Has anyone kept Mudpuppies?

[jossswonk]

I'm doing some research on Mudpuppies but there's not a whole lot of information out there. So I'm wondering if anyone has any experience?

 

[Uberhoust]

I haven't but it is a fish that would be interesting to me.

 

[gwand]

I have kept puppies that loved mud!

 

[Uberhoust]

I have kept puppies that loved mud!

Me too.

 

[Herpin Man]

Yes, I have kept mudpuppies. I have also observed a fair number of them in the wild.

 

[jossswonk]

Do you know anything about their breeding habits or if anyone has bred them in captivity?

 

[Herpin Man]

I don't know anyone who has bred them. They breed in the fall, when water temps start getting cold. The following spring, the female excavates a nest under a rock or log, and attaches the eggs to the underside. She guards the eggs until after they hatch.
My thinking is that breeding this species would require a very large enclosure, along with the ability to get the temps very cold in the winter.

 

[jossswonk]

Thank you very much! What size of enclosure would you recommend?

 

[Herpin Man]

Not sure. Several hundred gallons, I suppose, for a pair.