[Cfigliola]

Hi guys

Can anyone give me the best method of inducing breeding for the alpines?
I have a male and female and I know I have to start it now so its ready for spring.

I've heard of methods; putting them outside in a tank for 3 months to keep them at a low temperature and reducing food like crazy but I just want an opinion first.

Any help with be very appreciated

Carina

 

[frogman955]

As it happens I was watching this very thing on the tv today.
What better way than to be told what to do by the great David Attenborough.
The Alpine Newt - YouTube
Listen to what he tells you and watch what he`s showing you.
The rest will be up to you.


Mike

 

[Ben W]

I have found they don't actually need much encouragement other than a rather large water change and maybe extra food

 

[Malagasy]

Use water from a water but for water changes or water that is very cold. After doing this all my males began to crest up and the females are now swollen with eggs!

 

[Cfigliola]

Breeding methods

Hi

Thanks for the responses. I here that reducing the food to practically nothing and a very Cold cooling period for 3 months?

So you've had breeding from just a very cold water change? If I do a full water change and add ice blocks throughout the day, will that work?

I actually just saw my male swish his tale the way the male does in the David Attenborough documentary, he although does not have his mating colours.

My female keeps changing from brown to blue, she blue at the moment. I'm guessing it's when the waters a bit warmer though?
I have also recently chnaged their setup up, took out the turtle dock and just added LOTS of plants so they can sit on them and sit out of the water

 

[HforHERP]

I just used colder water, and a bit less food.. easy as that for me. Some newts can be difficult though.

 

[morg]

In my experiences nothing is needed at all other than correct photoperiod through the year.
Alpines will almost always come into breeding condition with just this stimuli.
A cooling of set up-water through autumn and winter would also help,but with my alpines it isnt needed.
My males are tail fanning my very fat females now, and started a few weeks ago: victory:

 

[Cfigliola]

Temp

Okay. Well I'll try thanks!

What does your tank temp go down to?

 

[morg]

I now have my alpines in coldest part of the house so they are going down to around 12c this time, but I have had them breed many times with temperatrure going no lower than 18c, but getting correct photoperiod.
I think alpines must be one of the easiest newt species to breed.
If you have both sexes, then at some time you should get eggs

 

[kjenkins33]

Hope you managed to breed your newts.

I have 5 female alpines and 8 males.

I was ill over during November/December and could not do any water changes or anything with the newts over that period (I have bamboo in the tank that keeps nasties down, and an airstone filter.

About three weeks ago, all the males just change colour and started displaying to the females. Checked the water quality and it was fine, so decided not to do a water change. Put a load of different plants in the tank and waited with baited breath for something to happen.

Nothing until yesterday morning. This morning I removed well over 200 eggs and am currently sat on my sofa playing Herp midwife watching one particular female happily lay away!! :2thumb:

I'm not suggesting that you leave the tank like I did, however I did not change temperatures, position in house, feeding pattern... it just happened.

I now have very randy males that are displaying to everything and anything... one spent about an hour next to the stem of a plant yesterday (poor thing, I don't think he is very clever :crazy: