. One study was able to detect Bsal in 7 of 11 captive urodele collections.
The description of this pathogen and its aggressiveness raised concern in the scientific community and the public, fearing that it might be a rising threat to Western hemisphere salamanders. On January 12, 2016, the U.S. government issued a directive that prohibited the importation of salamanders in order to reduce the threat posed by B. salamandrivorans."
Künstler: http://incompetech.comTiny Mudpuppy Feeding Time (Necturus maculosus)AquaTerra-Life2023-03-31 | Meanwhile the mudpuppies have grown a lot, but I still wanted to share this old footage with you. :) I got my mudpuppies from Czech breeder, as far as I know the only one who has ever bred this species in captivity.
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General Information on Common Mudpuppies:
"The common mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) is a species of salamander in the genus Necturus. They live an entirely aquatic lifestyle in parts of North America in lakes, rivers, and ponds. They go through paedomorphosis and retain their external gills. Because skin and lung respiration alone is not sufficient for gas exchange, mudpuppies must rely on external gills as their primary means of gas exchange. They are usually a rusty brown color and can grow to an average length of 13 in (330 mm). Mudpuppies are nocturnal creatures, and come out during the day only if the water in which they live is murky. Their diet consists of almost anything they can get in their mouths, including insects, mollusks, and earthworms (as well as other annelids). Once a female mudpuppy reaches sexual maturity at six years of age, she can lay an average of 60 eggs. In the wild, the average lifespan of a mudpuppy is 11 years.
Mudpuppies are small and can be compared to the size of a lizard. Mudpuppies can be a rusty brown color with gray and black and usually have blackish-blue spots, but some albino adults have been reported in Arkansas. In clear, light water, their skin gets darker, likewise in darker water, their skin gets lighter in color. At sexual maturity, mudpuppies can be 20 cm (8 in) long and continue to grow to an average length of 33 cm (13 in), though specimens up to 43.5 cm (17.1 in) have been reported. Their external gills resemble ostrich plumes and their size depends on the oxygen levels present in the water. In stagnant water, mudpuppies have larger gills, whereas in running streams where oxygen is more prevalent, they have smaller gills. The distal portions of the gills are very filamentous and contain many capillaries. Mudpuppies also have small, flattened limbs which can be used for slowly walking on the bottoms of streams or ponds, or they can be flattened against the body during short swimming spurts. They have mucous glands which provide a slimy protective coating
Mudpuppies are one of many species of salamanders that fail to undergo metamorphosis. Most hypotheses surrounding the origin of Necturus's lack of metamorphosis concern the effectiveness of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland in some salamanders, like the axolotl, produce normal thyroid hormones (THs), but cells in the organism express thyroid hormone receptors (TR) that are mutated, and do not bond correctly with thyroid hormones, leading to some salamanders in a state of perpetual juvenile-hood. In contrast to axolotls, in mudpuppies, these THs are normally expressed. However, it is believed that instead of having TH-insensitive tissues that block the effects of THs, some mudpuppy tissues, such as the external gills, have lost the ability to be regulated by TH over time. This selective insensitivity to THs suggests a normal level of activity in the hypothalamo-pituitary-thyroid axis in developing mudpuppies, unlike other salamander species.
The common mudpuppy also does not have a parathyroid gland. The majority of salamanders with parathyroid glands rely on them to help with hypercalcemic regulation; hypercalcemic regulation in mudpuppies is primarily done by the pituitary gland instead. In common mudpuppies, the purpose of the absence of a parathyroid gland is poorly understood. One reason for the absence might be the lack of variability in the climate of mudpuppies, as the parathyroid glands of salamanders vary greatly depending on seasonal changes, or whether the organism hibernates."
Necturus maculosus specimens live in streams, lakes, and ponds in the eastern part of North America. They appear in the southern section of Canada, as far south as Georgia, and from the Midwest United States to North Carolina. Behaviorally, they hide under cover such as rocks and logs during the day and become more active at night. However, in muddy waters, the mudpuppy may become active during the day. Mudpuppies can even live under the ice when lakes freeze. There is an introduced population in Maine."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition
Song: Something You Could Never Own (Instrumental) by NEFFEXEating the wormAquaTerra-Life2023-03-27 | ...The Japan Salamander Center (Akame 48 Waterfalls)AquaTerra-Life2022-10-01 | Hey everyone! Back in 2019 I visited the Japan Salamander Center in Akame 48 Waterfalls (赤目四十八滝 Akameshijuhachitakki) near Nabari (Mie Prefecture). I was able to check out not only the public exhibition, but also the backroom, to which visitors normally don't have access. There I had the great opportunity to see all the kept salamanders from larvae to adult and even handle a few of them, which was really awesome. :D I can really recommend a visit in this small but very cool aquarium and also the valley itself.
General Information on Japanese giant salamanders:
"The Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) is endemic to Japan, where it is known as Ōsanshōuo (オオサンショウウオ/大山椒魚), literally meaning "giant pepper fish". With a length of up to almost 1.5 m (5 ft), it is the second-largest salamander in the world, only being surpassed by the very similar and closely related Chinese giant salamander (A. davidianus). There are only three known members of the Cryptobranchidae family: the Japanese and Chinese giant salamanders and the Eastern hellbender. Japanese giant salamanders are widespread across rivers in southwestern Japan. The species frequently hybridizes with Chinese giant salamanders, which were introduced to the area.
Japanese Giant Salamanders can grow to be five feet long (160 cm) and 55 pounds (25 kg). The largest wild specimen on record weighed 26.3 kg and was 136 cm long. It is the second largest amphibian in the world, only next to its close relative, the Chinese Giant Salamander. Their brown and black mottled skin provides camouflage against the bottoms of streams and rivers. They have very small eyes with no eyelids and poor eye sight. Their mouths run across the width of their heads, and can open to the width of their bodies."
Künstler: http://incompetech.comWhen your food scares you 👻AquaTerra-Life2022-09-28 | ...Dice Snake Underwater Feeding (Natrix tessellata)AquaTerra-Life2022-09-21 | It's been quite a while since I posted my last video.. So I decided I'll start with sharing a really cool feeding video with you, an underwater feeding of dice snakes. :) I hope you'll enjoy it! The food items in this video are frozen smelts, powdered with supplements containing vitamin b. Normally the snakes are fed "on land" so the powder won't get rinsed off. ___
General Information on Dice Snakes:
"The dice snake (Natrix tessellata) is a Eurasian nonvenomous snake belonging to the family Colubridae, subfamily Natricinae. It is also called water snake. Females are bigger than males. Their typical size is 1.0–1.3 m (39–51 in) long. Their color may vary from greyish green to brownish or almost black, with dark spots on the back. The belly is sometimes vividly coloured in yellow or orange, with black spots, very similar to dice, hence the name. Living mainly near rivers, streams and lakes, it frequently feeds on fish. Sometimes, it feeds also on amphibians such as frogs, toads, and tadpoles. Classified as nonvenomous, N. tessellata produces a potent antihemorrhagin in its serum[4] and has been said to produce a neurotoxin through a gland in its mouth.[5] As a defence, it spreads a very bad-smelling secretion from its cloaca. Another defence mechanism is thanatosis, playing dead. During the mating season (March–May), they congregate in large groups. Egg-laying is usually in July, and one clutch consists of 10–30 eggs. The young snakes hatch in early September. Dice snakes hibernate from October to April in dry holes near the water."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition
Song: Inspired (Instrumental) by NEFFEXJapanese Sword-Tail Newts Feeding (Cynops e. ensicauda)AquaTerra-Life2020-12-22 | Just some scenes of feeding my adult group of Japanese sword-tail newts, Cynops e. ensicauda, with tubifex. Besides tubifex I feed them with bloodworms, gammarus, daphnia, artemia, and fish pellets.
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General Information on sword-tailed newts:
"The sword-tail newt (Cynops ensicauda) is an endangered species of true salamander from the Ryukyu Archipelago in Japan. It has recently been placed on Japan's Red List of Threatened Amphibians. Sometimes, sword-tail newts are called fire-bellied newts, not to be confused with the common Chinese and Japanese species, because of their bright orange bellies, which serve as a warning to predators that they are poisonous. They can be differentiated from these two species by their large size, broader heads and (against Japanese fire-bellies) smoother skin. This newt ranges from brown to black above, occasionally with an orange dorsal stripe. Some individuals may have light spotting or speckling on their backs. Sword-tailed newts can reach 12.8 cm (5.0 in) in males and 18 cm (7.1 in) in females. They are the largest living members of their genus. Females and males look significantly different in appearance. Females have much longer tails that are actually longer than the rest of their bodies. Males’ tails are much shorter and sometimes display a whitish sheen during breeding season. The sword-tailed newt is only found on the Ryukyu Archipelago, an island chain off the southern coast of Japan, as well as on many smaller surrounding islands. This newt's habitat is slow, cool, stagnant bodies of water. They are commonly found in man-made structures such as rice paddies, road-side ditches, and cattle waterholes. The two known subspecies of sword-tailed newt are C. e. ensicauda and C. e. popei. Due to the subtropical climate of its native habitat, it is more tolerant of high temperatures than other Cynops. The sword-tailed newt has no predators, so deforestation and land development are the main reasons for their endangerment."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition
Song: Wicked Things by Quincas MoreiraChinese Fire Belly Newt Metamorphosis - Larva to EftAquaTerra-Life2020-10-23 | A short video of the last larval stages and the first terrestrial weeks in the life of my Chinese fire belly newts, Cynops (Hypselotriton) orientalis.
These are melanistic animals, which means they are completely blackish-gray and lack the typical "fire" belly coloration. I mainly feed the larvae with Tubifex and Daphnia, the juveniles are mainly fed with tiny crickets, isopods and Enchytraeus.
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General Information on Chinese Fire Belly Newts:
"The Chinese fire belly newt (Cynops orientalis) is a small (2.2–4.0 inches (5.6–10.2 cm)) black newt, with bright-orange aposematic coloration on their ventral sides. C. orientalis is commonly seen in pet stores, where it is frequently confused with the Japanese fire belly newt (C. pyrrhogaster) due to similarities in size and coloration. C. orientalis typically exhibits smoother skin and a rounder tail than C. pyrrhogaster, and has less obvious parotoid glands.
Chinese fire belly newts are mildly poisonous and excrete toxins through their skin. Consisting primarily of tetrodotoxins, newts of the genus Cynops pose a medically significant threat if enough toxins are consumed, and toxins may cause numbness or irritation on skin contact."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition
Song: Si Señorita by Chris HaugenIsopod Choice Chamber - HumidityAquaTerra-Life2020-10-16 | A short and easy (school) experiment to investigate how isopods response to different environmental humidity levels. The species used in this video is the dairy cow isopod, Porcellio laevis 'Panda'.
