Water Dogs?

A friend of mine had a water dog for a few months before it decided to become a Salamander. They are fun to have and great for kids but they need really clean water and need regular water changes. So be prepared if you get one, it will change and become a salamander, more than likely a Tiger salamander.

They are coldwater salamanders. They are native to some parts of the Southern coastal US like Alabama and Louisianna so check local laws regarding keeping of native species. They do in fact retain their gills throughout their lives. Some species can attain lengths of over ten inches. They are nocturnal carnivores. I really wouldn't recommend them in anything but a species only tank and only if you can provide a chiller for them.

im not extra knowledgable on watter dogs, but i believe they are infact tiger salamander larve.

however, mud puppies live their whole lives underwater. theyre also a coldwater species and will eat any fish they can fit in their mouths.

Not axolotls?

No there are things called water dogs that are not in fact Tiger Salamander larvae. they do maintain gills their entire lives and as I stated, live in the Southern US in coldwater. I have no idea if something is sold in stores nuder the incorrect name, I was only going off of the info the OP listed.

Harlock and FooF are both right. Some stay in the larval stage for their entire lives, some become adult salamanders. Really weird. And yea like most amphibians they will eat anything that fits into their mouths.

unclefahaka was kind enough to send me this link: http://www.axolotl.org/

Harlock said:

No there are things called water dogs that are not in fact Tiger Salamander larvae. they do maintain gills their entire lives

Click to expand...

interesting. thanks for the info, i was unaware.
i guess thats why youre my hero. :bowing:

"The Axolotl, along with a number of other amphibians, remains in its larval form throughout its life. This means that it retains its gills and fins, and it doesn't develop the protruding eyes, eyelids and characteristics of other adult salamanders."

mmkay...

"It is generally accepted that neoteny is a "backward" step in evolution, because the Axolotl is descended from what were once terrestrial salamanders, like the closely related species, the Tiger Salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum and Ambystoma mavortium spp. (in fact, one likely theory suggests that the Axolotl is in fact a Tiger salamander off-shoot, as it can interbreed with that species with some success). Through some quirk of nature, a neotenous form developed and, probably due to environmental conditions, prospered."

I really don't know, but I'd sure think about getting one of these if I could!