New pond critter

[Dan]

It's been unusually warm here in the mid-atlantic for
a few weeks now, in fact, it's 10:30 pm and 52 F outside
(A real bummer for someone like I who loves snow). Anyway,
got home tonight and found a 6" spotted salamander (stocky,
black with bright yellow spots) out back near our new
pond. We have lots of small salamanders in the yard, but
this is the first time I've seen one of these so we took
a few pictures and let it go near the waterfall. Apparently
they become active in February when the snow starts to
melt at which time they start roaming at night looking for
a mate and a pond/pool to lay eggs in. Got my fingers
crossed!

[Koi-lo]

"Dan" > wrote in message
...
> It's been unusually warm here in the mid-atlantic for
> a few weeks now, in fact, it's 10:30 pm and 52 F outside
> (A real bummer for someone like I who loves snow). Anyway,
> got home tonight and found a 6" spotted salamander (stocky,
> black with bright yellow spots) out back near our new
> pond. We have lots of small salamanders in the yard, but
> this is the first time I've seen one of these so we took
> a few pictures and let it go near the waterfall. Apparently
> they become active in February when the snow starts to
> melt at which time they start roaming at night looking for
> a mate and a pond/pool to lay eggs in. Got my fingers
> crossed!
============================
They live here as well. I've found a few in or near my ponds but never any
young ones. Maybe the GF or koi eat their eggs or young ones. Tomorrow
it's supposed to be in the 70s here in zone 6.
--

Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
NEW PAGE: Aquariums:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy/Aquarium-Page4.html
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[~ jan jjspond]

On Wed, 11 Jan 2006 22:43:42 -0500, Dan > wrote:

>It's been unusually warm here in the mid-atlantic for
>a few weeks now, in fact, it's 10:30 pm and 52 F outside
>(A real bummer for someone like I who loves snow). Anyway,
>got home tonight and found a 6" spotted salamander (stocky,
>black with bright yellow spots) out back near our new
>pond. We have lots of small salamanders in the yard, but
>this is the first time I've seen one of these so we took
>a few pictures and let it go near the waterfall. Apparently
>they become active in February when the snow starts to
>melt at which time they start roaming at night looking for
>a mate and a pond/pool to lay eggs in. Got my fingers
>crossed!

Cool. I sure hope that if it cools off, it does it slowly so as not to
catch the little critters unprepared and freeze them. ~ jan
~ jan/WA
Zone 7a

[[email protected]]

Hi DragonSparrow,
If you want to save the little salamander offspring, your going to need to
intercept the eggs, or isolate them from the Goldfish. ALL fish love to
eat salamander eggs and larvae. They even sell them in some of the higher
end bait shops, and they are expensive. I used to fish for some time as a
kid, and these eggs were one of the best baits you could get. From what I
here, GF even eat thier own eggs if given the chance.
Good luck saving them. I'd try to net off the area where the eggs get
laid. But even then you stand a less than decent chance of saving the
young when they hatch. Another solution is to give them a place to hide by
placing a large flat rock in the pond, and a few more in a stream if you
have one.

Hope this helps

--
Kevin

[Koi-lo]

> wrote in message
...
I'd try to net off the area where the eggs get
> laid. But even then you stand a less than decent chance of saving the
> young when they hatch. Another solution is to give them a place to hide
> by
> placing a large flat rock in the pond, and a few more in a stream if you
> have one.
=========================
Using a new underwater can gill-net and kill fish. A large amount of
Hornwart and Elodea would give the young a place to hide until large enough
to move around freely. It would also attract water bugs and insects for
them to feed on.
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
NEW PAGE: Aquariums:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy/Aquarium-Page4.html
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>