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition
Song: Timeless by Lauren DuskiYoung Hedgehog Feeding 🦔AquaTerra-Life2020-09-04 | I know, this video doesn't really fit on my channel, but I really wanted to share this cute little guy with you. 😊 This tiny hedgehog visited me in my parents' garden and seemed to be hungry, so I gave it some earthworms, which seemed to be a good food-choice. Afterwards it disappeared in the leaf litter under the hedge again (where else...). 😄
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General Information on European hedgehogs:
"The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus), also known as the West European hedgehog or common hedgehog, is a hedgehog species found in Europe, from Iberia and Italy northwards into Scandinavia. It is a generally common and widely distributed species that can survive across a wide range of habitat types. It is a well-known species, and a favorite in European gardens, both for its endearing appearance and its preference for eating a range of garden pests. While populations are currently stable across much of its range, it is thought to be declining severely in Great Britain. [...] This species is largely nocturnal. It has a hesitant gait, frequently stopping to smell the air. Unlike the smaller, warmer-climate species, the European hedgehog may hibernate in the winter. However, most wake at least once to move their nests. They are solitary in nature with mature males behaving aggressively towards each other. Occasionally a male and female may share a hibernating spot. [...] The European hedgehog is omnivorous, feeding mainly on invertebrates. Its diet includes slugs, earthworms, beetles, caterpillars and other insects. The preferred arthropods are the millipedes Glomeris marginata and Tachypodoiulus niger as well as the ground beetle Carabus nemoralis. Some fruits and mushrooms may supplement their diet. [...] The breeding season commences after hibernation. Pregnancies peak between May and July, though they have been recorded as late as September. Gestation is 31 to 35 days. The female alone raises the litter which typically numbers between four and six, though can range from two to ten. Studies have indicated that litter size may increase in more northern climes. The young are born blind with a covering of small spines. By the time they are 36 hours old, the second, outer coat of spines begins to sprout. By 11 days they can roll into a ball. Weaning occurs at four to six weeks of age."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition
Song: Natural by Endless LoveOriental Fire-Bellied Toads Feeding Time (Bombina orientalis)AquaTerra-Life2020-08-28 | Short feeding video of my Oriental fire-bellied toads, Bombina orientalis. I mainly feed earthworms and crickets, but also isopods and other small invertebrates.
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General Information on Fire-Bellied Toads:
"The Oriental fire-bellied toad (Bombina orientalis) is a small (4 cm, 2") semiaquatic frog species found in Korea, northeastern China, and adjacent parts of Russia. An introduced population exists near Beijing. They are commonly kept as pets in land and water vivaria. B. orientalis is also known as the 'tuti toad'. It may properly be referred to as a frog, despite its common name, because of the tubercles on its back.
Like other Bombina species, B. orientalis is semiaquatic, inhabiting warm, humid forested regions. It spends most of its time on land.
Breeding takes place in the spring with the warming of the weather and increase in rain. Males call to the females with a light barking croak. They jump onto the back of any other fire-bellied toad that happens to pass by, often leading to male-male confusion, but rarely any sort of fighting. Females lay 40 to 100 eggs in a large cluster, usually around submerged plants, near the water's edge. Tadpoles hatch from the eggs in three to 10 days depending on the temperature of the water. The tadpoles begin to develop legs in 6–8 weeks, and are fully metamorphosed and begin venturing on land in 12–14 weeks."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition
Song: Orange Foot by Dan HenigRed-Eyed Crocodile Skink Family Feeding-TimeAquaTerra-Life2020-08-21 | Currently I keep three crocodile skinks (Tribolonotus gracilis) in my adults' tank: the breeding pair and a ~9 months old juvenile, though the juvenile needs to be separated soon. Most crocodile skinks are very secretive and shy and hide most of the time. "Taming" them takes a lot of time and even more patience, but it's really worth the effort to get them used to tweezers- or hand-feeding.
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General Information on Tribolonotus gracilis:
"Tribolonotus gracilis is a species of skink endemic to New Guinea.
Tribolonotus gracilis are found in New Guinea. They live in tropical forests and have also been found in human-populated areas.
They are commonly known as red-eyed crocodile skinks, or, rarely, red-eyed bush crocodile skinks.
Tribolonotus gracilis is one of the few species of lizards that vocalize when in distress. When startled, they tend to freeze and have been known to "play dead" (even when handled).
Red-eyed crocodile skinks can be sexed using the pores on their front feet as only males have these "pores". Females have only a single working ovary (right ovary), laying one egg at a time. The female often curls around the egg. They show tendencies for mother-child family groups. Male crocodile skinks will battle other males for females and females can be territorial as well."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition
Song: Get There by Silent PartnerEuropean Wood Scorpion Terrarium SetupAquaTerra-Life2020-08-16 | I recently got a group of European wood scorpions of the genus Euscorpius, which I will keep in the shown tank. The terrarium measures 30 x 30 x 40 cm and I will keep 4 individuals in it.
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General Information on the genus Euscorpius:
"Euscorpius is a genus of scorpions, commonly called small wood-scorpions. It presently contains 17 species and is the type genus of the family Euscorpiidae - long included in the Chactidae - and the subfamily Euscorpiinae.
The most common members belong to the E. carpathicus species complex, which makes up the subgenus Euscorpius. This group is widespread from North Africa and Spain to temperate Eurasia from England and northern France through the Czech Republic to Russia.
The species range in colour from yellow-brown to dark brown. Many are brown with yellow legs and stinger. The largest is E. italicus at 5 cm (2 in), and the smallest is E. germanus at 1.5 cm (0.6 in). The venom of Euscorpius species is generally very weak, with effects similar to a mosquito bite. Some smaller specimens may not even be able to puncture the human skin with their stings.
The genus is currently undergoing revision and the status of taxa is liable to change."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Please Advise by Reed MathisSimple Isopod Setups (for Keeping and Breeding)AquaTerra-Life2020-04-26 | In this video I'll show you a simple and yet very useful way to set up isopod tanks.
If you have any questions to the setup, the components I used, or anything else, feel free to ask!
Some macro-videos of my different isopod groups will follow soon! ;)
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition
Song: My Train's A Comin' by Unicorn HeadsMekong Snail-Eating Turtle - Feeding TimeAquaTerra-Life2020-04-19 | A few sequences of the snail-eating turtles (Malayemys subtrijuga) eating their favorite food - snails. Filmed in the Museum Koenig, Bonn (Germany).
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General Information on Malayemys subtrijuga:
"The Mekong snail-eating turtle (Malayemys subtrijuga) is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae. It was monotypic within the genus Malayemys until Brophy (2004, 2005) reevaluated (based on morphology) Malayemys macrocephala (Gray, 1859), which has been long time considered to be a synonym of M. subtrijuga.
The Mekong snail-eating turtle is found in the Mekong River basin of Cambodia, Laos, southern Vietnam, and Thailand and the northern Malay Peninsula, and Java, Indonesia. It could have been introduced to Java via human intervention from the Mekong River Basin. The occurrence of the species in Indonesia is regarded by Brophy (2005) to be allochthonous, i.e., non-native (Sumatra) or extinct (Java)."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition
Song: Potato Deal by Craig MacArthurDumpy Treefrog Tadpoles Feeding TimeAquaTerra-Life2020-03-25 | Some time ago I got a group of tadpoles of the Australian green treefrog (Litoria caerulea) from a friend. I mostly feed them with cucumber, flake food, different wafers, and frozen bloodworms and brine shrimps.
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General Information on Australian Green Tree Frogs:
"The Australian green tree frog, simply green tree frog in Australia, White's tree frog, or dumpy tree frog (Litoria caerulea) is a species of tree frog native to Australia and New Guinea, with introduced populations in New Zealand and the United States. The species belongs to the genus Litoria. It is physiologically similar to some species of the genus, particularly the magnificent tree frog (L. splendida) and the giant tree frog (L. infrafrenata).
The green tree frog is larger than most Australian frogs, reaching 10 cm (4 in) in length. The average lifespan of the frog in captivity, about 16 years, is long in comparison with most frogs. Green tree frogs are docile and well suited to living near human dwellings. They are often found on windows or inside houses, eating insects drawn by the light. The green tree frog screams when it is in danger to scare off its foe, and squeaks when it is touched.
Due to its physical and behavioural traits, the green tree frog has become one of the most recognisable frogs in its region, and is a popular exotic pet throughout the world. The skin secretions of the frog have antibacterial and antiviral properties that may prove useful in pharmaceutical preparations.
The green tree frog can grow up to 10 cm (4 in) in length. Its color depends on the temperature and colour of the environment, ranging from brown to green; the ventral surface is white. The frog occasionally has small, white, irregularly shaped spots on its back. At the end of its toes, it has large discs, which provide grip while climbing. The eyes are golden and have horizontal irises, typical of the Litoria genus. The fingers are about one-third webbed, and the toes nearly three-quarters webbed."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition
Song: Old Vienna by Endless LoveJuvenile Red-Eyed Crocodile Skinks (Tribolonotus gracilis)AquaTerra-Life2019-12-23 | Merry Christmas!
As I don't have time to make some more new videos, here's at least some old footage of some of my juvenile crocodile skinks. I hope I'll be able to produce some more videos again next year.
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General Information on Tribolonotus gracilis:
"Tribolonotus gracilis is a species of skink endemic to New Guinea.
Tribolonotus gracilis are found in New Guinea. They live in tropical forests and have also been found in human-populated areas.
They are commonly known as red-eyed crocodile skinks, or, rarely, red-eyed bush crocodile skinks.
Tribolonotus gracilis is one of the few species of lizards that vocalize when in distress. When startled, they tend to freeze and have been known to "play dead" (even when handled).
Red-eyed crocodile skinks can be sexed using the pores on their front feet as only males have these "pores". Females have only a single working ovary (right ovary), laying one egg at a time. The female often curls around the egg. They show tendencies for mother-child family groups. Male crocodile skinks will battle other males for females and females can be territorial as well."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Sunshine by The Mini VandalsAlpine Newts (Ichthyosaura alpestris alpestris)AquaTerra-Life2019-11-14 | Just some scenes of my alpine newts. I keep a group of three alpine newts of the nominate subspecies Ichthyosaura a. alpestris. If you want to see their tank setup video, go here: youtu.be/oLVYgVb6Gnc
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General Information on alpine newts:
"The alpine newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris, formerly Triturus alpestris and Mesotriton alpestris) is a newt of the salamander order Caudata (or Urodela) in the class of amphibians. During the mating season early in the year, the males exhibit dark-blue colouring on their backs; their flanks have white-black-spotted stripes below sky-blue stripes, and their bellies are bright orange. The females, in water camouflage, are mottled brown and have some weak spotting on their backs. The biggest of the males can reach up to 9 cm, and the females up to 12 cm in length. After the mating season, they return their original color of mottled brown. Alpine newts typically inhabit forests with good access to water in hilly to mountainous regions. They are mostly absent in forest-poor areas. They populate well in thick deciduous forests, as well as parkland and natural gardens. Outside the spawning season, Alpine newts live terrestrially. During the day it stays in all kinds of undergrowth, but during the mating season in cool water (forest pools, artificial pools). After the adults come out of winter dormancy, they migrate to their spawning pools. Alpine newts were originally confined to Central Europe and mountainous Southern Europe, as well as an isolated area on the northern Iberian Peninsula. The species was introduced to southern England in the 1930s and several populations have become established as far north as Sunderland."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Lovely Afternoon Breeze by The 126ersScorpion Taxidermy Tutorial (Part 2/2)AquaTerra-Life2019-10-12 | I'm very sorry for the long delay, but finally, here is the second part!
As my big emperor scorpion (Pandinus imperator) died after I had kept it for more than 10 years, I decided to preserve it. This video is the second of two parts documenting the process of mounting this specimen. Part 1: youtu.be/soojJ_Mu8tQ
Basically, this type of taxidermy could be used for all big invertebrates. Small invertebrates can easily be preserved just by drying them.
Further information is provided in the video, but feel free to ask in the comments if you have any questions.
