References for Axolotl Genetics & Nomenclature


Armstrong, J.B. 1985. The axolotl mutants. Developmental Genetics 6:1-25.


Armstrong, J.B., L.L. Gillespie, and G. Cooper. 1983. Experimental studies on a lethal gene (t) in the Mexican axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum. Journal of Experimental Zoology 226:423-430.

Bagnara, J.T., S.K. Frost, and J. Matsumoto. 1978. On the development of pigment patterns in amphibians. American Zoologist 18:301-312.

Briggs, R. 1972. Further studies on the maternal effect of the o gene in the Mexican axolotl. Journal of Experimental Zoology 181:271-280.

Briggs, R. and F. Briggs. 1984. Discovery and initial characterization of a new conditional (temperature-sensitive) maternal effect mutation in the axolotl. Differentiation 26:176-181.

Briggs, R. and R.R. Humphrey. 1962. Studies on the maternal effect of the semilethal gene, v, in the Mexican axolotl. I. Influence of temperture on the expression of the effect. II. Cytological changes in the affected embryos. Developmental Biology 5:127-146.

Brun, R.B. 1978. Experimental analysis of the eyeless mutant in the Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum). American Zoologist 18:273-279.

Brun, R.B. 1990. In the Mexican salamander (Ambystoma mexicanum) homozygous for the gene eyeless, unilateral neural fold rearrangements stimulate bilateral eye formation. Journal of Experimental Zoology 254:107-113. 
Go back to gene e.Brun, R.B. 1993.

Bilateral eye formation in the eyeless mutant Mexican salamander following unilateral, partial excision of neural fold tissues: a quantitative study. Journal of Experimental Zoology 265:541-548.

Bukowski,L., K Erickson, and T.A. Lyerla. 1990. Characterization of the yellow pigment in the axanthic mutant of the Mexican axolotl. Pigment Cell Research 3:123-125.

Callan, H.G. 1966. Chromosomes and nucleoli of the axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum. Journal of Cell Science 1:85-108.

Carroll, C.R. and E.B. Van Deusen. 1973. Experimental studies on a mutant gene (cl) in the Mexican axolotl which affects cell membrane formation in embryos from cl/cl females. Developmental Biology 32:155-166.

Chung, H.-M. and R. Briggs. 1975. Experimental studies on a lethal gene (l) in the Mexican axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum. Journal of Experimental Zoology 191:33-48.

Cooper, G.M., J.B. Armstrong, and S. Gottlob-McHugh. 1985. Allelic isozyme variants in the Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) as potential markers for developmental experiments. Developmental Genetics 5:73-82.

Cuny, R. and G.M. Malacinski. 1985. Banding differences between tiger salamander and axolotl chromosomes. Can. J. Genet. Cytol. 27:510-514.Davis, L.A. and L.F. Lemanski. 1987. Induction of myofibrillogenesis in cardiac lethal mutant axolotl hearts rescued by RNA derived from normal endoderm. Development 99:145-154.

Dunson, W.A., R.K. Packer, and M.K. Dunson. 1971. Ion and water balance in normal and mutant fluid imbalanced (ff) embryos of the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum). Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 40A:319-337.

Eagleson, G.W. and G.M. Malacinski. 1986. a scanning electron microscopy and histological study on the effects of the mutant eyeless (e/e) gene upon the hupothalamus in the Mexican axolotl Ambystoma mexicanum Shaw. Anatomical Record 215:317-327.

Epp, L.G. 1978. A review of the eyeless mutant in the Mexican axolotl. American Zoologist 18:267-272.

Epperlein, H.H. and J. Lofberg. 1993. The development of the neural crest in amphibians. Ann. Anat. 175:483-499.

Fankhauser, G. and R.R. Humphrey. 1942. Induction of triploidy and haploidy in axolotl eggs by cold treatment. Biological Bulletin 83:367-374.

Fransen, M.E. and L.F. Lemanski. 1988. Myocardial cell relationships during morphogenesis in normal and cardiac lethal mutant axolotls, Ambystoma mexicanum. American Journal of Anatomy 183:245-257.

Fransen, M.E. and L.F. Lemanski. 1989. Studies of heart development in normal and cardiac lethal mutant axolotls: a review. Scanning Microscopy 3:1101-1116.

Frost, S.K. 1989. Pigmentation and color variants. In: J.B. Armstrong and G.M. Malacinski, eds., Developmental Biology of the Axolotl. Oxford, New York. pp. 119-131.

Frost, S.K., M. Borchert, and M.K. Carson. 1989. Drug-induced and genetic hypermelanism: effects on pigment cell differentiation. Pigment Cell Research 2:182-190.

Frost, S.K., L.G. Epp, and S. J. Robinson. 1984. The pigmentary system of developing axolotls II. An analysis of the melanoid phenotype. J. Embryol. exp. Morph. 81:127-142.

Frost, S.K., L.G. Epp, and S.J. Robinson. 1986. The pigmentary system of developing axolotls. IV. an analysis of the axanthic phenotype. Journal of Embryology and Experimental Morphology 92:255-268.

Graveson, A.C. and J.B. Armstrong. 1990. The premature death (p) mutation of Ambystoma mexicanum affects a subpopulation of neural crest cells. Differentiation 45:71-75.

Graveson, A.C. and J.B. Armstrong. 1994. In vivo evidence that the premature death (p) mutation of Ambystoma mexicanum affects an early segregating subpopulation of neural crest cells. Journal of Experimental Zoology 269:327-335.

Gruberg, E.R. and W.A. Harris. 1981. The serotonergic somatosensory projection to the tectum of normal and eyeless salamanders. Journal of Morphology 170:55-69.

Harris, W.A. 1979. Amphibian chimeras and the nervous system. Soc. Neurosci. Symp. 4:228-257.

Harris, W.A. 1983. The eyeless axolotl: experimental embryogenetics and the development of the nervous system. Trends in NeuroSciences 6:505-510.

Harris, W.A. 1984. Axonal pathfinding in the absence of normal pathways and impulse activity. Journal of Neuroscience 4:1153-1162.

Hennen, S. 1977. Everything you wanted to know about creating a strain of axolotls carrying a tiger salamander gene but were afraid to ask. Axolotl Newsletter 3:1-2.

Humphrey, R.R. 1948. A lethal fluid imbalance in the Mexican axolotl. Journal of Heredity 39:255-261.

Humphrey, R.R. 1959. A linked gene determining the lethality usually accompanying a hereditary fluid imbalance in the Mexican axolotl. Journal of Heredity 50:279-286.

Humphrey, R.R. 1960. A maternal effect of a gene (f) for a fluid imbalance in the Mexican axolotl. Developmental Biology 2:105-128.

Humphrey, R.R. 1962. A semilethal factor (v) in the Mexican axolotl (Siredon mexicanum) and its maternal effect. Developmental Biology 4:423-451.

Humphrey, R.R. 1964. Genetic and experimental studies on a lethal factor (r) in the axolotl which induces abnormalities in the renal system and other organs. Journal of Experimental Zoology 155:139-150.

Humphrey, R.R. 1966. A recessive factor (o, for ova deficient) determining a complex of abnormalities in the Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum).Humphrey, R.R. 1967a. Albino axolotls from an albino tiger salamander through hybridization. Journal of Heredity 58:95-101.

Humphrey, R.R. 1967b. Genetic and experimental studies on a lethal trait ("short toes") in the Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum). Journal of Experimental Zoology 164:281-295.

Humphrey, R.R. 1969. A recently discovered mutant, "eyeless," in the Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum). Anatomical Record 163:306.

Humphrey, R.R. 1972. Genetic and experimental studies of a mutant gene (c) determining absence of heart action in embryos of the Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum). Developmental Biology 27:365-375.

Humphrey, R.R. 1973. Experimental studies on a new lethal trait in Mexican axolotls of the Wistar

Humphrey, R.R. 1975. The axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum. In: R.C. King, ed. Handbook of Genetics. Plenum Press, New York. pp. 3-18.

Humphrey, R.R. 1977. A lethal mutant gene in the Mexican axolotl. Journal of Heredity 68:407-408.

Humphrey, R.R. 1978. The axolotl colony at Indiana University. Axolotl Newsletter 1:3-8.

Humphrey, R.R. and J.T. Bagnara. 1967. A color variant in the Mexican axolotl. Journal of Heredity 58:251-256.

Humphrey, R.R. and H.-M. Chung. 1977. Genetic and experimental studies on three associated mutant genes in the Mexican axolotl: st (for stasis), mi (for microphthalmic) and h (for hand lethal). Journal of Experimental Zoology 202:195-202.

Humphrey, R.R. and H.-M. Chung. 1978. Experimental studies on two mutant genes, r and x, in the Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum). Developmental Biology 62:34-43.

Humphrey, R.R., G.M. Malacinski, and H.-M. Chung. 1978. Developmental studies on an apparent cell-lethal mutant gene--ut--in the Mexican axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum. Cell Differentiation 7:47-59.

Ide, C.F. 1978. Genetic dissection of cerebellar development: mutations affecting cell position. American Zoologist 18:281-287.

Ide, C.F. and R. Tompkins. 1975. Development of locomotor behavior in wild type and spastic (sp/sp) axolotls, Ambystoma mexicanum. Journal of Experimental Zoology 194:467-478.

Kulikowski, R.R. and F.J. Manasek. 1978. The cardiac lethal mutant of Ambystoma mexicanum: a re-examination. American Zoologist 18:349-358.

La France, S. and L.F. Lemanski. 1994. Immunofluorescent confocal analysis of tropomyosin in developing hearts of normal and cardiac mutant axolotls, Ambystoma mexicanum. Int. J. Dev. Biol. 38:695-700.

Lemanski, L.F. and T.P. Fitzharris. 1989. Analysis of the endocardium and cardiac jelly in truncal development in the cardiac lethal mutant axolotl Ambystoma mexicanum. Journal of Morphology 200:123-130.

Lofberg, J., H.H. Epperlein, R. Perris, and M. Stigson. 1989a. Neural crest cell migration: a pictorial essay. In: Developmental Biology of the Axolotl. eds. J.B. Armstrong and G.M. Malacinski. Oxford University Press, New York. pp. 83-101.

Lofberg, J., R. Perris, and H.H. Epperlein. 1989b. Timing in the regulation of neural crest cell migration: retarded "maturation" of regional extracellular matrix inhibits pigment cell migration in embryos of the white axolotl mutant. Developmental Biology 131:168-181.

Maccagnan, T.J. and L.E. Muske. 1992. Abnormal development of GnRH neuronal systems in the sterile eyeless mutant axolotl. Society for Neuroscience Meetings (Abstract).

Malacinski, G.M. 1978. The Mexican axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum: Its biology and developmental genetics, and its autonomous cell-lethal genes. American Zoologist 18:195-206.

Malacinski, G.M. 1989. Developmental Genetics. In: J.B. Armstrong and G.M. Malacinski, eds., Developmental Biology of the Axolotl. Oxford, New York. pp. 102-109.

Mescher, A.L. 1993. Development and regeneration of limbs in the short toes axolotl mutant. In: Limb Development and Evololution. Wiley-Liss, Inc. pp. 181-191.

Neff, A.W., F. Briggs, and H.-M. Chung. 1987. Craniofacial development mutant pi (pinhead) in the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) which exhibits reduced interocular distance. Journal of experimental zoology 241:309-316.

Newth, D.R. 1960. Black axolotl, and white. American Scientist 48:300-310. Go back to gene d.Raff, E.C., A.J. Brothers, and R.A. Raff. 1976. Microtubule assembly mutant. Nature 260:(5552) 615-617.

Sawada, S.R. and H.C. Dalton. 1979. Role of neural crest in determining the numbers of pigment cells in the melanoid mutant of Ambystoma mexicanum Shaw. J. Exp. Zool. 207:283-288.

Signoret, J. 1965. Etude des chromosomes de la blastula chez l'axolotl. Chromosoma 17:328-335.

Smith, S.C. and J.B. Armstrong. 1990. Heart induction in wild-type and cardiac mutant axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum). J. Exp. Zool. 254:48-54.

Smith, S.C. and J.B. Armstrong. 1991. Heart development in normal and cardiac-lethal mutant axolotls: A model for the control of vertebrate cardiogenesis. Differentiation 47:129-134.

Smith, S.C. and J.B. Armstrong. 1993a. Reaction-diffusion control of heart development: evidence for activation and inhibition in precardiac mesoderm. Developmental Biology 160:535-542.

Smith, S.C. and J.B. Armstrong. 1993b. Pleiotropic effects of the cardiac-lethal gene in the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum). Developmental Genetics 14:385-392.

Thibaudeau, G. and S.K. Frost-Mason. 1992. Inhibition of neural crest cell differentiation by embryo ectodermal extract. Journal of Experimental Zoology 261:431-440.

Thorsteinsdottir, S. and S.K. Frost. 1986. Pigment cell differentiation: the relationship between pterin content, allopurinol treatment, and the melanoid gene in axolotls. Cell Differentiation 19:161-172.

Tompkins, R. 1970. Biochemical effects of the gene g on the development of the axolotl Ambystoma mexicanum. Developmental Biology 22:59-83.

Tompkins, R. 1978. Genic control of axolotl metamorphosis. American Zoologist 18:313-319.

Trottier, T.M. and J.B. Armstrong. 1977. Experimental studies on a mutant gene (p) causing premature death of Ambystoma mexicanum embryos. J. Embryo. exp. Morph. 39:139-149.

Tsonis, P.A., K. Del Rio-Tsonis, and C.H. Washabaugh. 1993. Analysis of the mutant axolotl short toes. In: Limb Development and Regeneration. Wiley-Liss, Inc. pp. 171-179.

Van Deusen, E. 1973. Experimental studies on a mutant gene (e) preventing the differentiation of eye and normal hypothalmus primordia in the axolotl. Developmental Biology 34:135-158.

Overview of Axolotl Genetics and Nomenclature

Axolotls have 28 chromosomes (Fankhauser and Humphrey, 1942). Signoret (1965), Callan (1966), and Cuny and Malacinski (1985) have described the karyotype. The female axolotl is heterogametic (Z/W) and the male homogametic (Z/Z) (Humphrey, 1975).

A variety of mutant genes have been identified in axolotls. Many of these are carried by the Axolotl Colony stocks. The most obvious are those which determine pigmentation or coloration of the axolotl. Others affect organs (eyes or heart), limbs, or gills.

Axolotls are diploid; thus they carry two copies of each of their genes. Each copy of a gene is called an allele. If both alleles are the same, the axolotl is homozygous with respect to that particular gene. Mutations, which give rise to different alleles, may be dominant or recessive. A dominant allele is expressed (the animal displays the trait) even if the axolotl is heterozygous for that gene and carries only one copy of the allele. A recessive allele is not expressed unless the axolotl is homozygous for that gene and carries two copies of the mutant allele.

In our system of notation, the symbols for the alleles of a gene are written on either side of a slash. A dominant allele is written with a capital letter or with a plus sign (+). a recessive allele is written with a lower case letter. For instance, an animal with the genotype D/d m/m is dark, because D is a dominant gene for the dark, wild-type axolotl color, and melanoid (without yellow mottling), because it is homozygous for the recessive melanoid (m) gene. It also carries, but does not express, the gene d (white). An animal with genotype d/d +/m displays the white phenotype, because it is homozygous for the gene d. It carries, but does not display, the melanoid trait. The + represents the dominant allele (it could be written M), in this case the wild-type, nonmelanoid phenotype.

Several overviews of the axolotl mutants have been published, e.g., Malacinski (1978), Armstrong (1985), and Malacinski (1989).

Mutant Gene List

Axolotl Strains

References for Axolotl Genetics & Nomenclature

Axolotl Embryo Staging Series

G.M. Schreckenberg and A.G. Jacobson, Normal Stages of Development of the Axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum. Devel. Biol. 42:391-400. (1975).

 

 

Preblastula (1-7)
Blastula & Gastrula (8-12.5)
Neurula (13-20)
Early Tailbud (21-25)
Middle Tailbud (26-30)
Late Tailbud (31-35)
Prehatch to Hatched (36-44)

Preblastula - Stages 1-7:

Bordzilovskaya, N.P., T.A. Dettlaff, Susan T. Duhon, and George M. Malacinski. 1989. Developmental-stage series of axolotl embryos. In Developmental Biology of the Axolotl edited by J.B. Armstrong and G.M. Malacinski. Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 201-219.

The Bordzilovskaya and Dettlaff staging series is also available in Axolotl Newsletter #7 (Spring, 1979).

Click on the buttons (72 dpi GIF images) below to view the larger images (150 dpi JPEG) of each stage.


1. Fertilized egg in membranes
1. Animal pole
2. Two cells

3. Four cells
3. Eight cells
5. Sixteen cells, side view

5. Sixteen cells, animal pole
6. Thirty-two cells
7. Sixty-four cells

Blastula & Gastrula - Stages 8-12.5:

Bordzilovskaya, N.P., T.A. Dettlaff, Susan T. Duhon, and George M. Malacinski. 1989. Developmental-stage series of axolotl embryos. In Developmental Biology of the Axolotl edited by J.B. Armstrong and G.M. Malacinski. Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 201-219.

The Bordzilovskaya and Dettlaff staging series is also available in Axolotl Newsletter #7 (Spring, 1979).

Click on the buttons (72 dpi GIF images) below to view the larger images (150 dpi JPEG) of each stage.


8. Early blastula
9. Late blastula
10. Early gastrula I,
vegetal hemisphere

10.5.Early gastrula II
10.75. Middle gastrula I
11. Middle gastrula II

11.5. Late gastrula I
12. Late gastrula II
12.5. Late gastrula III

Neurula - Stages 13-20:

Bordzilovskaya, N.P., T.A. Dettlaff, Susan T. Duhon, and George M. Malacinski. 1989. Developmental-stage series of axolotl embryos. In Developmental Biology of the Axolotl edited by J.B. Armstrong and G.M. Malacinski. Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 201-219.

The Bordzilovskaya and Dettlaff staging series is also available in Axolotl Newsletter #7 (Spring, 1979).

Click on the buttons (72 dpi GIF images) below to view the larger images (150 dpi JPEG) of each stage.


13. Early neurula I,
vegetal hemisphere
13. Early neurula I,
side view
14. Early neurula II

15. Early neurula III
16. Middle neurula II
17. Late neurula I

18. Late neurula II
19. Late neurula III
20. Late neurula IV

Early Tailbud - Stages 21-25:

Bordzilovskaya, N.P., T.A. Dettlaff, Susan T. Duhon, and George M. Malacinski. 1989. Developmental-stage series of axolotl embryos. In Developmental Biology of the Axolotl edited by J.B. Armstrong and G.M. Malacinski. Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 201-219.

The Bordzilovskaya and Dettlaff staging series is also available in Axolotl Newsletter #7 (Spring, 1979).

Click on the buttons (72 dpi GIF images) below to view the larger images (150 dpi JPEG) of each stage.


21.
22.
23.

24.
25.

Middle Tailbud - Stages 26-30:

Bordzilovskaya, N.P., T.A. Dettlaff, Susan T. Duhon, and George M. Malacinski. 1989. Developmental-stage series of axolotl embryos. In Developmental Biology of the Axolotl edited by J.B. Armstrong and G.M. Malacinski. Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 201-219.

The Bordzilovskaya and Dettlaff staging series is also available in Axolotl Newsletter #7 (Spring, 1979).

Click on the buttons (72 dpi GIF images) below to view the larger images (150 dpi JPEG) of each stage.


26.
27.
28.

29.
30.

Late Tailbud - Stages 31-35:

Bordzilovskaya, N.P., T.A. Dettlaff, Susan T. Duhon, and George M. Malacinski. 1989. Developmental-stage series of axolotl embryos. In Developmental Biology of the Axolotl edited by J.B. Armstrong and G.M. Malacinski. Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 201-219.

The Bordzilovskaya and Dettlaff staging series is also available in Axolotl Newsletter #7 (Spring, 1979).

Click on the buttons (72 dpi GIF images) below to view the larger images (150 dpi JPEG) of each stage.


31.
32.
33.

34.
35.

Prehatched to Hatched - Stages 36-44:

Bordzilovskaya, N.P., T.A. Dettlaff, Susan T. Duhon, and George M. Malacinski. 1989. Developmental-stage series of axolotl embryos. In Developmental Biology of the Axolotl edited by J.B. Armstrong and G.M. Malacinski. Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 201-219.

The Bordzilovskaya and Dettlaff staging series is also available in Axolotl Newsletter #7 (Spring, 1979).

Click on the buttons (72 dpi GIF images) below to view the larger images (150 dpi JPEG) of each stage.


36.
37.
38.

39.
40.
41.

42.
43.
44.Just hatched

Simple Brine Shrimp Hatchery

This easy-to-make hatchery was designed by Brent Mundy.

Constructing the Hatchery
Operating the Hatchery
Manipulating the Cycle
Troubleshooting
Collecting Shrimp to Feed
Care for Larvae

Constructing the Hatchery

Construct a simple shrimp hatchery out of a two-liter clear plastic cola bottle, the pull-up cap from a 32 oz (1 liter) dishwashing detergent bottle (or sports drink bottle), an aquarium air pump, a 3-4 ft (about 1 meter) long piece of tubing that fits onto the air pump outlet to use as an air hose, and a stand of some kind to support the bottle in an inverted position. A heat lamp with a 40-watt bulb is optional.