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough EditionBurst Horned Baboon Tarantula catching 2 Crickets (feeding timelapse)AquaTerra-Life2019-10-04 | Feeding time for my Ceratogyrus darlingi, commonly referred to as burst horned baboon or African rear-horned baboon tarantula. I accidentally threw in two crickets at once, but no problem for my C. darlingi, she just caught both and then went back into her burrow. C. darlingi can be very fast and tend to be quite aggressive. However, they usually hide in their burrows and will just retreat into their tunnel system when disturbed.
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General Information on Ceratogyrus darlingi:
"Ceratogyrus darlingi (commonly called burst horned baboon tarantula or African rear-horned baboon tarantula, synonym Ceratogyrus bechuanicus) is a theraphosid spider from southern Africa, mainly Botswana and Lesotho. They reach a body length of about 5 inches (130 mm) and are ash-gray, mud-brown to black. The peltidium features a black foveal horn.
C. darlingi, often still known under its obsolete name C. bechuanicus, is the most common Ceratogyrus species held in captivity, although it is very aggressive and fast. When kept in captivity, it requires dry substrate, such as coconut fiber, on which to live. This allows it to burrow, and also will allow it to avoid fungal infection. They are obligatory burrowers. As this species is from a very arid habitat, it cannot cope with too much moisture.
They will readily take crickets, roaches and superworms but tend to shy away from large prey items. Food is usually pulled in and eaten inside the burrow. Molting also occurs inside the burrow.
Pairs will breed readily and quickly. Females could live an approximate 10 to 12 years in captivity."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Searching For You by White HexAlpine Newt Setup: a Tank for Aquatic NewtsAquaTerra-Life2019-09-27 | This is the new tank setup for my group of three alpine newts, Ichthyosaura alpestris alpestris. It's a 60L tank measuring 60x30x30 cm. This type of setup is suitable for many aquatic newts, for example also for newts of the genera Cynops, Hypselotriton and Triturus. No heating is used, most newts prefer temperatures below and up to 20 °C. More information is given in the video.
If you have any questions to this setup, feel free to ask! :)
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General Information on alpine newts:
"The alpine newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris, formerly Triturus alpestris and Mesotriton alpestris) is a newt of the salamander order Caudata (or Urodela) in the class of amphibians. During the mating season early in the year, the males exhibit dark-blue colouring on their backs; their flanks have white-black-spotted stripes below sky-blue stripes, and their bellies are bright orange. The females, in water camouflage, are mottled brown and have some weak spotting on their backs. The biggest of the males can reach up to 9 cm, and the females up to 12 cm in length. After the mating season, they return their original color of mottled brown. Alpine newts typically inhabit forests with good access to water in hilly to mountainous regions. They are mostly absent in forest-poor areas. They populate well in thick deciduous forests, as well as parkland and natural gardens. Outside the spawning season, Alpine newts live terrestrially. During the day it stays in all kinds of undergrowth, but during the mating season in cool water (forest pools, artificial pools). After the adults come out of winter dormancy, they migrate to their spawning pools. Alpine newts were originally confined to Central Europe and mountainous Southern Europe, as well as an isolated area on the northern Iberian Peninsula. The species was introduced to southern England in the 1930s and several populations have become established as far north as Sunderland."
"Der Bergmolch oder Alpenmolch (Ichthyosaura alpestris; Syn.: Triturus alpestris, zwischenzeitlich auch Mesotriton alpestris; vgl.: Triturus) gehört zur Ordnung der Schwanzlurche innerhalb der Klasse der Amphibien. Die Art ist in Teilen Europas verbreitet. Während der Paarungszeit im Frühjahr weisen die bis zu neun Zentimeter langen Männchen eine blaue Rückenfärbung auf; ihre Flanken sind schwarz-weiß gepunktet und zum Bauch hin von einem blauen Streifen begrenzt. Der flache, gerade (nicht gezackte) Rückenkamm ist abwechselnd gelblich-schwarz getupft. Die bis zu zwölf Zentimeter langen Weibchen sind in Wassertracht dunkelgrau-braun-grünlich marmoriert und zeigen eine etwas schwächere Flankenpunktierung. Die zentrale Bauchseite beider Geschlechter ist leuchtend orange bis zinnoberrot gefärbt und – im Gegensatz zu anderen Molcharten – normalerweise ungefleckt. Nach dem Ende der Laichzeit ab Mai verlassen die erwachsenen Tiere das Gewässer wieder und entwickeln allmählich eine unscheinbarere Landtracht. Diese zeichnet sich durch eine oberseits dunkle, fast schwarze, granulierte, stumpfe und wasserabweisende Haut aus. Der Bauch bleibt noch etwas orange, ist aber weniger farbintensiv als in der Wassertracht.
Der Bergmolch ist ein typischer Bewohner von gewässerreichen Wäldern in hügeligen bis bergigen Landschaften – oft ist er dabei mit dem Fadenmolch vergesellschaftet, welcher aber insgesamt seltener ist. Er fehlt meist in waldarmen Gegenden. Neben dichten Laubwäldern werden auch parkähnliche Gelände und naturnahe Gärten besiedelt. Der Bergmolch ist außerhalb der Laichzeit ein nachtaktives Landtier. Tagsüber hält er sich in vielerlei schattigen Verstecken auf, beispielsweise unter Steinen oder Holz. Nachts geht er auf die Jagd nach Käfern, Regenwürmern und anderem Kleingetier. Zu seinen Hauptfeinden zählen Forellen, andere Fische und Larven der Blaugrünen Mosaikjungfer, welche vor allem die Molchlarven erbeuten. Nach dem „Erwachen“ aus der Winterstarre im Februar/März wandern Bergmolche sofort zu Gewässern in der Nähe – vor allem Waldtümpel und -seen, Löschwasserteiche, Wildsuhlen und wassergefüllte Wagenspuren auf Forstwegen. Diese können durchaus auch kühl, schattig und vegetationslos sein."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Happy Sixth by Freedom Trail StudioHida Salamanders Moving In (Hynobius kimurae)AquaTerra-Life2019-03-11 | After the new setup for my group of Hida salamanders (Hynobius kimurae) is finished (setup video and information: youtu.be/RtWgoT0YP8Q), it's time to let them move in. So here's a short video of these salamanders in their new tank. The group consists of four adult H. kimurae and one adult H. nigrescens.
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General Information on Hynobius kimurae:
"The Hida salamander (Hynobius kimurae) is a species of salamander in the family Hynobiidae, the Asiatic salamanders. It is endemic to Japan. It lives in deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests, where it breeds in streams."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Carefree by Kevin MacLeod
Carefree von Kevin MacLeod ist unter der Lizenz "Creative Commons Attribution" (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0) lizenziert. Quelle: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1400037 Künstler: http://incompetech.comJuvenile Orange Fire Salamanders (Salamandra s. terrestris)AquaTerra-Life2019-02-26 | Some sequences of the young red/orange fire salamanders (Salamandra s. terrestris 'Solling'). I will try to produce some more footage with better lighting, as these sequences do not really show the actual coloration of the young salamanders. These salamanders descend from a population in the German mountain range 'Solling'. At 0:44 and in the last photo you can see the color difference of a 'normal' yellow colored salamander and the red/orange ones.
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General Information on Fire Salamanders:
"The fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) is possibly the best-known salamander species in Europe. It is black with yellow spots or stripes to a varying degree; some specimens can be nearly completely black while on others the yellow is dominant. Shades of red and orange may sometimes appear, either replacing or mixing with the yellow according to subspecies. Fire salamanders can have a very long lifespan; one specimen lived for more than 50 years in Museum Koenig, a German natural history museum. Fire salamanders live in central European forests and are more common in hilly areas. They prefer deciduous forests, since they like to hide in fallen leaves and around mossy tree trunks. They need small brooks or ponds with clean water in their habitat for the development of the larvae. Whether on land or in water, fire salamanders are inconspicuous. They spend much of their time hidden beneath stones, wood or other objects. They are active in the evening and the night, but on rainy days they are active in daytime as well."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Locally Sourced by Jason FarnhamHow to Build a Natural Amphibian Terrarium: New Hida Salamander SetupAquaTerra-Life2019-01-30 | Time to set up a new tank for my hida salamanders. Basically, this type of setup is suitable for many salamanders and also other terrestrial (and mainly ground-dwelling) amphibians.
Information on the setup: Tank size: 80 cm x 35 cm x 40 cm. Base layer: styrofoam, to prevent waterlogging. Soil: mixture of coco ground and forest soil (/top soil), "Clean-up-Crew": earthworms, isopods, springtails and more invertebrates (not specifically shown in the video). Plants: mainly different ferns and mosses. Other hidings: (cork) bark pieces, halved clay pots. Lighting: Aquarium LED Light.
I'll keep my five Hida salamanders (Hynobius kimurae) in this tank. Adiitionally, an adult male Japanese black salamander (H. nigrescens) will live in this tank for some time.
If you have any questions to this setup, feel free to ask! :)
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General Information on Hynobius kimurae:
"The Hida salamander (Hynobius kimurae) is a species of salamander in the family Hynobiidae, the Asiatic salamanders. It is endemic to Japan. It lives in deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests, where it breeds in streams."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song:Fire Salamander Night Hunt (Salamandra s. terrestris)AquaTerra-Life2018-12-14 | Just a short timelapse of my juvenile fire salamanders hunting crickets at night. Sorry for the bad quality, unfortunately my infrared camera does not produce high quality footage.
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General Information on Fire Salamanders:
"The fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) is possibly the best-known salamander species in Europe. It is black with yellow spots or stripes to a varying degree; some specimens can be nearly completely black while on others the yellow is dominant. Shades of red and orange may sometimes appear, either replacing or mixing with the yellow according to subspecies. Fire salamanders can have a very long lifespan; one specimen lived for more than 50 years in Museum Koenig, a German natural history museum. Fire salamanders live in central European forests and are more common in hilly areas. They prefer deciduous forests, since they like to hide in fallen leaves and around mossy tree trunks. They need small brooks or ponds with clean water in their habitat for the development of the larvae. Whether on land or in water, fire salamanders are inconspicuous. They spend much of their time hidden beneath stones, wood or other objects. They are active in the evening and the night, but on rainy days they are active in daytime as well."
Song: Retro by Wayne JonesRed-Eyed Crocodile Skink Terrarium Setup || Helmskink (/Buschkrokodil) TerrariumAquaTerra-Life2018-10-07 | I renewed the substrate of this tank and added some new plants. In this tank I keep a pair of red-eyed crocodile skinks, Tribolonotus gracilis. To see the initial setup and for further information, check out this video: youtu.be/PHzlqEYz6cw
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General Information on Tribolonotus gracilis:
"Tribolonotus gracilis is a species of skink endemic to New Guinea.
Tribolonotus gracilis are found in New Guinea. They live in tropical forests and have also been found in human-populated areas.
They are commonly known as red-eyed crocodile skinks, or, rarely, red-eyed bush crocodile skinks.
Tribolonotus gracilis is one of the few species of lizards that vocalize when in distress. When startled, they tend to freeze and have been known to "play dead" (even when handled).
Red-eyed crocodile skinks can be sexed using the pores on their front feet as only males have these "pores". Females have only a single working ovary (right ovary), laying one egg at a time. The female often curls around the egg. They show tendencies for mother-child family groups. Male crocodile skinks will battle other males for females and females can be territorial as well."
Allgemeine Informationen über Tribolonotus gracilis:
"Das Rotaugen-Buschkrokodil (Tribolonotus gracilis) gehört nicht zu den Krokodilen, sondern zur Gattung der Helmskinke (Tribolonotus). Es wird daher auch Rotaugen-Helmskink oder Orangeaugen-Helmskink genannt.
Dieser Helmskink ist in Neuguinea beheimatet.
Durch sein krokodilähnliches Aussehen erhielt das Rotaugen-Buschkrokodil im Deutschen und auch im Englischen (Crocodile Skink) seinen Namen. Es wird (im Terrarium beobachtet) bis ca. 10 Jahre alt und erreicht eine Größe von ca. 17–20 cm, Rumpflänge 9–11 cm. Tribolonotus gracilis unterscheidet sich von anderen Tribolonotus-Arten durch vier Reihen großer Schuppen auf dem Rücken, andere Arten haben nur ein bis zwei solcher Reihen. Vier dorsale Reihen gibt es außer bei Tribolonotus gracilis auch bei Tribolonotus novaeguineae, ebenfalls in Neuguinea beheimatet.
Die männlichen Skinke werden mit ca. drei Jahren geschlechtsreif. Bei den Männchen befinden sich fast weiße Poren zwischen der dritten und vierten Zehe der Hinterbeine. Die dunkle Schwanzfärbung auf der Bauchseite geht langsam in eine hellere Färbung über. Die weiblichen Skinke werden mit ca. vier bis fünf Jahren geschlechtsreif. Bei den Weibchen gibt es einen abrupten Farbwechsel auf der Bauchseite. Die Geschlechtsreife erkennt man, da die Tiere einen auffälligen gelb-orangen Fleck am Kinn bekommen.
Alle 9–10 Wochen legt das Weibchen ein Ei ab, bis zu zehn Eier im Jahr. Die Ablage von einzelnen Eiern ist ein Merkmal der Gattung Trilobonotus. Eine Art, Tribolonotus schmidti ist vivipar, es kommen aber auch bei dieser Art nur einzelne Junge zur Welt. Die linke Seite des Eierstocks und Eileiter der Weibchen sind verkümmert, ebenfalls eine Eigenheit der gesamten Gattung. Das Ei wiegt zwischen zwei bis vier Gramm und ist 8–20 mm groß. Geschlüpfte Jungtiere sind etwa 4,0–7,5 cm groß und unterscheiden sich von den Elterntieren."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough EditionRed-Eyed Crocodile Skinks Breeding (Tribolonotus gracilis) || Rotaugen-Helmskink PaarungAquaTerra-Life2018-09-26 | Sorry for the bad quality. I didn't want to disturb these two longer than necessary to get at least some pictures of them. Anyway, this video shows the interesting mating behavior of red-eyed crocodile skinks, Tribolonotus gracilis, and a few photos of eggs and juveniles in the end.
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General Information on Tribolonotus gracilis:
"Tribolonotus gracilis is a species of skink endemic to New Guinea.
Tribolonotus gracilis are found in New Guinea. They live in tropical forests and have also been found in human-populated areas.
They are commonly known as red-eyed crocodile skinks, or, rarely, red-eyed bush crocodile skinks.
Tribolonotus gracilis is one of the few species of lizards that vocalize when in distress. When startled, they tend to freeze and have been known to "play dead" (even when handled).
Red-eyed crocodile skinks can be sexed using the pores on their front feet as only males have these "pores". Females have only a single working ovary (right ovary), laying one egg at a time. The female often curls around the egg. They show tendencies for mother-child family groups. Male crocodile skinks will battle other males for females and females can be territorial as well."
Allgemeine Informationen über Tribolonotus gracilis:
"Das Rotaugen-Buschkrokodil (Tribolonotus gracilis) gehört nicht zu den Krokodilen, sondern zur Gattung der Helmskinke (Tribolonotus). Es wird daher auch Rotaugen-Helmskink oder Orangeaugen-Helmskink genannt.
Dieser Helmskink ist in Neuguinea beheimatet.
Durch sein krokodilähnliches Aussehen erhielt das Rotaugen-Buschkrokodil im Deutschen und auch im Englischen (Crocodile Skink) seinen Namen. Es wird (im Terrarium beobachtet) bis ca. 10 Jahre alt und erreicht eine Größe von ca. 17–20 cm, Rumpflänge 9–11 cm. Tribolonotus gracilis unterscheidet sich von anderen Tribolonotus-Arten durch vier Reihen großer Schuppen auf dem Rücken, andere Arten haben nur ein bis zwei solcher Reihen. Vier dorsale Reihen gibt es außer bei Tribolonotus gracilis auch bei Tribolonotus novaeguineae, ebenfalls in Neuguinea beheimatet.
Die männlichen Skinke werden mit ca. drei Jahren geschlechtsreif. Bei den Männchen befinden sich fast weiße Poren zwischen der dritten und vierten Zehe der Hinterbeine. Die dunkle Schwanzfärbung auf der Bauchseite geht langsam in eine hellere Färbung über. Die weiblichen Skinke werden mit ca. vier bis fünf Jahren geschlechtsreif. Bei den Weibchen gibt es einen abrupten Farbwechsel auf der Bauchseite. Die Geschlechtsreife erkennt man, da die Tiere einen auffälligen gelb-orangen Fleck am Kinn bekommen.
Alle 9–10 Wochen legt das Weibchen ein Ei ab, bis zu zehn Eier im Jahr. Die Ablage von einzelnen Eiern ist ein Merkmal der Gattung Trilobonotus. Eine Art, Tribolonotus schmidti ist vivipar, es kommen aber auch bei dieser Art nur einzelne Junge zur Welt. Die linke Seite des Eierstocks und Eileiter der Weibchen sind verkümmert, ebenfalls eine Eigenheit der gesamten Gattung. Das Ei wiegt zwischen zwei bis vier Gramm und ist 8–20 mm groß. Geschlüpfte Jungtiere sind etwa 4,0–7,5 cm groß und unterscheiden sich von den Elterntieren."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: The Bluest Star by The 126ersHow to Set Up a (Bioactive) Terrarium for Arboreal Tarantulas || Baumvogelspinnen-TerrariumAquaTerra-Life2018-07-11 | In this video I show you the setups for my two juvenile Venezuelan sun tigers (Psalmopeus irminia). This type of setup is suitable for most other arboreal tarantulas, like for example tiger spiders (Poecilotheria), too. As I use live plants to establish a stable microclimate and tiny ground-dwelling invertebrates to keep the tank clean, this is to some extent a bioactive setup.
In diesem Video zeige ich die Terrarien meiner beiden juvenilen Psalmopoeus irminia. Die Art des Beckens kann für die meisten Baumbewohner genutzt werden, zum Beispiel für andere Psalmopoeus Arten oder auch Poecilotheria Arten.
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General Information on Psalmopoeus irminia:
"The Venezuelan suntiger (Psalmopoeus irminia) is a striking tarantula species from Venezuela and hence considered a New World species. It has hairy legs which are typically dark in color (pronominally black) with a black carapace. Males are generally a slightly lighter, more faded color than females. The female has a striking coloration with bright orange chevrons on their long legs and a tiger stripe design on its abdomen. It is a large species, regularly reaching lengths of up to 6 inches. It has a medium growth rate and is an arboreal (tree dwelling) species.
It has an aggressive temperament and is quite skittish and unpredictable with considerable speed when it rushes. It is unable to keep up these high speeds for long. It is not recommended to handle this species because of its disposition and also due to the strong venom which can come in the form of multiple bites. The venom of the P. irminia is quite potent and can have a lot of negative effects such as full body aches, fever, and lightheadedness. However, it is important to note that like all other tarantula species, the venom cannot kill you. If given a choice, it would rather flee. This species is not recommended for inexperienced owners.
It thrives with temperatures of 80/85 °F with 75/80% humidity levels. Being an arboreal species, it requires a tall enclosure. Height is more important than floor space, and often the spider will make use of something to allow it to climb, such as cork bark. It will only require about 2 inches of substrate. It has a tendency to web up the enclosure."
"Die Psalmopoeus irminia (im Deutschen manchmal Venezuela-Ornament-Vogelspinne genannt) ist eine Webspinne aus der Familie der Vogelspinnen (Theraphosidae).
Die Weibchen von Psalmopoeus irminia erreichen eine Körperlänge von 5 bis 7 cm. Das Opisthosoma zeigt auf schwarzem Grund paarige orangefarbene Querstreifen in Form eines Fischgrätmusters. Die samtige Behaarung des Hinterleibs und das an ein Tigerfell erinnernde Farbmuster hat dieser Vogelspinne im Englischen den Namen Venezuelan Sun Tiger (Venezolanischer Sonnentiger) eingebracht. Auffällig sind auch die orangen Längsstreifen auf den Metatarsen und Tarsen. Die Beine sind lang behaart, die Behaarung der Tibien und Patellen bis zu den Tarsen zeigt oft eine graublaue Färbung. Das Prosoma ist oberseits glatt und weist einen metallischen Glanz auf. Die Männchen sind wesentlich kleiner als die Weibchen und weniger farbenprächtig. Sie erinnern in der Färbung an die etwas größere verwandte Art Psalmopoeus cambridgei. Die Zeichnung auf dem Hinterleib ist nicht sehr deutlich ausgeprägt und fehlt manchmal ganz. Die Beine sind dichter behaart als die der Weibchen. Mit etwa eineinhalb Jahren werden die Männchen geschlechtsreif. Nach der letzten Reifehäutung sind sie einheitlich grau, mit einem grünlich schimmernden Prosoma, einem leicht bräunlichem Opisthosoma und verblassten Längsstreifen über Tarsen und Metatarsen aller Beinpaare. Sie leben dann nur noch mehrere Wochen bis Monate. Die Weibchen brauchen bis zur Geschlechtsreife 2 bis 3 Jahre und können bis zu zwölf Jahre alt werden. Zu den Merkmalen, die von allen Arten der Gattung Psalmopoeus bekannt sind, zählt das Stridulationsorgan, mit dem die Spinne Töne erzeugen kann. Auf dem Hinterleib hat diese Gattung anders als viele andere nord- und südamerikanische Vogelspinnenarten keine Reizhaare, die diese als Abwehrmechanismus einsetzen könnte."
The carpet plants setup is running for more than 100 days now, and the plants I have grown from seeds have grown like crazy. Seems like newts produce quite a good fertilizer. :D Actually this was already the second trimming in total, but the first 'big' one. I tested it a few weeks earlier on parts of the plants, to see if they will grow back as they should. They did, so I could finally trim the whole tank. I'm really happy with the outcome after trimming this jungle. All newts have settled and even the smallest spend much time in water. Still many shrimps roaming around, as most of them seem to be too fast to be eaten.
Das 'carpet plant'-Setup läuft nun seit über 100 Tagen und die Pflanzen, die ich aus Samen gezogen habe, wachsen wie verrückt. Molche produzieren scheinbar einen guten Dünger. :D Daher wurde es Zeit alle Pflanzen ordentlich zurückzuschneiden. Ich hatte ein paar Wochen früher bereits an einer kleinen Stelle getestet, ob die Pflanzen nach dem Zurückschneiden auch wieder gut nachwachsen. Da sie das getan haben, konnte ich endlich das ganze Becken trimmen. Mit dem Ergebnis bin ich sehr zufrieden. Alle Molche haben sich gut eingelebt, auch die kleinsten verbringen mittlerweile viel Zeit im Wasser. Garnelen sind auch noch immer viele unterwegs, die meisten scheinen zu schnell zu sein um gefressen zu werden.