First, empty and clean the two-liter cola bottle with hot water. Use a sharp knife to cut a hole 1 to 1 1/2 inches (about 3 cm) in diameter in the bottom of the cleaned bottle. Next, rinse the pull-up cap from the detergent bottle very well with warm water. The threads on the cap and the two-liter bottle should be compatible. Screw the cap onto the two-liter bottle.

This apparatus will be used inverted. The pull-up cap serves as a reclosable drain at the bottom. Fill the bottle half-full of water and draw a line across the bottle at the water line with a permanent marker. Empty the water back out. Position the air pump so that the air hose reaches the bottom of the inverted bottle. The diagram shows how the setup should look.


Operating the Hatchery

Rinse out the bottle, clean with a brush if necessary, make sure the drain spout is securely closed, and place it in the stand in inverted position. Add about a cup (about 350 ml) of hot tap water through the hole at the top. Use a funnel to add three tablespoons (45 cc) plain (uniodized) table salt --NaCl-- to the hot water. Swirl to dissolve the salt. Fill the bottle the rest of the way to the half-full line with cold tap water. Next, add 1/4 - 1 teaspoon (2-5 cc) brine-shrimp eggs (cysts) to the bottle, depending on how many larvae you need to feed. For fewer than 20 larvae, 1/4 teaspoon (2 cc) should be plenty. Swirl the bottle gently to mix the eggs and brine. Place the air hose through the hole so that it reaches the bottom of the inverted bottle. Make sure that the air hose is positioned properly and bubbling vigorously because the shrimp will not hatch well unless the water is agitated continuously.

Most of the shrimp should hatch within 24 to 48 hours. The length of the cycle depends upon the temperature. The hatched shrimp are orange and can be easily seen through the plastic bottle. When most of the shrimp appear to have hatched, remove the air hose and hold the bottle over a clean shallow pan. After most of the gray shells have floated to the surface, open the drain to empty the newly hatched shrimp and brine into the pan. Close the drain before the last of the brine and the shells enter the pan.

Manipulating the Cycle

To shorten the cycle raise the temperature of the system by putting the apparatus in a warmer location or directing a lamp with a low-wattage bulb at the hatchery. Alternatively add more hot water initially to start with a warmer mixture.

To lengthen the cycle place the hatchery in a cooler location or use less (or no) hot water initially.

Troubleshooting

The percentage of shrimp that hatch depends on the temperature and length of the cycle, on whether the brine has been continuously and vigorously agitated, and on the quality of the shrimp eggs used. If, after checking that temperature and agitation are appropriate, only poor hatches are obtained, consider changing to a different brand or supplier.

Collecting Shrimp to Feed

Place a large coffee filter across the top of a wide-mouthed jar or similar container. Collect live, swimming brine shrimp from the pans by sucking them up in a large pipette (turkey baster). Do not suck up dead brine shrimp from the bottom of the pan. Avoid getting any floating shells by placing the tip of the pipette just below the surface of the water. For easier collecting, place a light at one end of the pan. The shrimp are phototropic and will swim toward the light, conveniently gathering themselves together.

Squirt the shrimp and brine into the filter to strain the shrimp out of the brine. Discard the brine, then wash the shrimp off the filter and into the container with axolotl water. Distribute the shrimp suspended in axolotl water among the bowls of larvae with the pipette. Feed very young larvae just enough to make their bellies orange. Feed larger larvae generously to forestall cannibalism. It may take a few days of feeding and observing the results to get a sense of how much to feed.

Care for Larvae

Small larvae (< 2 inches or 5 cm long) are fed brine shrimp. Change the water and feed them daily. Keep their bowls clean but never use soap. If necessary, use a little baking soda and salt mixed together as a cleaning agent (two parts baking soda to one part salt). Scrub, then rinse thoroughly. As the larvae grow, split them up into additional bowls. Keep similar sized larvae together. For more information consult the Short_Guide_to_Axolotl Husbandry.

More Articles ...

  1. Teacher's Materials - Images
  2. Guide to Axolotl Husbandry
  3. Teacher's Materials - High School
  4. Axolotl Limb Staging Series

Most Popular