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General Information on sword-tailed newts:
"The sword-tail newt (Cynops ensicauda) is an endangered species of true salamander from the Ryukyu Archipelago in Japan. It has recently been placed on Japan's Red List of Threatened Amphibians. Sometimes, sword-tail newts are called fire-bellied newts, not to be confused with the common Chinese and Japanese species, because of their bright orange bellies, which serve as a warning to predators that they are poisonous. They can be differentiated from these two species by their large size, broader heads and (against Japanese fire-bellies) smoother skin. This newt ranges from brown to black above, occasionally with an orange dorsal stripe. Some individuals may have light spotting or speckling on their backs. Sword-tailed newts can reach 12.8 cm (5.0 in) in males and 18 cm (7.1 in) in females. They are the largest living members of their genus. Females and males look significantly different in appearance. Females have much longer tails that are actually longer than the rest of their bodies. Males’ tails are much shorter and sometimes display a whitish sheen during breeding season. The sword-tailed newt is only found on the Ryukyu Archipelago, an island chain off the southern coast of Japan, as well as on many smaller surrounding islands. This newt's habitat is slow, cool, stagnant bodies of water. They are commonly found in man-made structures such as rice paddies, road-side ditches, and cattle waterholes. The two known subspecies of sword-tailed newt are C. e. ensicauda and C. e. popei. Due to the subtropical climate of its native habitat, it is more tolerant of high temperatures than other Cynops. The sword-tailed newt has no predators, so deforestation and land development are the main reasons for their endangerment."
Allgemeine Informationen über Schwertschwanzmolche:
"Der Schwertschwanzmolch ist ein mittelgroßer, gedrungen wirkender Wassermolch, der 12 bis 16 Zentimeter lang werden kann. Es wurde auch schon von 20 cm langen Exemplaren berichtet. Die Oberseite ist dunkelbraun bis schwarz gefärbt; an den Seiten verläuft oft ein gelblicher Längsstreifen, der unterbrochen sein kann. Außerdem befinden sich dort viele helle Flecken. Die Haut erscheint gekörnelt. Die Bauchseite ist meistens gelb bis orange gefärbt. Auf der Rückenmitte verläuft eine Drüsenleiste und auch seitlich am Rumpf gibt es Wülste, allerdings nur im vorderen Teil. Diese enthalten ein giftiges Hautsekret zur Abwehr von Fressfeinden. Der Schwanz ist im Querschnitt schmal-oval geformt. Während des Wasseraufenthaltes verbreitern sich die Schwanzkanten. Dieser Molch kommt in zwei Unterarten auf mehreren süd-japanischen Inseln vor. Die Nominatform Cynops ensicauda ensicauda besiedelt die Hauptinseln Honshū, Shikoku und Kyushu sowie die Amami-Inseln, Kakeroma und Tokuno. Die Unterart Cynops ensicauda popei lebt auf der Ryuku-Inselgruppe, unter anderem auf Okinawa und Kin."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition and a Huawei P8 Song: Accidents Will Happen by Silent PartnerJapanese Sword-Tailed Newts Moving into Bioactive Setup (C. e. ensicauda) || SchwertschwanzmolcheAquaTerra-Life2018-04-24 | Finally, the newts have moved in! The seeds have been growing for more than 45 days now. As the setup is now cycled, plants are strong enough and invertebrates have established populations, it's time to let the main-residents move in. In total there will live 11 Japanese sword-tailed newts (Cynops ensicauda ensicauda) in this tank. I'll see if the setup is still sufficient when all are fully grown, by now only one is adult, the others are still juveniles.
Endlich sind die Molche eingezogen! Die Samen konnten nun mehr als 45 Tage wachsen. Da das Becken mittlerweile eingefahren ist, die Pflanzen groß und fest verwurzelt sind und sich auch die Wirbellosen-Populationen gut entwickeln, ist es nun Zeit für den Einzug der Haupt-Bewohner. Insgesamt werden 11 japanische Schwertschwanzmolche (cynops ensicauda ensicauda) in diesem Aquarium leben. Wir werden sehen, ob es ausreichend groß ist wenn alle ausgewachsen sind. Bisher ist nur ein Molch adult, die anderen sind noch im Wachstum.
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General Information on sword-tailed newts:
"The sword-tail newt (Cynops ensicauda) is an endangered species of true salamander from the Ryukyu Archipelago in Japan. It has recently been placed on Japan's Red List of Threatened Amphibians. Sometimes, sword-tail newts are called fire-bellied newts, not to be confused with the common Chinese and Japanese species, because of their bright orange bellies, which serve as a warning to predators that they are poisonous. They can be differentiated from these two species by their large size, broader heads and (against Japanese fire-bellies) smoother skin. This newt ranges from brown to black above, occasionally with an orange dorsal stripe. Some individuals may have light spotting or speckling on their backs. Sword-tailed newts can reach 12.8 cm (5.0 in) in males and 18 cm (7.1 in) in females. They are the largest living members of their genus. Females and males look significantly different in appearance. Females have much longer tails that are actually longer than the rest of their bodies. Males’ tails are much shorter and sometimes display a whitish sheen during breeding season. The sword-tailed newt is only found on the Ryukyu Archipelago, an island chain off the southern coast of Japan, as well as on many smaller surrounding islands. This newt's habitat is slow, cool, stagnant bodies of water. They are commonly found in man-made structures such as rice paddies, road-side ditches, and cattle waterholes. The two known subspecies of sword-tailed newt are C. e. ensicauda and C. e. popei. Due to the subtropical climate of its native habitat, it is more tolerant of high temperatures than other Cynops. The sword-tailed newt has no predators, so deforestation and land development are the main reasons for their endangerment."
Allgemeine Informationen über Schwertschwanzmolche:
"Der Schwertschwanzmolch ist ein mittelgroßer, gedrungen wirkender Wassermolch, der 12 bis 16 Zentimeter lang werden kann. Es wurde auch schon von 20 cm langen Exemplaren berichtet. Die Oberseite ist dunkelbraun bis schwarz gefärbt; an den Seiten verläuft oft ein gelblicher Längsstreifen, der unterbrochen sein kann. Außerdem befinden sich dort viele helle Flecken. Die Haut erscheint gekörnelt. Die Bauchseite ist meistens gelb bis orange gefärbt. Auf der Rückenmitte verläuft eine Drüsenleiste und auch seitlich am Rumpf gibt es Wülste, allerdings nur im vorderen Teil. Diese enthalten ein giftiges Hautsekret zur Abwehr von Fressfeinden. Der Schwanz ist im Querschnitt schmal-oval geformt. Während des Wasseraufenthaltes verbreitern sich die Schwanzkanten. Dieser Molch kommt in zwei Unterarten auf mehreren süd-japanischen Inseln vor. Die Nominatform Cynops ensicauda ensicauda besiedelt die Hauptinseln Honshū, Shikoku und Kyushu sowie die Amami-Inseln, Kakeroma und Tokuno. Die Unterart Cynops ensicauda popei lebt auf der Ryuku-Inselgruppe, unter anderem auf Okinawa und Kin. Als Habitate werden stehende Gewässer wie verkrautete Tümpel, Bewässerungsgräben und Reisfelder bevorzugt. Außerhalb der Fortpflanzungszeit im Frühjahr gehen die Tiere ab Juni/Juli teilweise zum Landleben über und verstecken sich dann unter Steinen und Totholz."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Pioneers by Audionautix
Pioneers von Audionautix ist unter der Lizenz "Creative Commons Attribution" (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0) lizenziert. Interpret: http://audionautix.com(Fire) Salamander Terrarium Setup || Terrarium für Feuersalamander & andere AmphibienAquaTerra-Life2018-03-29 | In this video I set up a tank for my fire salamanders. Basically, this type of setup is suitable for salamanders and also other terrestrial (and mainly ground-dwelling) amphibians.
As my former fire salamander setup was already a few years old, it was time to renew the substrate, mosses and bark pieces.
Information on the setup: Tank size: 120 cm x 40 cm x 50 cm. Drainage layer: clayballs, about 10 cm high, to prevent waterlogging but still keep the general ground and air humidity at a high level. Filter cotton: to prevent soil to fall into the drainage layer. Ground layer: mixture of coco ground and forest soil (/top soil), "Clean-up-Crew: earthworms, isopods, springtails, snails and more invertebrates. Plants: European ivy (Hedera helix), different mosses. Other hidings & "decorations": bark pieces, flat stones, leaf litter. Water part: 5 L plastic box (Braplast).
Currently I keep five fire salamanders (Salamandra s. terrestris) in this tank.
If you have any questions to this setup, feel free to ask! :)
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In diesem Video richte ich das Terrarium meiner Feuersalamander neu ein. Dies Terrarien-Typ eignet sich generell für verschiedene Salamanderarten, aber auch für andere terrestrisch (und hauptsächlich bodenbewohnende) Amphibien.
Da das Becken nun einige Jahre lief, wurde es Zeit den Bodengrund, Moose und Rindenstücke zu erneuern.
Informationen zur Einrichtung: Maße: 120 cm x 40 cm x 50 cm (LBH) Drainage Schicht: Tonkugeln, etwa 10 cm hoch, beugt Staunässe vor und sorgt gleichzeitig für eine hohe Feuchtigkeit. Filtervlies: verhindert, dass Erde in die Drainage Schicht fällt. Bodengrund: Mischung aus Kokos-Grund und Walderde. "Müllabfuhr": Regenwürmer, Asseln, Springschwänze, Schnecken und andere Wirbellose. Pflanzen: Efeu (Hedera helix) und verschiedene Moose. Andere Versteckmöglichkeiten: Rindenstücke, flache Steinplatten, Laub. Wasserteil: 5 L Plastikdose (Braplast).
Momentan halte ich fünf Feuersalamander (Salamandra s. terrestris) in diesem Becken.
Falls noch Fragen offen sind, einfach fragen! :)
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Shawl Paul by Norma RockwellPerch Feeding - European Perch (Perca fluviatilis) || Flussbarsch FütterungAquaTerra-Life2018-03-23 | Feeding time for the European perches in the Vivarium exhibition in the Museum Koenig, Bonn, Germany.
Fütterungszeit der Flussbarsche im Vivarium des Museum Koenig, Bonn.
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General Information on the European perch:
"Perca fluviatilis, commonly known as the European perch, perch, redfin perch, big-scaled redfin, English perch, Eurasian perch, Eurasian river perch or common perch, is a predatory species of perch found in Europe and northern Asia. The species is a popular quarry for anglers, and has been widely introduced beyond its native area, into Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. They have caused substantial damage to native fish populations in Australia and have been proclaimed a noxious species in New South Wales.
The range of the European perch covers fresh water basins all over Europe, excluding the Iberian peninsula. Their range is known to reach the Kolyma River in Siberia to the east. It is also common in some of the brackish waters of the Baltic Sea.
European perch has been widely introduced, with reported adverse ecological impact after introduction.
The European perch lives in slow-flowing rivers, deep lakes and ponds. It tends to avoid cold or fast-flowing waters but some specimens penetrate waters of these type, although they do not breed in this habitat."
"Der Flussbarsch (Perca fluviatilis), am Bodensee Kretzer, in der Schweiz auch Egli genannt, ist ein in ganz Europa vorkommender Süßwasserfisch. Von der IUCN wird der Flussbarsch als „nicht gefährdet“ eingestuft.
Typisch sind seine geteilte Rückenflosse (typisch für viele Barschartige), sowie die rötliche Färbung der Brust- und Bauchflossen. Die Bauchflossen sind brustständig. Beide Rückenflossen (besonders die vordere) sowie die Afterflosse sind mit spitzen Stachelstrahlen (Hartstrahlen) ausgestattet (vgl. Bild). Die Häute zwischen den Flossenstrahlen weisen häufig vereinzelte schwarze Flecken verschiedener Größe auf. Wie bei vielen anderen Fischarten auch, lassen sich die Rückenflossen des Flussbarsches wie ein Fächer zusammenfalten und nach hinten wegklappen. Bei Begegnungen mit Flussbarschen führt das oft dazu, dass die zwei für die Art charakteristischen Rückenflossen dem Auge des Betrachters verborgen bleiben.
Der Körper weist Streifenmuster aus 6–8 senkrechten Streifen auf und ist grau-grün gefärbt. Das Maul ist leicht oberständig (das heißt der Unterkiefer ragt über den Oberkiefer), fast endständig.
Flussbarsche erreichen je nach Nahrungsangebot im Gewässer eine durchschnittliche Länge von 20 bis 40 Zentimetern und werden selten schwerer als ein Kilogramm. Es gibt aber auch Gewässer mit vielen Großbarschen, wie zum Beispiel das Mündungsdelta des Rheins, in denen regelmäßig Fische über 50 Zentimeter gefangen werden. Auch Exemplare von über 60 cm sind verlässlich dokumentiert, doch die absolute Ausnahme. Allerdings wachsen manche Flussbarsch-Herkünfte außerordentlich langsam. Mit 8 bis 10 Jahren sind sie erst 25 cm lang. Tesch (1955) und Thorpe (1977) fanden jedoch auch deutlich „wüchsigere“ Populationen, welche bereits als vierjährige Barsche durchaus 25 cm Gesamtlänge aufweisen können. Neben genetischen Faktoren orientiert sich das Wachstumspotential am Nahrungsangebot und weiteren Gewässerbedingungen."
Day 40: The setup could now cycle for some time, the invertebrates have settled and started reproducing. Some plants got detached by the invertebrates. This is no problem, as the carpet was a bit too dense anyways.
Tubifex, Daphnia, shrimps (Neocaridina sp.) and aquatic snails (Planorbella duryi & Physella acuta) make not only a good waste control team to keep the tank clean in a natural way, but at least some of them will also be a great food resource for the later residents.
I got the seeds from a seller in China, there shall be seeds of at least Hemianthus callitrichoides and Glossostigma elatinoides included, probably it's a mix of a few different plants. I hope they won't grow too high... We will see, I will regularly upload updates on this tank.
Tag 40: Das Setup hatte nun etwas Zeit zum einlaufen, die Wirbellosen haben sich eingelebt und bereits begonnen sich zu vermehren. Jetzt wird es nicht mehr lange dauern, bis auch meine Schwertschwanzmolche, Cynops ensicauda ensicauda, einziehen können.
Tubifex, Daphnien, Garnelen (Neocaridina sp.) und Wasserschnecken (Planorbella duryi & Physella acuta) sind nicht nur eine gute "Müllabfuhr", sondern können (zumindest zum Teil) auch eine gute Nahrungsquelle für die späteren Bewohner sein.
Die Samen stammen von einem Händler aus China, es sollen unter anderem Hemianthus callitrichoides und Glossostigma elatinoides enthalten sein. Wahrscheinlich ist es ein Mix mehrerer Pflanzenarten. Hauptsache sie wachsen nicht zu hoch... Ich werde regelmäßig Updates zu diesem Aquarium hochladen, damit man den Prozess des Wachstums gut nachvollziehen kann.
Third part of the 'growing carpet plants' series. By now all seeds have sprouted and the plants have grown very nice. So it's time to fill up the tank and to let first invertebrates move in. Tubifex, Daphnia, shrimps (Neocaridina sp.) and aquatic snails (Planorbella duryi & Physella acuta) make not only a good waste control team to keep the tank clean in a natural way, but at least some of them will also be a great food resource for the later residents.
Now it won't take long until my Japanese sword-tailed newts, Cynops ensicauda ensicauda, can move in, too.
I got the seeds from a seller in China, there shall be seeds of at least Hemianthus callitrichoides and Glossostigma elatinoides included, probably it's a mix of a few different plants. I hope they won't grow too high... We will see, I will regularly upload updates on this tank.
Dritter Teil der 'growing carpet plants'-Reihe. Da die Samen nun alle gekeimt sind und die Pflanzen schon sehr schön gewachsen sind, ist es nun Zeit das Aquarium aufzufüllen. Außerdem können auch die ersten Invertebraten einziehen. Tubifex, Daphnien, Garnelen (Neocaridina sp.) und Wasserschnecken (Planorbella duryi & Physella acuta) sind nicht nur eine gute "Müllabfuhr", sondern können (zumindest zum Teil) auch eine gute Nahrungsquelle für die späteren Bewohner sein.
Jetzt wird es nicht mehr lange dauern, bis auch meine Schwertschwanzmolche, Cynops ensicauda ensicauda, einziehen können.
Die Samen stammen von einem Händler aus China, es sollen unter anderem Hemianthus callitrichoides und Glossostigma elatinoides enthalten sein. Wahrscheinlich ist es ein Mix mehrerer Pflanzenarten. Hauptsache sie wachsen nicht zu hoch... Ich werde regelmäßig Updates zu diesem Aquarium hochladen, damit man den Prozess des Wachstums gut nachvollziehen kann.
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Patent Doll by Freedom Trail StudioNatural Terrarium Setup for Scorpions (Arid Habitat) || Skorpion-Terrarium: Trockener LebensraumAquaTerra-Life2018-02-17 | Hey guys! This setup is suitable for tiny invertebrates from very arid regions. Currently I use it for my Mesobuthus sp., a tiny European scorpion. Due to the hard, dry loam, this setup is only suitable for non-burrowing animals. Of course you replace parts of the loam-ground with normal forest soil (or sth. like topsoil). (If the scorpion tries to burrow I'll need to change the setup a bit.)
The setup: Ground: Loam Plant: Crassula ovata 'gollum' Drainage, substrate (for the plant): Gravel, garden soil mixed with sand Decorations: Dead leaves (oak leaves, partly eaten by my isopods and springtail colony, and willow leaves), dried stalks (of different plants), dry bark, mango seed shells.
That's all I used for this tiny setup.
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Dieses Terrarium eignet sich für kleine Wirbellose aus sehr trockenen Gebieten. Momentan halte ich in dem Becken meinen Mesobuthus sp., einen kleinen europäischen Skorpion. Wegen des harten, trockenen Lehmbodens eignet sich dieses Setup nur für nicht-grabende Tiere. Natürlich kann man aber einfach Teile des Bodengrunds durch Walderde (oder andere grabfähige Erde) austauschen. (Falls mein Skorpion versuchen sollte zu graben werde ich das Terrarium etwas umrichten müssen.)
Die Einrichtung: Bodengrund: Lehm Pflanze: Crassula ovata 'gollum' Drainage, Substrat (für die Pflanze): Kies, Gartenerde gemischt mit Sand Dekorationen: Trockene Blätter (Eichenblätter, teilweise von meiner Assel- und Springschwanzkolonie zerfressen, und Weidenblätter), trockene Stängel (verschiedener Pflanzen), trockene Rinde, Schale eine Mangokerns.
Das ist alles, was ich in diesem Becken benutzt habe.
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Daily Beetle by Kevin MacLeod
Second video of my 'growing carpet plants' series. The seeds have all grown to nice, tiny plants. Now it's time to make them aquatic. I got the seeds from a seller in China, there shall be seeds of at least Hemianthus callitrichoides and Glossostigma elatinoides included, probably it's a mix of a few different plants. I hope they won't grow too high... We will see, I will regularly upload updates on this tank.
Within the next days I'll add the first few Daphnia and shrimps. In about two weeks my Japanese swordtail newts, Cynops ensicauda ensicauda, can move in.
Zweiter Teil meiner 'growing carpet plants'-Reihe. Mittlerweile sind alle Samen zu schönen, kleinen Pflänzchen herangewachsen. Jetzt wird es Zeit sie an den aquatischen Lebensraum zu gewöhnen. Die Samen stammen von einem Händler aus China, es sollen unter anderem Hemianthus callitrichoides und Glossostigma elatinoides enthalten sein. Wahrscheinlich ist es ein Mix mehrerer Pflanzenarten. Hauptsache sie wachsen nicht zu hoch... Ich werde regelmäßig Updates zu diesem Aquarium hochladen, damit man den Prozess des Wachstums gut nachvollziehen kann.
In den nächsten Tagen werden die ersten Daphnien und Garnelen, einziehen, in etwa zwei Wochen dann meine Schwertschwanzmolche, Cynops ensicauda ensicauda.
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Italian Morning by Twin Musicom
I just noticed that I still have some footage of the (now old) fire salamander setup which I totally forgot to upload. So here's an "update" of the fire salamanders' tank which I set up some years ago. It has changed quite a lot since then. By now it again looks completely different, because I made a new setup in summer (which I also haven't uploaded yet...). To see the initial setup check this video: youtube.com/watch?v=ZpFQ79Ex8nE In the video information there's also a description of the setup and the used materials.
Mir ist aufgefallen, dass ich immer noch Aufnahmen von meinem (jetzt schon wieder alten) Feuersalamander-Setup habe, die ich gar nicht hochgeladen habe. Also kommt jetzt ein "Update" des Salamander-Beckens, das ich vor ein paar Jahren eingerichtet habe. Seitdem hat es sich doch ziemlich verändert. Mittlerweile sieht es wieder anders aus, weil ich es im Sommer nochmal komplett neu gemacht habe (dazu sollte auch irgendwann noch das passende Video kommen...). Das ursprüngliche Setup war dieses hier: youtube.com/watch?v=ZpFQ79Ex8nE In der Videobeschreibung von diesem Video ist auch eine Beschreibung der Materialien und des generellen Aufbaus des Beckens.
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Texas Techno by Audionautix
Hey guys! In this video I show you the first few steps (or days) of growing carpet plants from seeds. I got the seeds from a seller in China, there shall be seeds of at least Hemianthus callitrichoides and Glossostigma elatinoides included, probably it's a mix of a few different plants. I hope they won't grow too high... We will see, I will regularly upload updates on this tank.
As soon as I can fill in water and the tank I will also start to add animals (first a few shrimps, then my Japanese swordtail newts, Cynops ensicauda ensicauda).
In diesem Video zeige ich, wie man Bodendecker für Aquarien aus Samen anziehen kann, bzw. die ersten paar Schritte davon. Die Samen stammen von einem Händler aus China, es sollen unter anderem Hemianthus callitrichoides und Glossostigma elatinoides enthalten sein. Wahrscheinlich ist es ein Mix mehrerer Pflanzenarten. Hauptsache sie wachsen nicht zu hoch... Ich werde regelmäßig Updates zu diesem Aquarium hochladen, damit man den Prozess des Wachstums gut nachvollziehen kann.
Sobald ich Wasser einfüllen kann sollen auch die ersten Tiere einziehen (zuerst ein paar Garnelen, später dann meine Schwertschwanzmolche, Cynops ensicauda ensicauda).
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Clear Air - Somewhere Sunny by Kevin MacLeod
Additionally to the recently uploaded big hibernation setup for my fire salamanders here is a smaller setup which fits into the fridge. Currently I use these boxes for my longtoed salamanders, Ambystoma macrodactylum, and for different newts of the genus Triturus. They will hibernate for about three months at a temperature of about 6°C. Usually you do not necessarily need to feed them while hibernating, though I put in a few earthworms two or three times within the three months of hibernating. Also if they don't get eaten, they will just burrow into the ground and don't harm the amphibians.
Zusätzlich zu dem kürzlich hochgeladenen Winter-Setup meiner Feuersalamander nutze ich noch kleine Boxen, die problemlos in den Kühlschrank passen. Ich nutze diese Boxen momentan für Ambystoma macrodactylum und ein paar Triturus-Arten. Sie verbringen überwintern für etwa drei Monate bei einer Temperatur von etwa 6°C. Normalerweise muss man sie während der Winterruhe nicht füttern, dennoch gebe ich zwei bis drei mal während der Ruhezeit ein paar Regenwürmer in die Kiste. Selbst wenn sie nicht gefressen werden schaden die Würmer auch nicht, sondern verbuddeln sich einfach im Substrat.
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Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Cheating Juarez by John Deley and the 41 PlayersSalamander Hibernation/Brumation Setup || Salamander Überwinterungs-BoxAquaTerra-Life2018-01-09 | FB: facebook.com/aquaterralife
I know, this video comes a bit late, but if you decide to hibernate your salamanders and haven't set up a box yet, this might help you. :D My adult fire salamanders hibernate for about three months in this setup. Temperatures range between 2°C and 8°C. Usually you do not necessarily need to feed them while hibernating, though I put in a few earthworms two or three times within the three months of hibernating.
Ich weiß, das Video kommt etwas spät, aber falls sich jemand jetzt erst entschließt seine Salamander zu überwintern ist es ja vielleicht noch hilfreich. :D Meine adulten Feuersalamander verbringen etwa drei Monate in ihrer Überwinterungs-Kiste. Die Temperaturen variieren die meiste Zeit über zwischen 2°C und 8°C. Normalerweise muss man Salamander während der Winterruhe nicht füttern, dennoch gebe ich zwei bis drei mal während der Ruhezeit ein paar Regenwürmer in die Kiste.
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Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Lazy Day by Audionautix
Well, this video should have been up already 6 months ago... :D So these are (/were) my emperor newts (Tylototriton shanjing), a very colorful and relaxed Asian newt species. I kept them terrestrial in a big plastic tub with only a small water dish. I'll upload one or two feeding videos of these guys soon. However, by now a good friend of me got this group and now takes care of them. Hopefully he'll be able to breed them. :)
Dieses Video hätte ich eigentlich schon vor 6 Monaten hochladen sollen... :D Wie auch immer, das hier sind (/waren) meine drei Mandarin-Krokodilmolche, eine stark gefärbte und sehr entspannte Molchart aus Südost-Asien. Ich habe sie terrestrisch in einer großen Plastik-Kiste gehalten. Als Wasserteil diente eine kleine Braplast-Box, wurde aber nicht oft genutzt. Demnächst lade ich noch ein oder zwei Fütterungsvideos hoch. Mittlerweile sind die drei Molche allerdings zu einem Freund von mir gezogen. Hoffentlich wird er es schaffen, sie im Frühjahr zur Fortpflanzung zu bringen. :)
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General Information on Emperor Newts:
"Tylototriton shanjing, the emperor newt, Mandarin newt or Mandarin salamander, is a highly toxic newt native to China. Tylototriton shanjing can grow up to 8 inches (20 cm) long. It has a ridged orange head from which a single orange ridge runs along its back. This ridge is lined with two parallel rows of orange bumps on a black background. The tail and legs are entirely orange. The shade of the orange can be variable.
Tylototriton shanjing might seem like easy prey because of its bright coloration, however, it is generally nocturnal, and the top of its vertebrae and skull have especially thick bone. Additionally, the orange warts on its back are poison glands, and when the newt is grabbed, the tips of the ribs will squeeze out poison from the glands. Emperor newts have enough toxin to kill approximately 7,500 mice. Although poisonous, these newts are generally safe for human handling given that they are handled carefully and gently.
Emperor newts live in central, western, and southern Yunnan, China, between 1,000 feet (300 m) to 2,500 feet (760 m) feet above sea level.
They inhabit pools and slow-moving streams in subtropical forests.
The emperor newt usually eats small invertebrates in its environment, such as crickets and worms. Emperor newts in captivity are typically given wax worms, crickets, and earth worms.
For a long time, emperor newts were classified together with the Himalayan newt (T. verrucosus)."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Brontosaurus by Topher Mohr and Alex ElenaAfrican Clawed Frog Tank Setup & Care (Xenopus laevis)AquaTerra-Life2017-12-16 | Visit our FB-Site for many photos: facebook.com/aquaterralife
This year, I renewed the clawed frogs' tank. It's a ~100 L tank measuring 80x30x40 cm. For more information about their general care turn on the volume. Let me know if you habe any questions left!
Dieses Jahr wurde das Krallenfrosch-Becken neu gemacht. Es ist ein ~100 L Aquarium mit den Maßen 80x30x40 cm. Mehr Infos im Video (auf Englisch). Wenn noch Fragen sind, einfach fragen. :)
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General Information on Clawed Frogs:
"The African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis, also known as the xenopus, African clawed toad, African claw-toed frog or the platanna) is a species of African aquatic frog of the Pipidae family. Its name is derived from the three short claws on each hind foot, which it uses to tear apart its food. The word Xenopus means "strange foot" and laevis means "smooth". African clawed frogs can grow up to a length of 5 in (13 cm). They have a flattened head and body, but no tongue or external ears. These frogs are plentiful in ponds and rivers within the south-eastern portion of Sub-Saharan Africa. They are aquatic and are often greenish-grey in color. Albino varieties are commonly sold as pets. “Wild type" African Clawed Frogs are also frequently sold as pets, and often incorrectly labeled as a Congo Frog or African Dwarf Frog because of similar colorings. They are easily distinguished from African Dwarf Frogs because African Clawed Frogs have webbing only on their hind feet while African Dwarf Frogs have webbing on all four feet. They reproduce by laying eggs (see frog reproduction). Also, the clawed frogs are the only amphibians to have actual (though small) claws used to shred foods like fish or tadpoles. They lay their eggs from winter till spring during wet rainy seasons they will travel to other ponds or paddles of water to search for food. The average life-span of these frogs ranges from 5–15 years with some individuals recorded to have lived for 20–25 years. They shed their skin every season, and eat their own shed skin. Male and female frogs can be easily distinguished through the following differences. Male frogs are usually about 20% smaller than females, with slim bodies and legs. Males make mating calls to attract females, sounding very much like a cricket calling underwater. Females are larger than the males, appearing far more plump with hip-like bulges above their rear legs (where their eggs are internally located). While they do not sing or call out like males do, they do answer back (an extremely rare phenomenon in the animal world)."
"Der Glatte Krallenfrosch (Xenopus laevis), auch Afrikanischer Krallenfrosch, Apothekerfrosch oder oft einfach nur Krallenfrosch genannt, ist eine von 18 Arten aus der Gattung der Krallenfrösche (Xenopus) innerhalb der Zungenlosen Frösche (Familie Pipidae). Die Krallenfrösche stellen das afrikanische Gegenstück zu den südamerikanischen Wabenkröten (Gattung Pipa) dar. Der Glatte Krallenfrosch hat einen flachen Kopf und einen stromlinienförmigen Körper, der bei weiblichen Exemplaren etwa 10 bis 13 Zentimeter lang wird – Männchen bleiben deutlich kleiner. Die Rückenfarbe ist vorwiegend oliv-braun und der Bauch sowie die Innenseiten der Schenkel meistens hell-beige mit zahlreichen unregelmäßig verteilten, kleinen Pigmentierungen. Die wenig entwickelten Vorderbeine haben je vier lange Finger ohne Schwimmhäute (im Gegensatz zu den Zwergkrallenfröschen). Die auffallend muskulösen Hinterbeine tragen je fünf Zehen, wobei die drei inneren mit kräftigen, schwarzen Hornkrallen versehen sind, die der Gattung ihren Namen gaben. Zwischen den Zehen befinden sich große Schwimmhäute, die bis an die Zehenspitzen reichen. Diese Frösche sind hervorragende Schwimmer, die auch unter Wasser durch schnelles Rudern und Stoßen mit den Hinterbeinen erstaunliche Geschwindigkeiten erreichen können."
Acoustic Guitar 1 von Audionautix ist unter der Lizenz Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0) lizenziert. Interpret: http://audionautix.comSalamander Feeding Time: Hida Salamanders (Hynobius kimurae)AquaTerra-Life2017-11-25 | It's about time for a video of my group of Hida salamanders, Hynobius kimurae! I keep this group since spring and they're doing fine. I hope they'll breed in the next months, that would be amazing.
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General Information on Hynobius kimurae:
"The Hida salamander (Hynobius kimurae) is a species of salamander in the family Hynobiidae, the Asiatic salamanders. It is endemic to Japan. It lives in deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests, where it breeds in streams."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Wicked Things by Quincas MoreiraAfrican Clawed Frogs Munching Bloodworms (Xenopus laevis) || Krallenfrösche mampfen MückenlarvenAquaTerra-Life2017-11-06 | Probably the last feeding video of my African clawed frogs. I mostly feed earthworms, sometimes also freshwater fish and chicken heart. Usually I only feed bloodworms only to juveniles, but as I had so many bloodworms I gave some to the big adults.
Vermutlich das letzte Fütterungsvideo meiner Afrikanischen Krallenfrösche. Ich verfüttere hauptsächlich Würmer, manchmal auch Süßwasserfisch und Hühnerherz. Rote Mückenlarven gebe ich eigentlich nur Jungtieren, aber weil ich zu viele aufgetaut habe, haben auch die Adulten welche bekommen.
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Information on Clawed Frogs:
"The African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis, also known as the xenopus, African clawed toad, African claw-toed frog or the platanna) is a species of African aquatic frog of the Pipidae family. Its name is derived from the three short claws on each hind foot, which it uses to tear apart its food. The word Xenopus means "strange foot" and laevis means "smooth". African clawed frogs can grow up to a length of 5 in (13 cm). They have a flattened head and body, but no tongue or external ears. These frogs are plentiful in ponds and rivers within the south-eastern portion of Sub-Saharan Africa. They are aquatic and are often greenish-grey in color. Albino varieties are commonly sold as pets. “Wild type" African Clawed Frogs are also frequently sold as pets, and often incorrectly labeled as a Congo Frog or African Dwarf Frog because of similar colorings. They are easily distinguished from African Dwarf Frogs because African Clawed Frogs have webbing only on their hind feet while African Dwarf Frogs have webbing on all four feet. They reproduce by laying eggs (see frog reproduction). Also, the clawed frogs are the only amphibians to have actual (though small) claws used to shred foods like fish or tadpoles. They lay their eggs from winter till spring during wet rainy seasons they will travel to other ponds or paddles of water to search for food. The average life-span of these frogs ranges from 5–15 years with some individuals recorded to have lived for 20–25 years. They shed their skin every season, and eat their own shed skin. Male and female frogs can be easily distinguished through the following differences. Male frogs are usually about 20% smaller than females, with slim bodies and legs. Males make mating calls to attract females, sounding very much like a cricket calling underwater. Females are larger than the males, appearing far more plump with hip-like bulges above their rear legs (where their eggs are internally located). While they do not sing or call out like males do, they do answer back (an extremely rare phenomenon in the animal world)."
"Der Glatte Krallenfrosch (Xenopus laevis), auch Afrikanischer Krallenfrosch, Apothekerfrosch oder oft einfach nur Krallenfrosch genannt, ist eine von 18 Arten aus der Gattung der Krallenfrösche (Xenopus) innerhalb der Zungenlosen Frösche (Familie Pipidae). Die Krallenfrösche stellen das afrikanische Gegenstück zu den südamerikanischen Wabenkröten (Gattung Pipa) dar. Der Glatte Krallenfrosch hat einen flachen Kopf und einen stromlinienförmigen Körper, der bei weiblichen Exemplaren etwa 10 bis 13 Zentimeter lang wird – Männchen bleiben deutlich kleiner. Die Rückenfarbe ist vorwiegend oliv-braun und der Bauch sowie die Innenseiten der Schenkel meistens hell-beige mit zahlreichen unregelmäßig verteilten, kleinen Pigmentierungen. Die wenig entwickelten Vorderbeine haben je vier lange Finger ohne Schwimmhäute (im Gegensatz zu den Zwergkrallenfröschen). Die auffallend muskulösen Hinterbeine tragen je fünf Zehen, wobei die drei inneren mit kräftigen, schwarzen Hornkrallen versehen sind, die der Gattung ihren Namen gaben. Zwischen den Zehen befinden sich große Schwimmhäute, die bis an die Zehenspitzen reichen. Diese Frösche sind hervorragende Schwimmer, die auch unter Wasser durch schnelles Rudern und Stoßen mit den Hinterbeinen erstaunliche Geschwindigkeiten erreichen können. Normalerweise ernähren sich Krallenfrösche von wasserlebenden Insektenlarven und Würmern; aber auch kleinere Fische sowie Amphibienlarven werden gerne verzehrt. Bei hohen Besatzdichten in Aquarien oder Zuchtanlagen kann unter den Fröschen Kannibalismus auftreten. Meist werden die eigenen Eier und Kaulquappen erbeutet, insbesondere, wenn es sich bei letzteren um missgebildete Individuen handelt, die sich „umhertorkelnd“ durchs Wasser bewegen."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Full Speed Ahead by Silent PartnerSimple Small Amphibian Setups: Firebelly Toads and Newts || Boxen für kleine Unken und MolcheAquaTerra-Life2017-10-28 | facebook.com/aquaterralife
Hey guys! In this video I show you how to easily set up small tanks for young amphibians: one setup for small frogs that need much water but also land areas to rest (e.g. small firebellied toads), and one setup for young terrestrial newts (efts, e.g. firebellied newts).
In diesem Video zeige ich euch, wie man ganz simple Boxen für junge Amphibien einrichtet. Die erste Box ist gut geeignet für junge Frösche, die sich zwar viel im Wasser aufhalten, aber auch Ruheplätze an Land brauchen (z.B. junge Unken); Die zweite Box ist sinnvoll für junge Molche, die gerade in ihrer Landphase sind (z.B. Feuerbauchmolche).
Last spring we visited the Kyoto Aquarium (http://www.kyoto-aquarium.com/en/index.html). It was an amazing experience to see how big Aqua-Zoos look like in Japan. I really loved the very first part of the exhibition, the river of Kyoto. This part shows not only Japanese giant salamanders (Andrias japonicus) in a beautiful and natural-looking giant river tank, but also some of the problematic hybrids between Japanese and Chinese giant salamanders (A. davidianus). If you ever visit Kyoto, make sure to plan a trip to the Kyoto Aquarium. :)
Im Frühjahr haben wir das Kyoto Aquarium (http://www.kyoto-aquarium.com/en/index.html) besucht. Es war eine unglaublich tolle Erfahrung zu sehen, wie große Aqua-Zoos in Japan aufgebaut sind. Mein Favorit war der erste Teil der Ausstellung, "river of Kyoto". In diesem Bereich werden nicht nur Japanische Riesensalamander (Andrias japonicus) in einem sehr schönen und natürlich aussehenden, riesigen Fluss-Aquarium ausgestellt, sondern auch die problematischen Hybride der Japanischen und Chinesischen Riesensalamander (A. davidianus). Falls ihr jemals Kyoto besuchen sollt, plant auf jeden Fall einen Besuch im Kyoto Aquarium ein! :)
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General Information on Japanese giant salamanders:
"The Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) is endemic to Japan, where it is known as Ōsanshōuo (オオサンショウウオ/大山椒魚), literally meaning "giant pepper fish". With a length of up to almost 1.5 m (5 ft), it is the second-largest salamander in the world, only being surpassed by the very similar and closely related Chinese giant salamander (A. davidianus). There are only three known members of the Cryptobranchidae family: the Japanese and Chinese giant salamanders and the Eastern hellbender. Japanese giant salamanders are widespread across rivers in southwestern Japan. The species frequently hybridizes with Chinese giant salamanders, which were introduced to the area.
Japanese Giant Salamanders can grow to be five feet long (160 cm) and 55 pounds (25 kg). The largest wild specimen on record weighed 26.3 kg and was 136 cm long. It is the second largest amphibian in the world, only next to its close relative, the Chinese Giant Salamander. Their brown and black mottled skin provides camouflage against the bottoms of streams and rivers. They have very small eyes with no eyelids and poor eye sight. Their mouths run across the width of their heads, and can open to the width of their bodies."
"Der Japanische Riesensalamander (Andrias japonicus) ist eine in Japan endemische Amphibienart. Der japanische Name Ōsanshōuo (オオサンショウウオ/大山椒魚) bedeutet übersetzt in etwa „Großer Pfefferfisch“. Mit bis zu 1,5 m Körperlänge ist der Japanische Riesensalamander nach dem Chinesischen Riesensalamander die weltweit zweitgrößte Amphibie. Wie alle Riesensalamander besitzt der Japanische Riesensalamander einen gedrungenen Körperbau mit breitem, abgeflachtem Kopf. Entlang der Flanken besitzt er eine auffällige Hautfalte, die sich auch an den Gliedmaßen fortsetzt. Die Färbung der Haut variiert erheblich von gelb bis schwarz, wobei die meisten Individuen rötlich braun bis gelb-braun marmoriert sind.
Der Japanische Riesensalamander gilt laut IUCN als gefährdet. Der Bestand wird besonders bedroht durch die Verschmutzung seines Lebensraums und die Veränderung der Flussläufe, insbesondere durch den Einbau von Staustufen, wodurch abgetriebene Individuen nicht mehr den Flusslauf hinaufwandern können, um dort zu laichen. Schutzmaßnahmen in Japan zielen darauf ab, die Staustufen mit Rampen und Treppen auszustatten, um den Salamandern die Wanderung entlang des Flusses zu ermöglichen. Der Japanische Riesensalamander ist ebenfalls durch den Befall mit dem Chytridpilz bedroht."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Songs: Minyo San Kyoku by Doug Maxwell/ Zac Zinger The Voyage by Audionautix Journey in the New World by Twin Musicom
Hey guys! This is my tiny black fire salamander. All of its siblings (also from previous years) are normal colored individuals, so I guess it's a spontaneous mutation. This kind of mutation is probably a rare form of melanism, so called hypermelanism. I hope I explained it in an understandable manner in this video. Anyways, this is a very rare mutation in captive bred fire salamanders, so I will try my best at raising and (when it is fully grown) to breed it.
Hallo zusammen! Das ist mein kleiner schwarzer Feuersalamander. Alle seine Geschwister (auch aus den Vorjahren) weisen eine normale Färbung auf, deshalb schätze ich dass es sich hierbei um eine spontane Mutation handelt. Es ist wahrscheinlich eine seltene Form des Melanismus, sogenannter Hypermelanismus. Dabei überlagern dunkle Farbpigmente die eigentliche gelbe Färbung des Salamanders, wie man es insbesondere am Ende des Videos gut erkennen kann. Es scheint sich um eine sehr seltene Mutation bei Feuersalamandern (in Gefangenschaft) zu handeln. Deshalb werde ich diesen Salamander behalten und großziehen und (wenn er ausgewachsen ist) auch versuchen mit ihm zu züchten.
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General Information on Fire Salamanders:
"The fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) is possibly the best-known salamander species in Europe. It is black with yellow spots or stripes to a varying degree; some specimens can be nearly completely black while on others the yellow is dominant. Shades of red and orange may sometimes appear, either replacing or mixing with the yellow according to subspecies. Fire salamanders can have a very long lifespan; one specimen lived for more than 50 years in Museum Koenig, a German natural history museum. Fire salamanders live in central European forests and are more common in hilly areas. They prefer deciduous forests, since they like to hide in fallen leaves and around mossy tree trunks. They need small brooks or ponds with clean water in their habitat for the development of the larvae. Whether on land or in water, fire salamanders are inconspicuous. They spend much of their time hidden beneath stones, wood or other objects. They are active in the evening and the night, but on rainy days they are active in daytime as well."
"Der Feuersalamander (Salamandra salamandra) ist eine europäische Amphibienart aus der Familie der Echten Salamander. Die Spezies wurde erstmals 1758 von dem schwedischen Naturforscher Carl von Linné beschrieben. Je nach regionaler Mundart wird sie unter anderem auch als Feuermolch, Erdmolch, Erdsalamander, Regenmolch, Regenmännchen, Gelber Schneider, Bergnarr, Wegnarr, Regemolli oder Tattermandl bezeichnet. Diese volkstümlichen Namen unterscheiden allerdings teilweise nicht eindeutig zwischen Feuer- und Alpensalamandern. Typischerweise leben Feuersalamander in größeren Laub- und Mischwaldgebieten mit naturnahen Bachläufen und sind vor allem bei Regenwetter und nachts aktiv. Anders als bei vielen anderen mitteleuropäischen Lurchen werden keine Eier, sondern in der Regel weit entwickelte, kiementragende Larven ins Wasser abgesetzt. In Waldrandlagen ist die Populationsdichte relativ hoch, weil hier oft das Nahrungsangebot groß ist. Wo der Wald verschwunden ist, kann der Feuersalamander sich als Faunenrelikt halten, wenn die klimatischen Bedingungen noch günstig sind. Besiedelt werden grundwassernahe Eichen-Birken- und Eichen-Hainbuchenwälder. Allerdings sind zum Beispiel überschwemmungsgefährdete Auwälder keine Feuersalamanderlebensräume, denn hier fehlen die „trockenen“ Versteckmöglichkeiten. Feuersalamander sind selten in Nadelforsten zu finden; sofern sie dort vorkommen, sind sie Relikte einer Population, die ehemals Laubwald bewohnte."
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Fargo by RiotTiny Clawed Frog Feeding (Xenopus sp.) || Krallenfrosch FütterungAquaTerra-Life2017-10-11 | Feeding footage of my tiny grey clawed frog. I'm not sure about the species, but it is much smaller than X. laevis.
Filmed with an Olympus TG-2 Tough Edition Song: Rocker Chicks by Audionautix